Technical knowledge on its own is useless, unless buyers have the skills to put their knowledge into action. Buyers must have organizational skills to play a larger role in the strategic dimensions of their business. They must be able to sell their ideas, interact with and serve their internal clients professionally, negotiate long-term and complex agreements with sole and single sources, and report results in terms that top management understands.
Buyers must be able to advance the interest of their firm in every action taken – and do it more quickly and effectively than ever while minimizing costs.
The current business environment is becoming increasingly unfriendly for buyers. The trend toward time-based management means there is less, rather than more, time to perform all of the purchasing functions required. Yet, there is a trend toward fewer supplier relationships. Those that remain require more skill in balancing the needs of the firm and those of the supplier.
The old rules no longer apply. You need a new set of skills to deliver the value your organization needs and expects. This workshop complements the more technical buyer training curriculum. It’s a powerful catalyst in the process of changing mindsets and realigning buyers with your organization's direction.
This workshop was also developed to address the biggest barrier to progress for the professional buyer: the high degree of purchasing done by nontraditional purchasing personnel. According to a study done by the Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies (a subsidiary of ISM), 59% of purchases are made by nontraditional, purchasing staff. This workshop will help buyers identify, understand, and manage the involvement of nontraditional purchasing personnel in the purchasing process.
You will leave this seminar with the ability to: