September 2015
no image

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0


‘I don’t understand, why aren’t these projects delivering as they promised?’ This familiar cry has been heard from many business leaders and project managers. The solution is Project Portfolio Management (PPM), a holistic management strategy used to align an organization’s software, portfolios, and project for analysis and collaboration. PPM streamlines and optimizes management activities to facilitate and fulfill successful business and technical objectives. It about doing the RIGHT work. If you are not implementing the RIGHT projects and work to meet strategic objectives, the value you are bringing to the business may be much smaller than its potential.

A recent study conducted by PM Solutions concluded that “firms at higher level of PPM capability more often saw 25% or greater ROI from implementing PPM processes.” For the average business, PPM may be a process well beyond their organizational maturity; however, it is a major component that should not be overlooked, in order to increase the probability of reaching your business objectives. Though, you don’t need to implement PPM at the enterprise level to see its benefits; an implementation on department or individual level can yield the same benefits as well.

Following these key processes will help you and your organization to a comprehensive Project Portfolio Management:

1. Capture Portfolio Items

Establishing what you are going to manage is the first and most important step of portfolio management. You need to have an overview of the extent and variety of existing and potential work, and how it maps into the organization’s overall strategy.

2. Portfolio Management

Evaluate and validate all the value propositions and/or business cases of the identified opportunities. This review will lead to the selection of work that you actually expect to conduct during the ensuing period.

3. Portfolio Planning

Linking strategy to project prioritization and balancing an organization’s portfolio to achieve the optimal benefit value are the most fundamental practices of PPM. Please note some of these benefits may not necessarily be identifiable in financial terms and you will need to apply subjective judgment.

4. Project Management

This is a process for approving and funding the project business plan, allocating resources and scheduling projects. Funding and resource allocation will be based on the identified priority of the projects.

5. Portfolio Report and Improvements

Report on how the overall portfolio is progressing, what results are being achieved, and what the overall portfolio picture looks like. Over the longer term, continue to assess the effectiveness of the portfolio process and propose changes to improve the whole cycle in the future based on these results.

It is important to emphasize that all these processes described above do not necessarily have to be strictly sequential. This is an iterative exercise, so please exercise as to how far you go with each step and in what order, to make the whole approach work together. Mature organization, for example, may introduce additional steps into the approach.



Read more »
no image

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0
Last week I attended the Q1 Productions Pharmaceutical Procurement & Strategic Sourcing Conference in Philadelphia along with a few Source One colleagues and an excellent group of organizational leaders within the industry. The conference included topics ranging from Compliance to Procurement Transformation, a thought provoking panel discussion on balancing operational costs with product quality, and an insightful Q&A session on supplier negotiations. Late morning on day two, I presented The Future of Procurement BPO, which provided attendees with an overview of what we have observed in the industry in terms of how companies are leveraging various BPO models to help accelerate the maturation of their strategic sourcing capabilities to achieve unprecedented objectives beyond cost savings.

What I realized while preparing the presentation is that the audience would likely include a mix of procurement maturity ranging from category and supplier relationship owners buying reactively all the way to organizations with Procurement centers of excellence that are proactively managing their supply chain and indirect spend holistically and strategically. In order to address strategies that make sense to such a diverse mix of conference participants, I had to identify a few engagement models that cover the majority of requirements and could be considered fairly standard, they were: traditional, tactical procurement BPO, Staff Augmentation, and Advisory. The traditional BPO mostly speaks for itself. The idea for Staff Augmentation is that companies who have gaps in category expertise, market intelligence, or resources could benefit from outside help related to these strategic sourcing needs. Finally, Advisory encompasses strategy and management consulting related to developing a mature strategic sourcing department and program within the organization.

Among these models attendees could begin to determine where their company is on the Procurement maturity curve and where outsourced help may best fit into accelerating their improvement. Ultimately, a bottom up or top down approach may make intuitive sense for some, but a hybrid may be a possibility. For example, a company may find that outsourcing tactical procurement and working a consultant in advisory capacity to further develop strategic sourcing best practices would be the best fit.

After providing some guidance on developing a requirement set for enhancing existing capabilities with outsourced help, the remainder of the presentation focused on selecting the right partner including key criteria to consider, understanding short term and long term objectives, gaining internal and executive buy-in, supplier qualification, as well as some statement of work best practices. The presentation culminated in an in depth look at some supplier relationship management best practices.

A theme we saw throughout the presentations across both days was that savings is no longer the only metric by which Procurement is measured. In fact, it has become de-emphasized substantially within most companies. Procurement leaders are tasked with managing stakeholder alignment, increasing financial performance, risk management, and talent management as well. What that means is the Procurement Department’s evolution along that Procurement maturity curve needs to accelerate to support these strategic imperatives. In most cases, that translates into obtaining help from third party with some or maybe even all areas within procurement and strategic sourcing. But not only does it mean getting help, it means making sure the value is delivered and not just dumping work onto a supplier. Collaboration and management of procurement BPO relationships are critical to the Procurement’s mission.
Read more »

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0


Reference checks are a great way to cut through the spin we often see from a supplier’s RFP response or pitch presentation. Yet reference checks often either play a small role in sourcing initiatives or are ignored entirely.

Why? Because reference checks can take a lot of time and, done incorrectly, simply don’t add value.

Inefficient reference checking practices don’t pay off, and reference requirement too often end up relegated to the “just-another-formality” section of an RFP questionnaire – but they don’t have to be. Here are a few tips to hone your reference checking strategy to help you produce actionable results.





Reference Check Ground Rules

To be clear, this isn’t a rundown of every question you need to ask a reference. The right mix of questions for your needs depends on your goals, the type of supplier you are looking for, and the role they will play in your organization. What this list provides is a set of ground rules for making the most out of the process.

First things first: Not every reference provided deserves to be checked. Suppliers provide references they think will make the best case for them – regardless of how valuable they will be for you. Your first goal, then, is to identify which references are worth your time. So, what makes a good reference? Which ones should you avoid?

  • Aim for similar organizations. This one is simple: Stay on top of the supplier to choose customers that are as close to your business as possible in terms of size, industry, needs, and implemented solution. Supplier who struggle to comply are either overly interested in cherry picking references or just don't have enough experience with companies like yours. Either situation is a red flag.
  • Keep work history in mind. Speaking with new clients helps focus the conversation on implementation issues. However, there isn’t enough longevity to gauge the supplier as a long-term partner. Suppliers are still putting their best foot forward early in a relationship, and new clients may be more willing to forgive mistakes as part of the learning process.
  • Seek out past clients. Related to the point above, a previous client will not only understand the entire life-cycle of their relationship, but is more likely to be candid about their previous relationship.
  • Speak with the right contact. Low-level stakeholders who work with suppliers on day-to-day issues are often more valuable to you than high-level managerial leaders who inked the deal. Make sure you’re talking to titles that are in the trenches to get a true sense of how suppliers function as partners. Be sure to have those same titles on the phone on your side as well.
  • Identify relationships in play. If you are looking for the supplier to play a mission-critical role, are they mission-critical to the reference company? How did the reference identify the supplier as a potential partner – through an RFP process, or was there a personal relationship in play? All add a great deal of context, and may make a reference more or less valuable in terms of applicability to your organization.
  • Uncover conflicts of interest. While some clients offer to be references because they feel strongly about a supplier, others may have tit-for-tat arrangements, including free or cheaper services or other value adds. If a reference is getting a better deal on products or services than what you were offered, then their experience will be different from yours.

Once you have vetted your supplier’s references, structure the conversation in a way most likely to result in objective, actionable takeaways:

  • Guide the conversation. Open-ended questions are excellent for reference checks, but leave a lot of room for references to choose where the conversation flows. Begin the conversation with a brief overview of why you are interested in the supplier, and what matters to you most. Otherwise, references will naturally focus on what matters to them. If your biggest concern is training, adherence to timelines, or an ability to proactively seek out cutting edge solutions, say so.
  • Ask for actionable responses. Asking a reference to describe their relationship with a supplier won’t yield valuable information. Asking for specific examples of how a supplier has impacted their business gives more insight. What problem did the reference seek out the supplier to address? How long did it take for them to do so, and did the solution fall within the timelines agreed to? How often does the reference need to escalate issues, and how quickly are they resolved? In broad terms, was there a strong ROI on the project?
  • Ask for specific, actionable responses. Asking a reference to describe their relationship with a supplier won’t yield valuable information. Asking for specific examples of how a supplier has impacted their business gives more insight. What problem did the reference seek out the supplier to address? How long did it take for them to do so, and did the solution fall within the timelines agreed to? How often does the reference need to escalate issues, and how quickly are they resolved? In broad terms, was there a strong ROI on the project?
  • Give ‘em a gut check. Some questions beg for canned responses, such as asking about strengths and weaknesses. Better alternatives ask the reference to think about their own experience more fully. In hindsight, what does the reference wish they knew prior to signing with the supplier? What advice would the reference give to help you avoid headaches? What does the reference wish the supplier provided that they aren’t currently?
  • Network. Even after your call is completed, stay in touch with any references that were particularly open and helpful. If you end up selecting the supplier in question, they can be invaluable assets in the future, as they’ve already travelled the road you are about to start on.
Finally, don’t treat reference checks as compartmentalized pass/fail tests. After you finish conducting your calls, don’t forget to apply what you’ve learned! If any specific weaknesses are brought to the surface, make sure they are addressed later when negotiating Service Level Agreements. If references indicate implementation milestones were missed or that employee training wasn’t proactive, build appropriate carrots and sticks into your KPIs.

 

Reference Checks – Worth the time?

There may not be a clear cut answer to this question at the outset. However, following these rules will help you determine if you should invest the time in reference checks, or if you are better off focusing on other methods of evaluating your potential suppliers.
Read more »
no image

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0
The ever changing, demanding, and competitive landscape of the marketing industry today is leaving many CMOs wondering how competitive and up-to-date their marketing agencies are against their nearest competition. Simply researching online and making a few phone calls for this type of answer certainly is not enough to gain true insight. Understanding the competition and where your agency relationship fits within the landscape is a crucial and necessary business exercise to undertake and benchmark. The best thing you can do for your company is undergo a full agency search to fully obtain a true and full picture to these inquiries. Throughout this blog, I will be speaking to the benefits in finding the right agency partner, outside of the typical cost saving structure.

When undergoing an agency search, the most ideal situation is when marketing and sourcing work as one collaborative team. It is procurement's role to both achieve a solid equilibrium between cost and value and facilitate of a prosperous, long term relationship between marketing and their creative agencies. Having the right parties involved goes hand-in-hand in the success of this initiative. Through marketing procurement, you will be able to assess the scope of work per each of your relationships and pinpoint any duplicate deliverables. This will allow you to consolidate overlapping work and negotiate better terms around the specific campaigns. Alongside this, you will be able to breakdown any barriers between brand silos. Even though each brand may have its own vision, through consolidation of SOWs, there is typically overlap identified within the type of services each brand is receiving. This will allow room for consolidation and negation as one entity. Also, efficiencies across the full brand portfolio will occur and alignment amongst the marketing departments will transpire allowing for decisions to be made together as one synergized team.

There are many benefits in finding the right agency to be your strategic partner. You obtain more than just marketing expertise. When outsourcing some, if not all of your marketing initiatives, you obtain outside marketing talent, access to cutting-edge technology, synergies amongst in-house and agency partners, and full transparency into all initiatives. While encompassing outside talent, you obtain access to marketers with unique backgrounds and experiences, differing educations and new ideas into marketing strategies. As we all know, within the marketing landscape, you must remain current on the latest trends. Not all in-house marketers have the time to constantly educate themselves on the ever-changing social media trends, content marking, SEO, and technology. With an outsourced marking agency, there is no learning curve. Creative agencies are constantly educating themselves on the latest marketing trends occurring throughout the landscape. They typically stay well-informed on the latest tools, technologies, and strategies, which allows them to incorporate the latest and greatest to your marketing needs. Allowing a creative agency to bear most of the burden, gives your in-house staff room to concentrate on critical developments and synergize with the creative agency to form the most strategic plan to market.

According to Matrix Marketing Group, marketing departments are often technology deprived, due to being at the bottom on the IT department’s priority list. Throughout your agency search, you will be able to identify the types of marketing tools and technology each agency offers. Technology trends are important for any business to maintain your competitive landscape, impact how your customers reach your business, and influence growth within your brands. To give an example, advertising agencies are trending towards reliance on automation. Ad Age states that, “Plenty of advertisers today are buying digital ads without speaking to a single human at a media company, and print and TV ads might not be far behind. Automated, or programmatic, buying is growing not only because it makes ad transactions more efficient but because it can make them more effective, as long as the right data is applied.” Keep in mind, these tools do not provide the actual marketing services. They do require a marketing expert who can apply the appropriate data and interpret the output data, and in turn, can then strategize smart decisions to apply to your campaigns; an outsourced marketing agency can do just this. Overall, you want your business to thrive and remain current, and when having access to the technology and marketing experts to apply and analyze the data, you have the advantage on your side.

During my experience working for 2 major U.S. Retailers, I’ve learned you always want to be ahead of the game, especially in regards to your competition. We all know the saying, “Sink or swim,” which is very prevalent in the business world today. One of the retailers, unfortunately, reminded behind the curve, followed the trends and is currently beginning to sink; the other works hard to remain ahead of the game in all verticals of business and continues to innovate every day. You want to be the leader, the trend setter, not the follower. Undergoing an agency search will give you great insight on where your incumbent marketing agency stands against the market, access to unlimited human talent and will give you measure on where you fall within current trends and technology. This process may take time, but in the end, it is tremendously worth it to keep your business alive!


Works Cited:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/important-keep-abreast-technology-trends-running-ebusiness-27295.html

http://adage.com/article/agency-news/media-cos-conducting-media-agency-reviews/294433/

http://matrixmarketinggroup.com/8-benefits-hiring-marketing-agency/  
Read more »

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0

When looking at ways to optimize supplier relationships and reduce costs across the supplier base, it is important for companies to regulate certain variables that they are able to control. In my previous posting I highlighted the three customer-controllable factors that have the strongest correlation to cost in the context of supplier relationships. These three factors are: 1) effective forecasting, 2) having an understanding of vital requirements and accompanying regulation of superfluous demands and 3) monitoring compliance. Here I will speak to my experience and findings with how not having a clear understanding of your vital goods and/or service requirements in the context of supplier relationships can lead to suppliers taking advantage of customers and customers not utilizing suppliers effectively.

In general, suppliers will cater to the needs of their customers and this resonates as the common mantra of companies with a good and/or service to offer. This ideology can sometimes act to the detriment of customers who do not have a solid grasp of what they need and what they could go without or in a different context: what they can perform in-house versus what they can outsource. In other words when a company contracts with a supplier they need to have an understanding of what the core requirements they have and what other goods or services may fall in the “nice to have” category. If the lines are unclear as to what the fundamental needs of your company are, this oftentimes leads to ambiguity in the contracting process and therefore increase the chances of acquiring good or services that are not needed or excluding supplier requirements and responsibilities that are fundamental to the operation.

In my experience I have seen various examples of overutilization, underutilization, and outright misuse of supplier services. In one case of overutilization a supplier was maintaining a price point approximately 20% above the industry average. As it turned out the customer was utilizing VMI services which required a full-time dedicated supplier resource to stock and monitor inventory bins (Kan-Ban style VMI) at the customer site. After analyzing inventory levels it was apparent that the volumes of components provided by the supplier did not require a full-time supplier resource to monitor the bins. In this case the supplier claimed to offer the service “free of charge” when in reality the service was costing the customer a 20% premium. In this example not only did a customer not need the levels of service being provided, but the supplier embedded the cost of the VMI service in the unit cost of the products – a common practice that customers need to be weary of.

In order to avoid this scenario some example questions that should be asked up front during the scoping process and eventual contracting process with suppliers should include: Is it cheaper for me to perform this service in-house, or outsource to a specialist? Is this good or service an integral part to the operation? What are the core needs that must be fulfilled? How does this contribute to our bottom line? Is this good or service directly or indirectly related to core business offering? Essentially, questions should be asked and factors should be weighed to strike the optimal balance between quality of service and cost. With this knowledge and understanding it is then easier to create a lean yet impactful supplier relationship thereby eliminating unnecessary services and deriving greater value from your supplier base.
Read more »
no image

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0
The world of e-Sourcing isn't exactly a new phenomenon and companies have a myriad of e-Sourcing tools available to them. However, before rolling out a suite of tools you must first understand if this is something your company is in fact ready for. It's all too common that an organization adopts a software suite, attempts to roll it out organization wide, and doesn't see the success they were anticipating. E-Sourcing suites promise increased cost savings, decreased sourcing cycle times, decreased administrative costs and decreased time to market. However, if the appropriate change management approach isn't taken companies typically will not see all of these benefits. Let's take a look at some of the reasons why your organization may be resistant.

  • People are always scared to change whether it is because they fear the unknown, or they simply are set in their ways. Remember a lot of resources are from the generation prior to all the technological advances. Ensure that you are providing proper training and spending an adequate amount of time with the stakeholder prior to rolling out a tool set. If the stakeholder doesn't fully understand it they either won't use it, or won't use it the right way.
  • Be prepared to tackle stakeholder push-back. It's common that a stakeholder will argue that the category they manage does not fit into a typical sourcing process, isn't strategic, or that the supply base will be resistant. In my opinion, all categories can fit into a sourcing process. Yes, it might be atypical, but your process should be fluid enough to be able to adapt to stakeholder needs as well as the category itself. Not everything is going to be as easy as sourcing a basic indirect category such as office supplies. Also all categories are strategic in some shape or form even if the relationship with the suppliers is viewed as tactical, there must be a purpose behind why you are procuring those items for your organization. In regards to a resistant supply base, remember you are the customer and a good supplier will conform to fit your process and way of doing business. Ensure ample training is provided on the supplier end and that you are prepared to answer supplier questions when they arise. Be proactive and don't let the supplier get frustrated.
  • Stakeholders sometimes fear that sourcing is there to take over their responsibility of managing the category. From there perspective they may believe you are there to take over because either they are not doing a good job or eventually the company may be looking to downsize. Ensure that you prep the stakeholder you are no taking over, you simply are there to provide support and guidance. You are trying to incorporate a tool set to make their lives easier and allow them to focus more of their time on core responsibilities other than sourcing. After the necessary training, optimally, you will not be involved in the day to day.
Again these are just some challenges I have seen with e-Sourcing roll-outs. Some of the solutions may seem simple but they are steps organizations often overlook. It is important to ensure you have a plan in place to address all these needs and issues up front prior to mandating the use of an e-Sourcing platform.
Read more »

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0
UN General Assembly adopts 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Leaders from United Nation's member nations have agreed to formally adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda is made up of 17 sustainable development goals spanning areas such as innovation and infrastructure, as well as responsible consumption and production. Creators of the agenda also set out clean targets to promote sustainability in public procurement.

The agenda will be a large and collaborative member by all U.N. nations. In a statement released by the White House on Sep. 27, the Office of the Press Secretary noted that "the adoption of this new framework is just the beginning, and we must recognize that no government or country can deliver on the promise of this ambitious agenda single-handedly."

The agenda sets global goals and priorities over the next 15 years. The core initiatives within the agenda promote overall transparency when it comes to global sourcing and seeks to rid multinational production of things like theft, tax evasion and the immoral practices of modern-day slavery, according to Supply Management.

Targets have been specifically set to encourage large and transnational companies to integrate new sustainability practices into their annual reporting cycles.

The U.N. General Assembly will be meeting and discussing other agendas in New York City through Oct. 6. Topics will span from ISIS to climate change, but the adoption of the 2030 Agenda stands to be the most impactful news for the world of supply management.

Read more »

on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 0
Caterpillar announces mass company lay-offs

Caterpillar announced that they will be cutting up to 10,000 jobs as a part of a major restructuring plan. The bulk of the layoffs will be implemented in 2015, but the company expects to let between 4,000 and 5,000 people go by the end of 2016.

Caterpillar will be enacting initial reductions mainly among salaried workers, as opposed to the hourly work force. The layoffs come as a part of an overall plan for cost reduction within the company. Once the restructure is in full gear, Caterpillar foresees a total reduction of $1.5 billion annually.

Caterpillar has hit hard times in recent years. The company reported 2015 as its third consecutive down year for sales and overall revenue. If Caterpillar continues on this path, 2016 would mark the first time since the inception of the company that sales and revenues have declined four years straight.

The company has been hard on cuts -both with manufacturing costs and employment - in hopes of remedying their overall financial decline. Since mid-2012, Caterpillar has reduced its total workforce by more than 31,000 employees.

Caterpillar CEO, Doug Oberhelman laments the impact this has had on employees but remains hopeful that this new model will benefit the company's overall success.

"We recognize today's news and actions taken in recent years are difficult for our employees, their families and the communities where we're located. We have a talented and dedicated workforce, and we know this will be hard for them," said Oberhelman.

China's role in the Caterpillar crisis
Caterpillars decline is seen by many as the first real indicator of China's economic slowdown, according to Business Insider. Caterpillar has seen a decrease in sales in the region over the past several years.

The recent falling prices of commodities such as oil and copper, which The New York Times links to China's economic downturn, has affected Caterpillar particularly, as its biggest clients come from the mining business and other commodity producers.

Caterpillar's difficulties are sparking concern for other multinational companies as well. The Chinese market has been a major center for growth for a handful of companies including Apple and fellow equipment-manufacturer John Deere.

In a globally-sourced world the uncertainty of one market can have a ripple effect on the global economy. Hopefully, the problems faced by Caterpillar do not mark a shift of employee cuts for other companies with equal investment in China's market.

Read more »

on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 0
The need for independent evaluation or market conditions vs. current pricing can often be taken for granted in established markets. The usual assumption is that the market is self-correcting and suppliers that are overcharging or inflating the cost of their products will be forced to lower prices due to competition or go out of business.

This is certainly the case in established commodity markets where consumers can clearly identify the main criteria distinguishing each product, there is a large range of suppliers to choose from, and margins are low. However, in the electronics, medical, or other niche markets claims of innovation, uniqueness, and efficacy overshadow competition and pricing is not kept in check.

The most vivid example of over inflated market pricing can be seen in the pharmaceutical space, as recently described on Medscape. As summarized in the table below, the annual cost of cancer treatments is by far the highest in the US and can be exemplified by the price tag of $125K for Brentuximab and $264K for Pegylated asparaginase.



A further complication arises when we consider the price of pharmaceuticals on a global scale. As described in reports presented by IMS Health and the Center for Economic and Policy Research.



The drivers of high drug prices can vary from initial R&D costs, failure of other drugs during the company’s development or clinical trial phases, high manufacturing costs, or a standard industry practice of high markup.

Certainly higher R&D costs can be warranted by arguments of novel treatments for serious ailments without remedies. However, according to Hagop M. Kantarjian, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Leukemia at the University of Texas M.D. indirect costs and failed initiatives are often bundled with actual R&D costs in order to justify spend as high as $1.3 Billion. The reported spend can be traced to the total expenditure on all drugs by the company divided by the drugs which actually received FDA approval.

Post approval process manufacturing costs are frequently offset with contract manufacturing agreements. High quality at the lowest price is a very successful practice of the industry and speaks volumes where generics are concerned, so this factor should not unproportionately impact the cost of newly developed drugs.

Perhaps it’s the high markup that can be most clearly felt by the patient in the US. The annual spend per person in the US in nearly triple when compared to Denmark. According to Leigh Purvis, director of health research at the Public Policy Institute at AARP high prices in the US result from a lack of effective negotiations with pharmaceutical companies. The US lacks a central healthcare system or agency that can regulate across the board costs and perform comparisons of drugs that are already on the market to prevent high prices for functionally similar products post approval. Although, lower prices in Europe and Canada do come with the tradeoff of restrictions on new and expensive medications. Insurers also play a role in negotiations, but certainly their main objective is not consumer protection. This is felt by patients in both lack of coverage and pass-through costs.

Reducing the high cost of pharmaceuticals is achievable, but the process demands the attention and vigilance of the consumer and government agencies alike. Basing pharmaceutical prices on effectiveness, and the refusal to use a drug when it’s overpriced have proven to be the two basic but successful tools in past cases. However, continued improvement is a slow process and exceptions can’t be discounted if a compromise is to be made between cost and availability.


Image courtesy of www.consumerreports.org
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)