Even for businesses in the logistics industry, the idea of having a C-suite manager whose job is to oversee procurement efforts might not be something that's in your plans. However, more companies are taking the plunge on such a hire these days, and it's important for those that have not yet done so to understand why having this kind of executive on your team is increasingly a must in the world of the supply chain.

Put simply, someone who only oversees the streamlining of your inbound and outbound logistics via a comprehensive procurement strategy will be more likely to find room for improvement in your current processes, or ways to overhaul them entirely in the name of a streamlined process. Entrepreneur notes that as transparency in the supply chain becomes the norm and your shipping partners or suppliers demand the same level of insight, having someone who can make these efforts their sole focus will only become more common.

A new CPO can do wonders for your logistics operations.Hiring a CPO can do wonders for your logistics operations.

As such, your efforts to hire a chief procurement officer now will likely set you up for success down the road; you don't want to be playing catch-up with the competition, or just to meet what are increasingly baseline expectations in the sector, the report said. Likewise, once you have a CPO in place, they can also start focusing in on hiring all the right people who will be able to uphold the new higher levels of productivity and cooperation you and your shipping partners need.

Long-term strategies are a must
The novel coronavirus pandemic made one thing clear to most businesses in the supply chain: You have to be agile in all things logistics, according to CPO Rising. Issues related to sending and receiving shipments are always going to crop up, and previous strategies to pivot may not have been sufficient to ensure a smooth supply chain operation. CPOs have the training and deep professional knowledge needed to make those bumps in the road as minimally impactful on your operations as possible.

Likewise, these professionals can also identify areas where your operations are lagging expectations (or the competition) and determine the best investments to make — especially where it concerns adopting next-gen technology — to ensure you get back on track.

The human touch
Of course, you also need to be able to integrate your CPO into your C-suite as seamlessly as they provide solutions to your logistical issues, according to Boss Magazine. To do that, you have to make sure they are able to collaborate effectively with the finance and overall operations managers, identify areas where strategic changes can be made, and how best to maximize their impact.

Making a new hire at an executive level may not be in the cards for some companies still recovering from the pandemic, but the sooner they can get a highly qualified CPO into the fold, the more likely they will be to realize new levels of success.

Share To:

The Strategic Sourceror

Post A Comment:

0 comments so far,add yours