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We cover industry news, procurement solutions and best practices without heavily focusing on software solutions and providers. The Strategic Sourceror covers topics such as: cost reduction, strategic sourcing, purchasing best practices, spend management, mergers \u0026amp; acquisitions, supply chain innovations, commodity pricing and general procurement news."},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/-\/IT?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/search\/label\/IT"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/-\/IT\/-\/IT?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01028298940153171661"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_j0LF5CTO9j0\/ST0q8woY8_I\/AAAAAAAAAAo\/Mj1gMwx9uQQ\/S220\/profile_graphic_128-128.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"351"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-8504257737747857781"},"published":{"$t":"2021-11-19T06:00:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-11-19T06:00:00.248-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"eLearning"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Multimedia"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Training"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"TEAMS - The basics (and the hidden) "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-5Cy9UV_tj_g\/YYw6BuR5swI\/AAAAAAAAAzc\/j4vD4D9HyBMSi8YyGUd5CxuYwmqAJnnpgCLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"159\" data-original-width=\"318\" height=\"160\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-5Cy9UV_tj_g\/YYw6BuR5swI\/AAAAAAAAAzc\/j4vD4D9HyBMSi8YyGUd5CxuYwmqAJnnpgCLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003ETEAMS is chocked full of functionality, in fact so much so that it would take quite a bit of time to learn it all.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The pandemic sped up the use of TEAMS and Microsoft increased the functionality by leaps and bounds to keep pace.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EVery few people use all the features.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EI was introduced to TEAMS in January 2020.\u0026nbsp; I had no previous experience; the system, for the most part, is extremely user friendly and intuitive.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EThe functions highlighted below are nifty ones used by many on a daily basis:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003ETEAMS communication options fall into 1 of 4 types\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E(no difference if scheduled or impromptu)\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EChat\u0026nbsp;only\u0026nbsp;functionality - text      conversation.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EAn audio only call (all parties picture or\u0026nbsp;initials\u0026nbsp;appear)\u0026nbsp;with      or without screen sharing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EFull video\u0026nbsp;meeting (live faces)\u0026nbsp;with or      without screen sharing.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EAudio call with\u0026nbsp;people outside of the company\u0026nbsp;-      a traditional phone call.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EI recommend considering \u0026nbsp;the \"traffic light” approach prior to reaching out to someone internal for any type of communication (this is the availability status circle by the internal employee’s name or initials in TEAMS:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\" type=\"disc\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #38761d;\"\u003EAvailable\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #38761d; font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;-\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003Efor calls and screen chat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #cc0000;\"\u003EBusy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;-\u0026nbsp;will      receive chat messages and will have functionality to answer back.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #cc0000;\"\u003EDo Not Disturb\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #cc0000;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003Ewith      horizontal slash\u0026nbsp;–\u0026nbsp;no outside\u0026nbsp;screen\u0026nbsp;chat will appear      until the\u0026nbsp;has concluded.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #ffc000;\"\u003EBe right back\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #ffc000;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003Ewith      a\u0026nbsp;clock sign -\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;person is temporarily unavailable or is      finishing a task.\u0026nbsp;(Be right back can only be set manually\u0026nbsp;if      your computer is idle\/ screen lock or “asleep”)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #c27ba0;\"\u003EOffline\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E-\u0026nbsp;It means the person is currently not      using\u0026nbsp;TEAMS, connected to the company, and\u0026nbsp;until they log back      into Corcentric\u0026nbsp;they are not receiving messages.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHow to take and share notes in a team’s meeting\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003ESelecting the “More Actions” icon\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003ESelect the “show meeting notes” option\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EA side pane will pop up select the “take notes”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EI need all the organization help I can get; with the elimination of paper files and the growth of a\u0026nbsp;“cloud filing system” I can easily loose items. TEAMS provides the ability to “Pin” – think of a bulletin board.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPinning\/organizing your teams\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003EOpen Microsoft Teams. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003EGo to the team and channel you want to pin.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003EFind the post and click the more options button at top      right.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003ESelect Pin.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EThe post will be pinned to the top. The post is pinned      for everyone, if part of a channel.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Ch4 style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EEdit in DESKTOP APP\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #3d85c6;\"\u003EWhile in the document others that have access to the same document will be able to edit simultaneously and EVERYONE’s collaborative changes\/updates will be AUTOSAVED!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EFYI - changes can be made in the channel\/non-desktop environment, however this is where (in my opinion) TEAMS is flawed; when multiple parties making changes, alignment and structure can become skewed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EHow to save a message\/chat\/or link to files\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EFind the message you want to save.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EHover over the message and click the bookmark icon to      save the message.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EOnce the message is saved, the bookmark icon will      appear red, and a message will pop up indicating that the message was      saved.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EHow to find saved items\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EJust to the right of the text.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ETo see a list of your saved messages, select your      profile picture at the top of the app and choose Saved.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EHow to copy and send a link\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cul type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ESelect Format beneath the message box.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ESelect Insert link.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EAdd display text and the address.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ESelect Insert or copy and paste the link into the      message box.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ESelect Send.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Ch3 style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EEmojis and Gif’s in Teams\u0026nbsp;–\u0026nbsp;Why\u0026nbsp;\u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;When\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EAccording to\u0026nbsp;the company\u0026nbsp;hibox\u0026nbsp;- (Paraphrased)\u003Ci\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"There are real, measurable benefits to the increasingly casual form of communication that has\u0026nbsp;become the norm of the most innovative businesses. Without in-person interaction, there’s little emotional dimension to our messages at work which can tax employee engagement and relationships. \u003Cspan style=\"color: #31383f;\"\u003EFormal communication is being factored out in favor of informal methods which include emojis and GIFS because we simply work better this way. Using Emojis and Gif's in appropriate business communication produces better results!\"\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003ETEAMS has\u0026nbsp;over 800\u0026nbsp;Emojis, stickers and Gif’s incorporated into the platform.\u0026nbsp; On my team, \u0026nbsp;if\u0026nbsp;a message is received with no action or reply required,\u0026nbsp;the “thumbs up” is posted as a confirmation of being received\/read by the\u0026nbsp;recipient.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003EPlease know your audience prior to adding emojis, GIF or Stickers to group\u0026nbsp;reads, channels – especially if clients are part of the communication\/information stream.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"OutlineElement Ltr BCX0 SCXW119220456\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; clear: both; cursor: text; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px; position: relative; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u003Ch3 style=\"background-color: transparent; color: #2f5496; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: left; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"TextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; font-variant-ligatures: none; line-height: 22.6625px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"\u003EHow to access the “Secret” Emoticons in TEAMS\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"EOP BookmarkEnd SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{\u0026quot;201341983\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;335559738\u0026quot;:40,\u0026quot;335559739\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;335559740\u0026quot;:259}\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; line-height: 22.6625px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp aria-level=\"2\" class=\"Paragraph SCXW119220456 BCX0\" paraeid=\"{11b830a6-109a-43fb-88eb-ff184556f2b8}{157}\" paraid=\"2108553378\" role=\"heading\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: transparent; color: #2f5496; font-kerning: none; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"TextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-family: helvetica; font-variant-ligatures: none; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"\u003EOpen Microsoft Teams.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"EOP SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{\u0026quot;134233117\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;134233118\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;201341983\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;335559739\u0026quot;:60,\u0026quot;335559740\u0026quot;:240}\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-family: helvetica; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"TextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-family: helvetica; font-variant-ligatures: none; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"\u003EGo to either a teams' channel or a chat thread.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"EOP SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{\u0026quot;134233117\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;134233118\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;201341983\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;335559739\u0026quot;:60,\u0026quot;335559740\u0026quot;:240}\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-family: helvetica; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"TextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-family: helvetica; font-variant-ligatures: none; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"\u003EClick inside the text input field and enter the colon character:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"TextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-contrast=\"none\" lang=\"EN-US\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; font-variant-ligatures: none; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\"\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-parastyle=\"trt0xe\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003EFollow this character up with a letter for example\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-parastyle=\"trt0xe\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E“\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-parastyle=\"trt0xe\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003Ea\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-parastyle=\"trt0xe\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E”\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-parastyle=\"trt0xe\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;and emoticons that start with the letter will appear in the list.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"EOP SCXW119220456 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{\u0026quot;134233117\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;134233118\u0026quot;:true,\u0026quot;201341983\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;335559739\u0026quot;:60,\u0026quot;335559740\u0026quot;:240}\" style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; color: #202124; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;🚲🍱🧐\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EThese quick how-to tips are are used frequently and offer effective interactions both internally to an organization and when engaging external resources. TEAMS offers extensive robust features and functionality; continuously helping to bridge the gap of face-to-face interactions that are still impacted by Covid.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003ECorcentric is currently looking for qualified staff... www.corcentric.com\/company\/careers\/\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: helvetica;\"\u003EIf an opening is of interest or if you have questions about the company please email me at twankoff@corcentric.com.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/8504257737747857781\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/11\/teams-basics-and-hidden.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8504257737747857781"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8504257737747857781"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/11\/teams-basics-and-hidden.html","title":"TEAMS - The basics (and the hidden) "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tami Wankoff - Procurement Consultant"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/06681784773830694694"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"30","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-TygyFYPSmvw\/YAnOvnifo6I\/AAAAAAAAAKI\/lGVF108TtycqAh2xPQTtu60biMLXS9yugCK4BGAYYCw\/s113\/for%2Bteams-Edit.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-5Cy9UV_tj_g\/YYw6BuR5swI\/AAAAAAAAAzc\/j4vD4D9HyBMSi8YyGUd5CxuYwmqAJnnpgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-6228701644306502012"},"published":{"$t":"2021-11-01T10:56:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-11-01T10:56:19.260-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Humor Rants Observations"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Vanity numbers - value or not?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KG5jQ3Ry-qA\/YX_8CPABMXI\/AAAAAAAAAy0\/XzsNbbEkYPs0D5-sOdMyGFGa3QjlHzmQgCLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"126\" data-original-width=\"222\" height=\"182\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KG5jQ3Ry-qA\/YX_8CPABMXI\/AAAAAAAAAy0\/XzsNbbEkYPs0D5-sOdMyGFGa3QjlHzmQgCLcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EOver 20 years ago, I worked for a company in Totowa, NJ.\u0026nbsp; The company transported body parts to operating rooms, provided up-to-the-minute arrival information.\u0026nbsp; This was done with the Nextel Push-To-Talk cellular technology when it was brand new to the market.\u0026nbsp; One day, the latest advertising brochure was dropped on my desk; I gave it a quick glance over and there it was, 1-866-LOGISTIC!\u0026nbsp; The company didn’t own that number!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EI walked past the CEO’s Secretary and quietly entered his office and informed him of the marketing error. What followed was the entrance of the marketing staff; heads were going to roll!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E100,000 advertising packets were mailed out to be received up and down the east coast … The CEO yelled at me to locate the number and buy it.\u0026nbsp; I inquired to the CEO \"what are you willing to spend to obtain the number??\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EThis began a sleuthing adventure - what company owned the number and more importantly what would it cost to purchase it?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EAfter 3 days of phone calls and following leads (this was pre- security days, no pin codes and 2FA didn’t exist yet) I found that it was owned by a beeper\/paging company.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThe number had no meaning (866-564-4784 = 866-LOGISTIc) to the paging company after I explained what had occurred.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThe person who would be issued that pager would not be happy by the number of pages received and they would not be for them… The purchase price was $500… \u003C\/i\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003ESo how did this industry of “vanity” begin?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EToll-free service was introdu\u003Cu\u003Ec\u003C\/u\u003Eed by\u0026nbsp;AT\u0026amp;T\u0026nbsp;in 1966 (US intrastate) and 1967 (US interstate) as\u003Cu\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/u\u003Ean alternative to operator-assisted\u0026nbsp;collect calling.\u0026nbsp; This\u0026nbsp;Inward Wide Area Telephone Service\u0026nbsp;(InWATS) allowed calls to be made directly from anywhere in a predefined area by dialing the prefix 1‑800- and a seven-digit number.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EThe system initially provided no support for\u0026nbsp;Automatic Number Identification\u0026nbsp;(Caller ID)\u0026nbsp;and no record to the quantity of calls, instead requiring subscribers to obtain expensive fixed-rate lines which included some number of hours of inbound calling from a \"band\" of one or several U.S. states or Canadian provinces. Early toll-free 800 calling lacked the complex routing features offered with modern toll-free service. After competitive carriers could compete with AT\u0026amp;T in establishing toll-free service, the three-digit exchange following the 800 prefixes was linked to a specific destination carrier and area code; the number itself corresponded to specific telephone switching offices and trunk groups. All calls went to one central destination; there was no means to place a toll-free call to another country.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EDespite its limitations (and the relatively high cost of long distance during the 1970-1990), the system was adequate for the needs of large volume users such as hotels, chains, airlines, and cars\u0026nbsp;for hire\u0026nbsp;firms which used it to build a truly national presence.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EAT\u0026amp;T engineer Roy P. Weber from\u0026nbsp;Bridgewater, New Jersey\u0026nbsp;patented a 'Data Base Communication Call Processing Method' which was deployed by AT\u0026amp;T in 1982. The called number was an index into a database, allowing a 'Toll-Free Call' or '800 Call' to be directed anywhere.\u0026nbsp;This feature and other advances made it possible for\u0026nbsp;AT\u0026amp;T marketing analyst Dodge Cepeda from\u0026nbsp;Bedminster, New Jersey\u0026nbsp;to propose the introduction of providing 800 Toll-Free Service to small and medium-size business customers on a nationwide basis\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EA toll-free\u0026nbsp;vanity number is a custom number or a mnemonic which is easy to remember; it spells and means something, or it contains an easily recognized numeric pattern. An easily remembered number has branding value as a direct response tool and is extremely popular, during the mid-1970’s the carriers quickly realized they could charge a hefty fee for specialty\/vanity toll free number (ex: 800-FLOWERS).\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EThere is a fee structure is for the vanity number each month and a per minute charge for each call received. \u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EA non-vanity toll free number in the 1980’s ranged from 59.95 to $500 and the rate per minute to have the call ring in your business was 6-10 cents a minute.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003ECompare the costs to today – an average AT\u0026amp;T toll free number per month is $4.95 and the rate per minute is around .014.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThe most sought vanity numbers can be purchased on the open market (more of this later in the article\u0026gt;)\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cdiv style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EWhat are the Toll-Free Area Codes?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EThe toll-free number area codes in use today: 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, and 888 and 833 was the last one added in May 2017\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E   \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EDo any of the toll-free area codes operate beyond the continental U.S.?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E844 is a multi-country area code\u0026nbsp;rea code that operates in\u0026nbsp;the North American Numbering Plan: USA, Canada, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guam, Jamaica, Monserrat, North Mariana.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E   \u003Cdiv style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EDo Toll Free numbers still have value?\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The answer is, “it depends.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EFrom the user cost savings perspective – NO, not really.\u0026nbsp; When calls were 6+ cents a minute (25 cents per minute from a payphone) if I could call a business and they paid for my inquiry – yes… there was a value of “wanting my business” and a savings to my pocketbook.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003ENow with free unlimited cellular minutes or per minute rates on landlines at just above a penny a minute…these free calls aren’t “necessary” as a value save for the consumer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E     \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EHowever, a vanity number is brand building, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003Eit unifies messaging and broadens the company exposure.\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800-WALGREENS\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-888-BEST-BUY\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-888-NEW-HOME\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800- PET-MEDS\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-877-USA-ROOF\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800-GOFEDEX\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E           \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EToll Free numbers may be catchy, thus remembered without being written down:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800-HURT - NOW\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800-GIANT-MEN\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E1-800-GOT-JUNK\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E     \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EToll Free Numbers may just have a single word in their number to help users remember their purpose:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003ESeminole Casino in Brighton – 866-2\u003Cb\u003E- CASINO\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EJenna Choctaw Pines Casino – 855-638- \u003Cb\u003ELUCK\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb style=\"background-color: white; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003EToday Vanity numbers don’t need to be toll-free and can be purchased on the open market.\u0026nbsp; (8\/11\/2021)\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cul style=\"margin-top: 0in;\" type=\"disc\"\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E279-999-9999 – is listed for $75,000\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E320-222-2222 is available for $50,000\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E203-888-0000 is listed for $15,000\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E206-ABC-DEFG – is listed for $15,000\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E \u003Cli class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"color: black; line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003E209-REALTOR- is listed for $15,000\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;\"\u003EAll advertising has a price. A vanity number can be considered a visual logo, it can be spoken or sung (used in a jingle), spells a name for easy remembrance, or perform a service, a quick direct connection. The value of using a vanity number (toll free or not) is a strategic business decision and should be considered carefully based upon the “reach” goals of your business.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Corbel\u0026quot;,sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Calibri Light\u0026quot;, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: trebuchet;\"\u003EAt Corcentric we specialize in sourcing initiatives\/data analytics across many business sectors (including Marketing) within an organization to reduce costs\/streamline efficiencies and reduce manual labor.\u0026nbsp; For additional information please reach out: twankoff@Corcentric.com\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Corbel\u0026quot;,sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Calibri Light, sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/6228701644306502012\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/11\/vanity-numbers-value-or-not.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6228701644306502012"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6228701644306502012"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/11\/vanity-numbers-value-or-not.html","title":"Vanity numbers - value or not?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tami Wankoff - Procurement Consultant"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/06681784773830694694"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"30","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-TygyFYPSmvw\/YAnOvnifo6I\/AAAAAAAAAKI\/lGVF108TtycqAh2xPQTtu60biMLXS9yugCK4BGAYYCw\/s113\/for%2Bteams-Edit.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-KG5jQ3Ry-qA\/YX_8CPABMXI\/AAAAAAAAAy0\/XzsNbbEkYPs0D5-sOdMyGFGa3QjlHzmQgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-3319571598480199260"},"published":{"$t":"2021-09-24T20:05:00.006-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-09-24T20:05:51.628-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Data Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Supply Chain"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Companies are buying your private health information. How and why?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3IpsHWuHI_8\/YU5nny1kpaI\/AAAAAAABHoM\/QhNOCjIHhTMvTAjmaqXY1GDafB1PeUD9QCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1920\/health%2Band%2Bmoney.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1440\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3IpsHWuHI_8\/YU5nny1kpaI\/AAAAAAABHoM\/QhNOCjIHhTMvTAjmaqXY1GDafB1PeUD9QCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/health%2Band%2Bmoney.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EBig Data has been a central topic for corporations for many years now. Typically, this is associated with how organizations use analytics to figure out their most valuable customers, or to create new experiences, services, or products. When devising this strategy, the organization must be considerate of a few key factors:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Col style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHow will the data be used? What is the objective of obtaining this data?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhat story will the data tell?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWhat does the data contain? Is Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Protected Health Information (PHI) included?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWho within the organization plans to use the data?\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAll these questions are key to develop the data management architecture. The Architecture can be divided into three sections:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003EA.\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"text-indent: -0.25in;\"\u003EData Management\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;;\"\u003Eo\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EThe way the data is collected and stored \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;\"\u003E·\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EData Security\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;;\"\u003Eo\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EPart of the data management plan, but specifically focuses on the protection and transfer of data\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;\"\u003E·\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EData Visualization\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Courier New\u0026quot;;\"\u003Eo\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EThe output\/analytics of the data that complete the story. This involves using the data to influence actions within the company\u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAs a procurement professional, one should consider coaching stakeholders on adding structure to these three sections before establishing their “Big Data” plan. When it comes to data management, a company can implore multiple methods to ingest and manage data. For example, there may be one method for handling customers that is then used for marketing, and another to handle product testing data to influence product development. Let’s consider a real example:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIn the Pharma industry, understanding a patient’s lifecycle journey is often critical to conducting research to produce new medicines for the market. These companies need to understand how a patient may react\/respond to treatment even when they have not been treated by the company’s medicines. To paint the full patient lifecycle picture, they need a lot of data from a lot of patients around the world. The good news is this data is for sale. The bad news is that the purchasing process can be tricky. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EPatient data is protected by HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) Laws. This means that it’s unlawful for a company to buy, use, or track health information that can be directly tied to a particular patient without their consent or knowledge. But how do we create lifesaving pharmaceuticals without understanding the people they are meant to help? \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EWe do something called, “Tokenization.” This allows companies to aggregate patient data and then anonymize it so it cannot be connected and tied back to any individual. By not linking this data to a name or person, we can understand a patient’s medical history without ever knowing the patience. Instead of John Smith, we now have JS100637. John’s name is never recorded or tied to the new “Token.” John as a patient may appear in multiple datasets hosted by various clinical sites that do not communicate with one another. But, by having a token, John’s information is anonymously stored to eventually provide us with the data that may create the next big vaccine or cure for cancer. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EBig Data faces a lot of hurdles. Humans are resilient and compassionate. We find ways around the hurdles while also respecting one another and protecting our well-deserved privacy. In the world of procurement, we can be the facilitators of this discussion, ensuring our stakeholders consider each possible outcome and solution to the complex problems they aim to solve. The relationships that are required in the previous example are vital to building a stronger data management architecture. There could be one vendor to tokenize the data, another to establish the data management structure and storage needs, and a final vendor to address the visualization of the data. All must seamlessly work together to create a comfortable user experience with optimized efficiency and productivity. \u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/3319571598480199260\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/09\/companies-are-buying-your-private.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3319571598480199260"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3319571598480199260"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/09\/companies-are-buying-your-private.html","title":"Companies are buying your private health information. How and why?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Brandon Hummons"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11985045893591629601"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"21","height":"32","src":"\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-dmbF8guLt2o\/YU5oOrZ4lLI\/AAAAAAABHoY\/jFyUxiyDEz85uvorxI8dECqdtv1mvCADACK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/brandon%2Bhummons%2Ba%2B8.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3IpsHWuHI_8\/YU5nny1kpaI\/AAAAAAABHoM\/QhNOCjIHhTMvTAjmaqXY1GDafB1PeUD9QCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/health%2Band%2Bmoney.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-8433830885776993755"},"published":{"$t":"2021-07-12T08:22:00.006-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-07-12T08:22:00.331-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Logistics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"News"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Supply Chain"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Trending"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Partner Contracts can save your company from a ransomware attack. Here’s how. "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ePKslkv_DBg\/YOvg8mqs7hI\/AAAAAAABEvc\/h9U8oxjH8KQd9aErtk6hJqZ64YQbjmwjgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s960\/cyber-4610993_960_720.webp\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"640\" data-original-width=\"960\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ePKslkv_DBg\/YOvg8mqs7hI\/AAAAAAABEvc\/h9U8oxjH8KQd9aErtk6hJqZ64YQbjmwjgCLcBGAsYHQ\/w385-h256\/cyber-4610993_960_720.webp\" width=\"385\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003EDuring the first half of 2021, we have seen a record number of ransomware attacks with unprecedented impact across the economy. Before this new wave of attacks, hackers often limited their targets to large corporations and international businesses. Now, government agencies\/public institutions and small\/mid-sized businesses are the primary victims.\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIn this article, we will focus on the key actions a Procurement Department can take to prepare, prevent, respond, and recovery when it comes to ransomware attacks. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EFirst, what is ransomware?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAccording to the U.S. Government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Assurance Agency (CISA(opens in a new tab)): “Ransomware is an ever-evolving form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption. Ransomware actors often target and threaten to sell or leak exfiltrated data or authentication information if the ransom is not paid.”\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EA few recent examples:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EColonial Pipeline: DarkSide, the company behind the attack, targeted \u003Cbr \/\u003Ethe billing system and internal business network of the Colonial Pipeline in the United States. The impact was widespread gasoline shortages in multiple states. The FBI covered a significant amount of the $4.4 million paid as ransom. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EBrenntag: DarkSide also targeted Brenntag in a similar way, receiving a ransom payment of $4.4 million as well (not yet recovered. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003ECD Projekt Red: Attacked by HelloKitty hackers. The result was encrypted devices and threats of leaked source code. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EOther companies that experienced a major hack:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EAcer\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EJBS Foods\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EQuanta\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003ENational Basketball Association\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EAXA\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003ECAN\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;\"\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E-\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C!--[endif]--\u003EKia Motors \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThe methods hackers use are constantly becoming more complex and agile. Cybersecurity experts learn new ways to fight these threats each day. The most prevalent methods are 2-factor authentication, strong and effective firewalls\/antivirus\/anti-malware software, limited access to information for each employee, and routine backups. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EWhat role can Procurement take in contributing to security success?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EFirst, Procurement, Risk Management, and IT need to collaborate when onboarding strategic partners. The strategic sourcing process is integral in establishing the right tools and actions to protecting a company. We can break this down into 4 major sections. Each is in relation to vendor interactions, contractual requirements, and policies. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPrepare \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPrevent \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERespond \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERecover \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EPrepare:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThe safest way to prepare for a malware\/ransomware attack is to assume it is inevitable. The security organization will more likely have an infrastructure in place to handle this. We should work this same mindset into our partner relationships. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EProcurement is encouraged to require vendors to prepare for an attack in the same ways as their own organization. Partners can be mandated to routinely backup client data, have safeguards in place, and have a full redundancy plan in the event an attack occurs. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EPrevent:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EProcurement, Risk Management, and IT should collaborate on choosing the best IT Security Partner (or in-house solution) to prevent a malware\/ransomware attack. When procurement facilitates strategic sourcing projects, they can effectively collect the requirements from across the company and ensure effective communication. Getting the right contract in place requires cross-team functionality. Procurement is best equipped to make this happen. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EDuring supplier selection, an IT vendor assessment\/questionnaire should be worked into an RFP. This assessment aims to test the partner’s cybersecurity strength and redundancies. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ERespond:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EPaying a ransomware attack is highly discouraged. Payments often influence “copycats” and more malicious behavior. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAs this becomes more common, contracts with vendors should explicitly address how vendors should respond to ransomware attacks. The cost of the ransom and the cost of not paying should be compared. Contracts should aim to build every possible outcome and even stipulate who will be responsible for the actions taken and how those impacted will be made whole.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ERecover:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ESpeaking of being made whole, procurement can foresee this by building in cybersecurity insurance requirements into each contract. This insurance is specific and often not included in general insurance requirements. Setting limits and requiring proof of insurance must become the standard moving forward. As seen before, some attacks could require millions of dollars in ransom, or even more when trying to recreate or deal with the ramifications of losing authentic data. Having financial protection against this is key for a company’s survival. Ensuring vendors can survive an attack is a key to business continuity.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIn addition, when contracts ensure vendors\/partners must back up and store data securely, recovery is much less costly and difficult for the clients. Procurement and Vendor Management can request vendors stress test their systems and practice for if\/when an attack occurs. \u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/8433830885776993755\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/07\/partner-contracts-can-save-your-company.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8433830885776993755"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8433830885776993755"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/07\/partner-contracts-can-save-your-company.html","title":"Partner Contracts can save your company from a ransomware attack. Here’s how. "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Brandon Hummons"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/11985045893591629601"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"21","height":"32","src":"\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-dmbF8guLt2o\/YU5oOrZ4lLI\/AAAAAAABHoY\/jFyUxiyDEz85uvorxI8dECqdtv1mvCADACK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/brandon%2Bhummons%2Ba%2B8.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ePKslkv_DBg\/YOvg8mqs7hI\/AAAAAAABEvc\/h9U8oxjH8KQd9aErtk6hJqZ64YQbjmwjgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w385-h256-c\/cyber-4610993_960_720.webp","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-2050021777172502833"},"published":{"$t":"2021-06-07T16:22:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-06-07T16:22:39.285-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Professional Services"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Trending"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"If you tell me what's in your RFP - I'll Tell you what is in mine "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FlGicpe9VyY\/YL5_ov6FlhI\/AAAAAAAAAnM\/wr9jCxaTv8M7aoMxIYtG9PkPOEfss1QlgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1168\/sharing%2Bsecrets.jpeg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"844\" data-original-width=\"1168\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FlGicpe9VyY\/YL5_ov6FlhI\/AAAAAAAAAnM\/wr9jCxaTv8M7aoMxIYtG9PkPOEfss1QlgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/sharing%2Bsecrets.jpeg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;In the past, the sole function of an RFP was to engage with the best supplier with the best pricing.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EToday, it isn’t just about functionality and price; the pandemic raised awareness around financial stability and diversity qualifications that should be included when it comes to the down selection process.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EIs your company classified as any of the following?\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003ESmall Business\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003ESmall Disadvantage Business (SDB)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EWomen Owned Small Business (WOSB)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EVeteran Owned Small Business (VOSB)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003EService Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (\u003C\/span\u003ESDVOSB)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EHub Zone Small Business (Hub Zone)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EThen there are now additional “legal” questions being presented in RFP’s \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EIs your company involved currently in litigation with any company or entity?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company have any debarment by governments or any regulatory bodies?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EIs your company a subsidiary of another company? If yes, what company?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;B\u003C\/o:p\u003Eeyond the signed NDA or MNDA prior to the RFP release, there now the trend of questions\/requirements in the RFP re:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E Party vendors\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EProof that there is an NDA between the Potential Supplier and the 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E party vendor which includes a clause to cover confidentiality regarding work performed for any client of the Potential Suppler.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EProof of any required licenses\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EProof of insurances\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003EThe RFP should clearly state if 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E party vendors are allowed or not allowed to be part of the installation and or support of the product or service.\u0026nbsp; The RFP should be clear if 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E party vendors are acceptable that they report to, are the responsibility of and paid by the contracted Supplier… there should never be invoices received directly from the 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E party vendor.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003ERFP “Company Questions” around internal employee volunteerism:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company promote volunteering?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company allow employees paid time to volunteer?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EIf yes, how much time each year?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company support any non-profits and if yes, which ones?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EThen there are the political related RFP questions:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company support any political party?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EHow does your company provide support?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDoes your company publicly advertise your support?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAnd don’t forget the company stability questions:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EWhat us your company’s employee turnover rate?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EWhat has been the employee growth or decline as it relates to revenue?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EHow many acquisitions has your company been part of in the past 5 years?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EIs your company private or publicly traded? (If public read the stock news\/releases.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EWhat is your D\u0026amp;B (Dun and Bradstreet) number? (check it)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E         \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EMiscellaneous items to investigate about the Potential Supplier:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EYouTube content\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EFacebook Page \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003ELinkedIn Company page\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003ELinkedIn page for representative, and upper management (is there a lot of company hopping by the folks that will be connected to your account?)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E       \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003EDepending on the type of service, you might also want to check their on-line reviews\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I had a client years ago who didn’t do this type of due diligence, signed the engagement with the supplier to only discover during roll-out their insurance policies had lapsed \u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EAND\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;a\u003Ci\u003Ell the vendor employees\u003C\/i\u003E on site were actually subcontractors\/3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E party providers.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;When writing an RFP, the above information which has nothing to do with the service or product being sourced is of value.\u0026nbsp; No stakeholder wants to be called to the rug for a preventable situation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003EIf you have questions or are interested in having an RFP Sourced please contact me, twankoff@corcentric.com.\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: \u0026quot;Times New Roman\u0026quot;;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: verdana;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/2050021777172502833\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/06\/if-you-tell-me-whats-in-your-rfp-ill.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2050021777172502833"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2050021777172502833"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/06\/if-you-tell-me-whats-in-your-rfp-ill.html","title":"If you tell me what's in your RFP - I'll Tell you what is in mine "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tami Wankoff - Procurement Consultant"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/06681784773830694694"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"30","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-TygyFYPSmvw\/YAnOvnifo6I\/AAAAAAAAAKI\/lGVF108TtycqAh2xPQTtu60biMLXS9yugCK4BGAYYCw\/s113\/for%2Bteams-Edit.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-FlGicpe9VyY\/YL5_ov6FlhI\/AAAAAAAAAnM\/wr9jCxaTv8M7aoMxIYtG9PkPOEfss1QlgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/sharing%2Bsecrets.jpeg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-1488515721534500847"},"published":{"$t":"2021-05-20T15:20:00.004-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-05-20T15:20:57.754-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Finance"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Take or leave it contracts - what happened to negotiations?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jrCYFimn_vg\/YJAauyiJOGI\/AAAAAAAAAdg\/erjtEhL6kVwpwpYbVvKnUh6CmKz91O0ugCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1280\/Tug_of_war.svg.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"734\" data-original-width=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jrCYFimn_vg\/YJAauyiJOGI\/AAAAAAAAAdg\/erjtEhL6kVwpwpYbVvKnUh6CmKz91O0ugCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/Tug_of_war.svg.png\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe are in the world of “Specialized” ,“We are the best...” type Suppliers – We have all encountered companies of this type.\u0026nbsp; A company that makes it clear: Take our contract terms as written we do not make contract changes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;I recently negotiated a contract for a client where the Supplier \"Specialized\" in a software management product. The Supplier provided a quote in the body of an email, the SLA’s and and contract terms are publicly displayed on their website and the actual “contract” is just an order form – how many licenses do you need at what level? – The price is X.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EThe Supplier didn’t care that the company I was representing is a Fortune 1000 in revenue in the United States.\u003Cbr \/\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EThe Supplier didn’t care that the client wanted to start with 25 to see how it goes and then increase the order\u003Cbr \/\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EThe Suppler didn’t care that my client wanted a 3-year term agreement – the supplier only issues a 1-year term agreement and renewals after that.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EHow can anyone negotiate under these circumstances????\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EResearch the Actual Costs – it is truly rare to only have one supplier selling a specific type of widget.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EKnow the Lingo – when speaking with the Supplier representatives during the decision of purchase - learn and speak the lingo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EDiscover\/Discuss the mutual gains – Our logo represents X amount of potential future clients\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EQuote Alternative Suppliers – politely discuss that you could purchase the widget from X for % less….\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EIdentify Supplier Freebees - Look for items that cost the vendor nothing to provide but are a value add to your company.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWhat I was able to negotiate:\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EAdditional training hours beyond the 10 for administrators within the first 30 days became 20 hours over 3 months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003ETwo extra licenses for the same cost as the 25 we began with\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003EReduce the written notice to not renew from 60 days down to 30 days.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E\t\u003C\/span\u003ETest drive a different product they are selling for two users for 6 months.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe will always be in a business world with \"Take it or leave it\" type companies...and in most cases we take it because time and effort had already been extended to make the decision of who to engage with; starting over or requesting a contract from the second choice on the list will not truly fill the need.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003EWhat have you been able to negotiate in a take it or leave it situation?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'd like to hear\/read your thoughts... twankoff@corcentric.com\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/1488515721534500847\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/05\/take-or-leave-it-contracts-what.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/1488515721534500847"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/1488515721534500847"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/05\/take-or-leave-it-contracts-what.html","title":"Take or leave it contracts - what happened to negotiations?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tami Wankoff - Procurement Consultant"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/06681784773830694694"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"30","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-TygyFYPSmvw\/YAnOvnifo6I\/AAAAAAAAAKI\/lGVF108TtycqAh2xPQTtu60biMLXS9yugCK4BGAYYCw\/s113\/for%2Bteams-Edit.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jrCYFimn_vg\/YJAauyiJOGI\/AAAAAAAAAdg\/erjtEhL6kVwpwpYbVvKnUh6CmKz91O0ugCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/Tug_of_war.svg.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-4596017228865670867"},"published":{"$t":"2021-04-29T16:52:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-04-30T10:14:59.972-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Finance"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Trending"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":" What is Rationalization \u0026 Optimization?  The Benefits of a Granular Review"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-eSB3vz5wWo4\/YHiZhswcvmI\/AAAAAAAAAb4\/69vO8wemhRsPt0zUvQ4hxWdj_pPpW4AWgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1500\/salt%2BII.jpeg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YIoG1hM0BG4\/YHnLdq_hOWI\/AAAAAAAAAcQ\/S39kXYtL5FUWraYojgVXqDYvhdy35kUMACLcBGAsYHQ\/s1138\/salt.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1138\" data-original-width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YIoG1hM0BG4\/YHnLdq_hOWI\/AAAAAAAAAcQ\/S39kXYtL5FUWraYojgVXqDYvhdy35kUMACLcBGAsYHQ\/s16000\/salt.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003EDid you know under a microscope a single grain of salt appears in a cubed non-pattern? \u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003EEach grain of salt is approximately 0.03mm and visually is the color of brown sand.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA connectivity network viewed from a high level appears very different than looking at it                     from a granular point of view; when trying to obtain what the value of each connection is and the         type and amount of traffic it can support.\u0026nbsp; There is money to be saved, time elimination to be obtained,\u0026nbsp;and technology options for service and speed to be explored through a microscopic approach = \u003Ci\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERationalization and Optimization.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat is Rationalization?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERationalization is to reduce the total number of suppliers which will reduce costs and presumably introduce efficiency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat is Optimization? \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOptimization is to focus and refine the supplier base which includes: \u003Cbr \/\u003EStreamline Services - To analyze the services and suppliers your company uses to determine the merits of adding, retaining, or deleting services each telecom vendor provides. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat can be documented or created?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E(and these are just a few grains that can be shook from the shaker) \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003EContract term status report – expired and\/or due to expire.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVendor Services not under a current contract· Services not in sync with current contract terms\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EContractual Rate Errors\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat are the focus areas?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThat depends, is there is currently a service provider is not meeting contracted obligations or providing sub-par service responses?  If the current situation is good, these are some of subject areas to focus on: \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAudio\/Video Conferencing Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBroadband Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECable\/Internet Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EData Network Services (LAN\/WAN)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFiber Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELandline Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELeased Telecom Equipment\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELegacy Voice Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMaintenance Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EManaged Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMusic on hold services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESecurity and Alarm ring down lines\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESIP Trunks\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EToll Free Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETV services \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVoice Traffic \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVOIP Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EWireless Services\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat are the benefits to\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003Eengaging a company that specializes in Rationalization \u0026amp; Optimization? \u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETelecom vendors have a myriad of jargon for the same services and pricing can be all over the map when comparing and vendor to vendor services and costs. In addition, contractual language, SLA’s (Service Level Agreements) and real-time responses to your concerns will be vastly different from supplier to supplier for the exact same connectivity. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis type of audit; down to the granular level produces cost saving – consolidation, elimination of no longer used\/needed services, and creates a way for a clean dialog to begin which can be the pathway for technology service advancements and better yet - COST SAVINGS!\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIf you have questions on this topic please email twankoff@corcentric.com.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/4596017228865670867\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/04\/what-is-rationalization-optimization.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/4596017228865670867"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/4596017228865670867"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2021\/04\/what-is-rationalization-optimization.html","title":" What is Rationalization \u0026 Optimization?  The Benefits of a Granular Review"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Tami Wankoff - Procurement Consultant"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/06681784773830694694"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"30","height":"32","src":"\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-TygyFYPSmvw\/YAnOvnifo6I\/AAAAAAAAAKI\/lGVF108TtycqAh2xPQTtu60biMLXS9yugCK4BGAYYCw\/s113\/for%2Bteams-Edit.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-YIoG1hM0BG4\/YHnLdq_hOWI\/AAAAAAAAAcQ\/S39kXYtL5FUWraYojgVXqDYvhdy35kUMACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/salt.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-3934254853801810247"},"published":{"$t":"2020-11-13T08:53:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-11-13T14:30:44.037-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Selecting The Right Suppliers To Participate in an RFP"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-_Q5s2brlHHk\/V7cR0Rt3pII\/AAAAAAAACDg\/OJOwVkYoDOMYamw4QSFvwUtdpUnkY8rWQCPcBGAYYCw\/s2048\/Recruiting%2B2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1365\" data-original-width=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-_Q5s2brlHHk\/V7cR0Rt3pII\/AAAAAAAACDg\/OJOwVkYoDOMYamw4QSFvwUtdpUnkY8rWQCPcBGAYYCw\/s16000\/Recruiting%2B2.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe request for proposal (RFP) process is critical to making successful business decisions and investing in the future. The RFP process allows IT stakeholders to determine which vendors are best qualified, cost-effective, and able to meet the companies desired end-state. The first step to carefully selecting vendors to participate in the RFP is to gather the appropriate \u003Ci\u003Evendor selection criteria\u003C\/i\u003E. I have outlined key factors to consider before finalizing whom to invite to participate in an RFP.\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDiscovery:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThe discovery process should encompass discussions with key stakeholder(s) to identify specific business goals, establish budget, and ensure the current state is clearly defined. It is important to understand the current state of spend, account management, usage, bandwidth, licenses and subscriptions, contract terms, etc., as it applies to the category under evaluation. To ensure the current state is accurately captured, I’d recommend gathering any required data collection items that may be valuable, such as a copy of the contract with their incumbent, pricing agreements, quotations, usage reports, current invoice(s), and any other important information that may be useful. Additionally, the documentation within the discovery process should help to define challenges, priorities, and encompass the stakeholder(s) wish-list for the desired end state. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EResearch, Analysis, and Identification:\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EOnce the information has been received, analyzed, and reviewed with all appropriate parties, the next step is to identify suppliers who meet the specified criteria. First, additional due diligence must be performed to understand the suppliers that are currently being leveraged in the marketplace for the specific category at-hand. Based on the category under evaluation, there may be many suppliers that are capable of meeting the client’s needs. To winnow down the pool of suppliers to align with the organization’s needs, I have outlined a few key areas to consider below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cli\u003EKey offerings and capabilities\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EOn-going support (if applicable)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EExperience, certifications, and relevant partnerships\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EYear company founded\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETotal Revenue\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGlobal \/ National presence\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETypical Client Size (e.g. Small vs. Large Corporations)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESize of the company (Total number of employees)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECustomer reviews and current new updates\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIn most cases, it is standard to include the incumbent as a participant in the RFP. Nonetheless, launching an RFP gives insight into the current market and supplier offerings as it evolves. This insight can be utilized as negotiation levers if the client wishes or selects the incumbent to continue services for a desired term. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E \u003Cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThrough the information described above, this will help to exclude specific vendors based on the information gathered in the discovery process and additional knowledge revealed in the due diligence phase. By advancing only those suppliers who meet the defined criteria, this will limit the amount of time spent in future processing and maximize the chance of finding the best match.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/3934254853801810247\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/11\/selecting-right-suppliers-to.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3934254853801810247"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3934254853801810247"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/11\/selecting-right-suppliers-to.html","title":"Selecting The Right Suppliers To Participate in an RFP"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-_Q5s2brlHHk\/V7cR0Rt3pII\/AAAAAAAACDg\/OJOwVkYoDOMYamw4QSFvwUtdpUnkY8rWQCPcBGAYYCw\/s72-c\/Recruiting%2B2.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-2267377764205053173"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-08T11:30:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-29T09:11:15.100-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Trending"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Corporate Procurement Strategies and The Rise in Demand for Enterprise Conferencing Software"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith the recent shift to remote work for many Americans in response to COVID-19, companies are relying on Enterprise Conferencing Software to stay connected. Whether with internal teams or with clients, having a reliable product is important. This eases the lost connection and potential hit to productivity that can come from the separation inherent in remote work.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEzkh-c1308\/Xo3xXJWc5pI\/AAAAAAAALZw\/sYmBv5CnnE48e3JguGzJcH4m3kiZ_EcoACLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/36455181693_6b164c45a2_w.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Home Office Desk With Computer On Remote Conference Call\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"267\" data-original-width=\"400\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEzkh-c1308\/Xo3xXJWc5pI\/AAAAAAAALZw\/sYmBv5CnnE48e3JguGzJcH4m3kiZ_EcoACLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/36455181693_6b164c45a2_w.jpg\" title=\"Enterprise Conferencing Software Strategic Sourcing\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EMany software options are available to get the job done while we are dealing with the Corona Virus pandemic. There are household names like \u003Ci\u003EGoToMeeting \u003C\/i\u003Eand \u003Ci\u003EZoom\u003C\/i\u003E, and less known but effective options like \u003Ci\u003ECyberLink\u003C\/i\u003E and \u003Ci\u003EBluejeans\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESo how do you know which to choose for your company, and even more importantly, how do you get competitive pricing? Although the common sourcing strategies still apply, there are some additional things to consider.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe first consideration is to make sure the software can handle HOW your corporation will use it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIf you commonly have meetings with 50 or more participants, you need to be sure the software is built to handle that volume. Most options will offer different tiers to accommodate more users. \u003Ci\u003EGoToMeeting\u003C\/i\u003E, for example, offers a plan with a maximum of 250 users and an Enterprise plan with 3,000 users max. However, for a small company, free options could be available. \u003Ci\u003EGoogle Hangouts\u003C\/i\u003E, for example, could get the job done.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThe second consideration is to make sure the software meets your company’s mobile or online expectations.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ENot all conferencing solutions offer an app. If your employees are on the move, this could be an issue. \u003Ci\u003EGoToMeeting\u003C\/i\u003Eoffers the highest rated app, but \u003Ci\u003ECyberLink U Meeting\u003C\/i\u003E is strictly web-based. However, you pay for what you get. If web-based is all that you require, do not pay for unused features. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe last recommended consideration is to make sure that the product support meets your company’s requirements\u003C\/span\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EA larger software company will typically provide a larger support staff. For example, Cisco’s \u003Ci\u003EWebEx\u003C\/i\u003E has incredible service, but some smaller players will offer much higher limitations on what comes free with their product on the support end. Deciding what works for you is an important analysis to be done prior to rolling out your decision company-wide.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EOnce these other considerations are decided upon, typical strategic sourcing strategies will come into play. This is the bread and butter of what those in the Strategic Sourcing Industry offers. The process ensures that you do your due diligence and can sleep at night knowing your decision was well thought out. The following steps should be completed to actually make your final decision: Data Collection, Baseline and Benchmarking, Go to Market, Negotiate, and Implement.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EData collection is the process of gathering a rolling 12 months of real General Ledger spend data. Also, gather data from each of your current suppliers to confirm that the totals align. Baselining and Benchmarking are the processes of creating an actual current state in a digestible format. Next comes the RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFQ (Request for Quote) process to allow each supplier to put their best foot forward. This will include qualitative and quantitative analysis. Finally, negotiating and implementing the best solution tie up the effort, and will distribute the product to your organization for use.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EPerhaps the most important of these is the Baselining and Benchmarking step.\u003C\/b\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThis step allows you to be dynamic and tailor the process to the category you are sourcing. Indirect Sourcing includes a wide range of spend, and it is important to make sure you are considering the most valuable features of the product you are sourcing. With Enterprise Conferencing Software, for example, a Supplier Presentation would be paramount to build an accurate Baseline. This would provide the opportunity for the supplier to show off their product and allow you to see if the product fits your needs. Baselining will also provide a current state that can then be compared apples to apples to the other products being considered. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThis process proves effective with most categories we have applied it to. The strategy will certainly apply to your companies conferencing software. For further reading, read the book written by our own Senior Management team \u003Ci\u003EManaging Indirect Spend\u003C\/i\u003E. It can be purchased\u003Cb\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strategicsourcingbook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/2267377764205053173\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/04\/corporate-procurement-strategies-and.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2267377764205053173"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2267377764205053173"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/04\/corporate-procurement-strategies-and.html","title":"Corporate Procurement Strategies and The Rise in Demand for Enterprise Conferencing Software"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joseph Plank"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/13706330965600022807"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"27","height":"32","src":"\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-Xv8y497i9v0\/XkvnZxrlYBI\/AAAAAAAALOM\/88tE7ST5hZAZ49TgBFZ3YvggS1o3iMbtgCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/ProfilePic.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZEzkh-c1308\/Xo3xXJWc5pI\/AAAAAAAALZw\/sYmBv5CnnE48e3JguGzJcH4m3kiZ_EcoACLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/36455181693_6b164c45a2_w.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-42784087287708341"},"published":{"$t":"2020-02-20T12:20:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-02-20T12:20:11.567-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Facility Management"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Logistics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"MRO"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Utilities"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"5 Reasons Your Indirect Procurement Is Lacking"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor many organizations, Indirect spend is a challenge to understand, as much as manage. The spend is often substantial and easier left alone. On top of that, you may not have the resources to dive in and get the many categories under control. If you are beginning to dig into into your Indirect categories, or you have been with dismal results, here a 5 issues that may be beneficial to correct first.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E1. Your Procurement Managers do not KNOW the categories they manage. \u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt is important to at least have a working knowledge of the categories you are working within. If you do not know the ins and outs, that is fine, but being able to speak the language is necessary. Not understanding a category opens you up to tougher negotiations, worse contract terms, unnecessary spending, and a negative view of Procurement from stakeholders. It is important for Procurement to be involved in any negotiation early, however, coworkers and suppliers will not demand your involvement if you slow them down. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf you are thrown into a category, be upfront and honest with stakeholders who can show you the ropes internally. This way you are taught with the bias of your company in mind. If the supplier is your source of information, you may be taught dishonestly in some, but rare, cases. For example, if once monthly HVAC maintenance is acceptable, a supplier could instruct you that twice monthly service is necessary to get double the business. With stronger category knowledge, you could avoid doubling the required maintenance expense. The same situation could apply to contract negotiations. If a supplier is aware of your lack of knowledge, you could end up with terms that do not benefit your company’s goals. Most importantly, the respect from suppliers and stakeholders to require you be present in negotiations is paramount. \u003Cb\u003EAs the Procurement representative, you may not be a category expert, but you more than likely are a negotiating and contracting process expert.\u003C\/b\u003E This is where you will shine, so garnering the respect to be present is extremely important. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Roknl0dBJds\/Xk68QJeMLZI\/AAAAAAAALQI\/qXs5ZjCW5NIQSNttwHcEKn_9EaXbeq4ngCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/gears-1236578_1920.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Source One Corcentric Gears and Belts MRO Indirect Spend\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1068\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Roknl0dBJds\/Xk68QJeMLZI\/AAAAAAAALQI\/qXs5ZjCW5NIQSNttwHcEKn_9EaXbeq4ngCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/gears-1236578_1920.jpg\" title=\"Source One Corcentric Gears Belts MRO Indirect Spend\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E2.       Your data tells the wrong story. \u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHow much trust can you put in your internal reporting? How well do you know what this data represents? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProcurement Managers often believe the exact story that their reports are telling them. They choose a category, run a report, and take the total of the spend column as the exact amount of spend in that category for a time frame. However, this is often not the case. Understanding the data allows you to understand the category much better. If your company has a large amount of spend without corresponding purchase orders, be sure to understand whether you are seeing this data or not. Know whether you are looking at spend that has been received against a purchase order or matched and paid against a purchase order.\u003Cb\u003E If you do not know exactly what the data you are seeing is telling you, your ability to find cost saving opportunities is greatly diminished.\u003C\/b\u003E You also risk working within a category that has little addressable spend. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E3.       You have too many old contracts with too many suppliers. \u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EContracts are one of the most relevant pieces of information for the Procurement department’s success. Many companies rely on contracts to lock in pricing, payment terms, and other legally binding agreements between the company and supplier. However, contract management is often forgot about as business goes on as usual. The clear line of communication between the supplier and company is lost as the contract renews over and over for years. The benefits the company was getting when the contract was signed are now outdated. Procurement could potentially negotiate a much stronger contract, but no longer knows the contract exists. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is common among conglomerates and large companies with decentralized purchasing, especially when standards for contract management are not a documented company procedure. Once Procurement begins to analyze the category, it is extremely difficult to get a hold of all the contracts with all the suppliers. The easiest way to avoid this is to consolidate contracts and suppliers. This can be a great opportunity for cost savings, as well! The consolidated spend will make your contract negotiation much stronger as you drive spend to less suppliers. Finally, be careful about evergreen clauses that automatically renew contracts. \u003Cb\u003EOnce communication breaks down between Procurement and the suppliers, the contracts become a nuisance that will not go away.\u003C\/b\u003E If necessary, use short term evergreen clauses that renew for a year or two at the most. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E4.       You are concentrating on the wrong categories that are too difficult, or have too little addressable spend. \u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor multiple reasons, Procurement managers can have their focus on the completely wrong categories to drive cost savings. If you solely consider spend, it can mean focusing on a category with a small amount of addressable spend. Be sure the large numbers are in fact addressable. For example, freight is a high spend category for certain companies. However, the cost is often high no matter what carrier you use. A better situation could potentially be negotiated, but there is a ceiling to the savings. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProcurement should also be considering when the last time the category was taken to market. If your resources are limited, addressing a category that has not been analyzed for years may be the better decision. Finally, reflecting on whether you are addressing a category because it is one you know well may be another opportunity for improvement. I have seen this multiple times. \u003Cb\u003EA Procurement manager is comfortable with stakeholders in one category of spend and continues to look for savings to work with the same department.\u003C\/b\u003E This often leads to unproductive analysis from the manager that is continued down the chain to the analyst level. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E5.       You are overdoing due-diligence and not “getting in and getting out”. \u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPerhaps the most unproductive way to handle Procurement is to overdo due diligence without making any decisions. What I mean by this is looking into spend, analyzing, meeting with suppliers, running RFP’s (Request For Proposal) or RFQ’s (Request For Quote), negotiating contracts, and then doing it over and over without making any changes. At some point, a change will need to be made to actually render savings. If you are not making any decisions, you are not affecting the organization in a positive way. Be careful not to sit in the supplier sourcing function of Procurement for too long. This can cause Procurement managers to be viewed as wasting stakeholders’ and suppliers’ time. Not everything needs multiple meetings, and everyone on the organizations’ and suppliers’ end does not have to be present to have a quick conversation. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFinally, remember what the function of Procurement is. We are here for sourcing, contract management and negotiation, and supplier management. Good Procurement is simply getting as much of your organization’s spend under control. We are not Finance, we are not Accounts Payable, and we are not IT. This is what I mean by get in and get out. Too many times, Procurement gets stuck with processes that handcuff the department from doing what it is there to do. \u003Cb\u003ETo be effective, take on as few non-Procurement functions as possible.\u003C\/b\u003E Since we are so hands-on in the beginning stages of a supplier relationship, we often are the ones used as a fall back for tasks other departments do not want to handle. So, when possible, get in and get out, and find the next category to get under control!\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/42784087287708341\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/02\/5-reasons-your-indirect-procurement-is.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/42784087287708341"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/42784087287708341"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2020\/02\/5-reasons-your-indirect-procurement-is.html","title":"5 Reasons Your Indirect Procurement Is Lacking"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joseph Plank"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/13706330965600022807"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"27","height":"32","src":"\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-Xv8y497i9v0\/XkvnZxrlYBI\/AAAAAAAALOM\/88tE7ST5hZAZ49TgBFZ3YvggS1o3iMbtgCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/ProfilePic.jpg"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Roknl0dBJds\/Xk68QJeMLZI\/AAAAAAAALQI\/qXs5ZjCW5NIQSNttwHcEKn_9EaXbeq4ngCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/gears-1236578_1920.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-7056184228706276018"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-19T11:20:00.002-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-19T11:20:23.695-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Infographics"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Infographic: IT Management Best Practices "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"Where has the time gone? With a new decade nearly here, it's time to start drafting \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/sourcing-and-procurement-services\/category-management\/procurement-category-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecategory management plans\u003C\/a\u003E for the upcoming year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInformation Technology \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/sourcing-and-procurement-services\/category-management\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECategory Management\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;can be particularly challenging for a number of reasons. Most IT teams have a dual mandate to balance day-to-day business support while looking to optimize and automate operations, create efficiencies, and of course, reduce costs. IT Procurement can go a long way in leading that mandate to success, but it takes strong relationships, a wealth of insights, and the ability to \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/10\/infographic-overcoming-inhibitors-and.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eovercome obstacles with challenging stakeholders\u003C\/a\u003E and resource limitations.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI see \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/09\/it-category-management-best-practices.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EIT Category Management\u003C\/a\u003E falling into three primary areas: Stakeholder Engagement, Contract Management, and Long-Term Strategies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-W6GULEl4f2Q\/XdQTuEQHaXI\/AAAAAAAAHM8\/x3CTJFNuck4ECBQxWx_6lF_5L6jDqLUDwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/000.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"563\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-W6GULEl4f2Q\/XdQTuEQHaXI\/AAAAAAAAHM8\/x3CTJFNuck4ECBQxWx_6lF_5L6jDqLUDwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/000.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mPtwqF_H5jI\/XdQTuLWKFpI\/AAAAAAAAHNA\/9dNwSZKUX7o8_6BX3hzN1cckqdyfp31OgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/001.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"930\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mPtwqF_H5jI\/XdQTuLWKFpI\/AAAAAAAAHNA\/9dNwSZKUX7o8_6BX3hzN1cckqdyfp31OgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/001.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-dh9uG1xQxEk\/XdQTuBLrjYI\/AAAAAAAAHNE\/iLWOl4PeSak6Dz6R8szr_nJeBoMfQ0d_gCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/002.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"939\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-dh9uG1xQxEk\/XdQTuBLrjYI\/AAAAAAAAHNE\/iLWOl4PeSak6Dz6R8szr_nJeBoMfQ0d_gCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/002.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-2l9dhGZ9_54\/XdQTuSI9RpI\/AAAAAAAAHNI\/p9JDgtdtLksuidzsAI58heCGbeAqDSswwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/003.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"930\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-2l9dhGZ9_54\/XdQTuSI9RpI\/AAAAAAAAHNI\/p9JDgtdtLksuidzsAI58heCGbeAqDSswwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/003.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kOEXoCeMyvc\/XdQTugeECaI\/AAAAAAAAHNM\/Yrl-ZONW7nQu7uXhNUmA0-gwkHRqoq5ywCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/004.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"933\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kOEXoCeMyvc\/XdQTugeECaI\/AAAAAAAAHNM\/Yrl-ZONW7nQu7uXhNUmA0-gwkHRqoq5ywCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/004.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-RzkZKwWdUDs\/XdQTvBnFrBI\/AAAAAAAAHNQ\/N86ZC-MVkegavb8Pa1LiJ48aWZKuFDnMQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/005.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"180\" data-original-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-RzkZKwWdUDs\/XdQTvBnFrBI\/AAAAAAAAHNQ\/N86ZC-MVkegavb8Pa1LiJ48aWZKuFDnMQCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/005.png\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/7056184228706276018\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/11\/infographic-it-management-best-practices.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/7056184228706276018"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/7056184228706276018"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/11\/infographic-it-management-best-practices.html","title":"Infographic: IT Management Best Practices "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14742442637346043323"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-W6GULEl4f2Q\/XdQTuEQHaXI\/AAAAAAAAHM8\/x3CTJFNuck4ECBQxWx_6lF_5L6jDqLUDwCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/000.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-5177069289792235984"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-04T17:55:00.003-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-05T08:30:38.938-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Time \u0026 Materials Work Doesn’t Need to be a “Blank Check”"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UHJBLscDQUk\/XcF5dRsGVPI\/AAAAAAAAHJ8\/0TZxGhq_r9I0xU2AvkmTlLBu3RbE01QsgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/analogue-classic-clock-clock-face-280264.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"428\" data-original-width=\"640\" height=\"428\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UHJBLscDQUk\/XcF5dRsGVPI\/AAAAAAAAHJ8\/0TZxGhq_r9I0xU2AvkmTlLBu3RbE01QsgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/analogue-classic-clock-clock-face-280264.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGiven the resource constraints that IT departments at just about every organization are dealing with, many, if not all, solution implementations and IT projects will be accompanied by a services quote (whether direct from the solution provider, an implementation partner, or your preferred IT support provider). Throughout my time supporting IT solution and service RFPs for clients, I’ve seen suppliers begin to insist that project and implementation work be billed on a time and materials (T\u0026amp;M) basis (as opposed to fixed fee). Generally suppliers quote a T\u0026amp;M model when some level of discovery work is required or when projects have too many unknowns - which are valid concerns. When managed well, with prepared stakeholders and sufficient supplier resources, these projects can come in at (or even below) the projected effort and cost.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs you work through your next SOW for any IT services, keep these asks in mind to hold both your organization and its suppliers accountable to the planned effort\/projections:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E What to ask for\u003C\/b\u003E: A breakdown of hours, by role, by week (or another reasonable timeframe based on the projected length of the project)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhy you need it\u003C\/b\u003E: While you’ll ultimately be charged for actuals, suppliers should provide estimates for their services. You should understand what roles are being proposed for the project, what responsibilities or phases those roles will support, and how long each individual will serve on the project. This allows you to focus rate negotiations in areas that will have the biggest impact on the total project cost and perform a “sanity check” with the supplier. Examine which roles are increasing and decreasing in weekly allocation as the project moves into various phases. You should pay attention to which roles are milestone\/phase-specific - like a test script writer - versus the roles that are consistent – like a project manager.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E What to ask for\u003C\/b\u003E: Defined, measured, and tracked KPIs tied to budget and timeline accuracy\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhy you need it\u003C\/b\u003E:  You don’t want to get a quarter through the projected timeline and realize you only have 10% of your budget left…and that your timeline has been extended by 2 months. This isn’t to say you should only be watching the “big, bad supplier” – tracking adherence to budget and timeline should actually benefit both you and the supplier. There are plenty of times where work can be postponed because customers have failed to make decisions, complete action items, or provide the data necessary to continue working. Service providers should help their customers keep track of these action items and proactively communicate the risks of any delay. In turn, customers can hold suppliers accountable to their projections and assumptions and ensure projects track to budget and timeline.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E What to ask for\u003C\/b\u003E: Some form of RACI matrix or defined roles\/responsibilities\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhy you need it\u003C\/b\u003E:  Many SOWs include language around what will be done by the supplier, but it can be helpful to understand explicitly what will not be covered or what would be deemed customer responsibilities. The old adage of “when you assume…” will rear its ugly head when you and the supplier are pointing fingers at who should be doing what within the project. Given the aforementioned under-staffed IT departments, it’s important to plan for the time needed by internal staff or you may start racking up additional costs as you change orders or pull together additional staff to keep the project on track.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E What to ask for\u003C\/b\u003E: Appropriate acceptance periods and protections\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhy you need it\u003C\/b\u003E: Many times I’ve seen clients gloss over this section of contracts, but acceptance periods tend be defined as a number of days for the customer to provide acceptance or feedback. After this period, the deliverable is considered to have been accepted. Look at this clause and consider the approval process within your organization and the priority the given project has with those that need to sign-off on deliverables or milestones. Ensure these periods make sense for your organization and there is clear language on resolving any issues that might arise.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E What to ask for\u003C\/b\u003E: Estimated travel costs and pre-approval for said costs\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhy you need it\u003C\/b\u003E: Don’t forget this additional cost – understand where the team supporting your project is based and what travel is required versus “nice to have” for the project. Many clients and providers alike get value out of working through current state assessments and design workshops onsite, but if your provider is flying their entire team from outside of the US, be prepared to incur the associated travel costs. Many customers mandate that a supplier follows the customer’s travel policy and receives approval for associated costs prior to traveling. Keep in mind lead times as well – if you’re asking a supplier to travel to your site on short notice, you’ll likely incur higher airfare costs. Having a strong project plan with travel settled in advance (e.g. not 3 days’ notice) will help keep these costs in check. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E To protect your organization and maintain control over project costs and timelines, watch out for these basic areas and get the proper contract and governance structure in place – and then make sure you manage to the process and structure that you and the supplier have set up! Many times contracts can get “put in a drawer” after they’re signed. However, when structured correctly and managed strategically, they are a useful tool to support project-based work and supplier management.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/5177069289792235984\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/11\/time-materials-work-doesnt-need-to-be.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5177069289792235984"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5177069289792235984"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/11\/time-materials-work-doesnt-need-to-be.html","title":"Time \u0026 Materials Work Doesn’t Need to be a “Blank Check”"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-UHJBLscDQUk\/XcF5dRsGVPI\/AAAAAAAAHJ8\/0TZxGhq_r9I0xU2AvkmTlLBu3RbE01QsgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/analogue-classic-clock-clock-face-280264.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-5462401825890905334"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-21T17:21:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-22T08:33:44.460-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Transformation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"IT Procurement: Where Do You Land on the Maturity Curve?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both;\"\u003ESource One’s IT and Telecom team has spoken, written, and generally waxed-poetic about the challenges with - and benefits of - building a strong IT and Procurement partnership. But similar to the procurement function as a whole, before you can start applying these best practices, it's important to take a step back and examine the maturity of the current (if any) IT procurement support. As with general procurement operations, there is not a quick fix to get to “best in class” and starting with incremental improvements can go a long way in advancing the value that Procurement brings to IT.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E To assess IT-specific procurement maturity, we'll leverage the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/09\/the-procurement-maturity-model-where-is.html\"\u003EProcurement Maturity Model\u003C\/a\u003E that was introduced by Source One in 2018 and understand how that model applies to IT Procurement:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nSRhCoNcZVU\/Xa4VHJA9c5I\/AAAAAAAAAcU\/6qlw0jcmlcYDlLpBITfJKD3ca1CBVfSLgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Slide1-3.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"448\" data-original-width=\"1000\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nSRhCoNcZVU\/Xa4VHJA9c5I\/AAAAAAAAAcU\/6qlw0jcmlcYDlLpBITfJKD3ca1CBVfSLgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Slide1-3.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ELaggard (Tactical)\u003C\/b\u003E: When we talk about “Laggard” procurement teams it’s those that are stuck in the function's tactical past…Cutting costs and making purchases on a reactive, as-needed basis, they're helping keep the lights on…\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E When IT Procurement is tactical within an organization, they are typically working in an extremely reactive nature to IT spend management. Typical activities may be simply processing renewals or purchases, pushing paperwork without adding value to the process, and generally just reacting to what IT and its suppliers are pushing. Tactical IT Procurement does very little to understand holistic IT supplier relationships and the criticality of those suppliers on the organization’s infrastructure and systems.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E Traditional (Operational)\u003C\/b\u003E: Traditional Procurement is where purchases are still made on a largely reactive basis with little thought to anything other than hard dollar cost...Managing inventory, processing purchase orders, and renewing contracts constitute the bulk of their daily workload...\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E When applied to IT, operational procurement may have a sense of when larger software or maintenance renewals are due, have a role in managing and maintaining POs, and take on maintaining hardware and software inventories, but little strategic or long-term value is being added. I think of these groups as “record keepers” – they’ve started gathering and maintaining the information and inventories to make strategic decisions, but they don’t have the time, resource, and\/or capabilities to turn that information into proactive supplier, contract, and service management.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E Augmented (Strategic)\u003C\/b\u003E: These Procurement departments enjoying a good level of executive support and buy-in, employ a strategic sourcing process that takes into account far more than price alone. It's earned internal respect by optimizing supplier relationships, providing for greater spend visibility, collaborating with other business units and perhaps, most crucially, gathering metrics to report on its success. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E For IT Procurement, strategic work begins when procurement teams turn their “record keeping” information into actionable strategies and discussions that inform and define a holistic IT category plan. Strategic IT Procurement works with the IT department to understand the organization’s technology roadmap, anticipating where and when sourcing, negotiations, and supplier\/contract management can benefit and support IT’s short, mid, and long term goals. By shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach, IT Procurement starts to add value and become a true partner of IT. This is where Procurement should begin expanding the IT areas\/subcategories it supports. Where tactical or operational IT Procurement may have an eye on hardware and software purchases\/renewals, strategic IT procurement understands and supports oversight of managed service providers, staff augmentation, infrastructure and hosting needs, and project-based products and services -  all the while seeking opportunities for optimization and consolidation, and establishing a framework for KPIs and metrics around supplier performance. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Consider that many IT suppliers do not sit in silo-ed subcategories as we may see in other areas of indirect spend – many service providers within IT can resell hardware and software solutions, and many “traditional” hardware and\/or software suppliers offer services and are expanding vertically within their own supply chains. Given the range of products and services that IT suppliers can provide, it’s important for someone (read: Procurement) to have a holistic view of spend and service performance to inform negotiations and long-term relationship planning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E World-Class (Innovative)\u003C\/b\u003E: These Procurement teams occupy a fully-strategic, highly-valued role within their organization. They have the ear of the C-suite and are trusted to drive organization-wide strategic initiatives. Change is not merely a goal, but a cultural imperative for everyone across the business. A culture of continuous improvement enables them to stay on the cutting edge of emerging technologies and consistently refine their own internal processes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Innovative IT Procurement teams are in lock-step with IT and are applying procurement best practices with consideration for the IT department’s performance goals and technology roadmap. These procurement folks understand and are able to balance optimizing costs, mitigating technology risks, and supporting IT as they look to innovative solutions\/suppliers and are actively engaged by IT based on the value they provide to vendor selection and management processes. Similarly, Innovative Procurement ensures IT is brought into sourcing events and supplier selection decisions within other areas of the organization to ensure alignment with IT’s current and future requirements. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E It’s worth considering that the level of maturity that any IT Procurement team can achieve is going to be dependent on how mature the IT function is within your organization. By asking the right questions, Procurement can help IT to be more proactive in anticipating and meeting the changing needs of the organization and developing a longer term vision for the technology roadmap. Consider where your IT Procurement team is on the maturity curve and take active steps to strengthen the value proposition to IT. For many, the first step is having a conversation with IT and beginning to form collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders. Simply start by engaging stakeholders with the goal of understanding their priorities to form a solid foundation for longer term IT and Procurement collaboration!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/5462401825890905334\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/10\/it-procurement-where-do-you-land-on.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5462401825890905334"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5462401825890905334"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/10\/it-procurement-where-do-you-land-on.html","title":"IT Procurement: Where Do You Land on the Maturity Curve?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nSRhCoNcZVU\/Xa4VHJA9c5I\/AAAAAAAAAcU\/6qlw0jcmlcYDlLpBITfJKD3ca1CBVfSLgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/Slide1-3.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-1472543185599804162"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-25T13:55:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-25T13:59:35.762-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"IT Category Management Best Practices (Now with Pumpkin Spice)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u0026lt;editor's note: This post has nothing to do with pumpkins or spice. The whole pumpkin spice thing has been overdone, to be frank. Except for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.stbcbeer.com\/beer\/warlock\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethis\u003C\/a\u003E, which is great.\u0026gt;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWhere has the time gone? As we push toward the end of the third quarter of 2019\u0026nbsp; we are inundated with pumpkin spiced \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.spam.com\/varieties\/pumpkin-spice\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eeverything\u003C\/a\u003E, left to wonder if the Philadelphia Eagles have anyone on their team who can catch a football, and for the procurement professional, it's that time to start drafting category management plans for the upcoming year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-9TMrs6pWEyk\/XYuqtY-9NAI\/AAAAAAAAnxg\/6hK6a3B53nwIH_-dABfWj2Mc3nCngPTTgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/IT%2BCategory%2Bmanagement.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"330\" data-original-width=\"600\" height=\"176\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-9TMrs6pWEyk\/XYuqtY-9NAI\/AAAAAAAAnxg\/6hK6a3B53nwIH_-dABfWj2Mc3nCngPTTgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s320\/IT%2BCategory%2Bmanagement.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EInformation Technology Category Management, which is the focus of today’s post, can be particularly challenging for a number of reasons. Most IT teams have a dual mandate of balancing the day to day support of their businesses while looking to optimize and automate operations, create efficiencies, and of course, reduce costs. IT Procurement can go a long way to leading that mandate to success but it takes a lot of work building relationships, having solid insight to technology, and the ability to overcome obstacles with obstreperous stakeholders and resource limitations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EI see IT Category Management falling into three primary areas: Stakeholder Engagement, Contract Management, and Long-Term Strategies.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EStakeholder Engagement\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn some companies, Procurement has successfully become a member of the IT leadership team. In other companies, Procurement is still held at bay by CIO’s and Director level leads. IT Procurement will be far more effective if they are working with IT at the leadership level. If, as a Procurement professional, you cannot get the level of access you need to be effective, you should work with your management to get that message to your CFO to see if they can advocate for your department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe benefits of having access to IT leadership will allow procurement to:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EObtain visibility of new projects and ideas as they emerge and develop\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EBecome involved in project and budget planning\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EBegin market research and technology evaluations of potential future suppliers\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EOptimize its network and overview across the business, to identify requirements and suggest them as potential projects to the IT team.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EFrom my view and experiences, the amount of resources that a company will dedicate to IT Procurement is very limited and this influences the extent to which it can apply a strategic approach to projects.\u0026nbsp; Many IT stakeholders would prefer Procurement to be involved in all contract negotiations and procurement activities, but in practice, it is only possible for projects representing spend above a defined threshold, such as $100k.\u0026nbsp; However, Procurement's involvement in projects and contracts with lower spend values may be justified when:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EThey concern suppliers with which the company may place additional business. For example, a supplier is engaged for an evaluation trial. If the trial is successful, the outcome may lead to a complex, expensive deployment. Procurement can begin to build a relationship and complete preliminary reviews of licensing and data processing agreements\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EThe requirements are for IT solutions that are considered to be critical to the business\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EThere are specific risks and\/or liabilities associated with issues such as data security.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThat said, procurement may encourage the IT stakeholders to perform a level of self-service purchasing for some types of low-value services.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn talking to client’s IT stakeholders, they see the value that Procurement provides beyond cost saving is as being difficult. A couple of Procurement's activities that are recognized as being important is providing market intelligence and facilitating the delivery of innovation by suppliers. To emphasize this benefit, Procurement can host “Innovation Days” with key suppliers. The suppliers love having the ability to get to showcase their new solutions and in getting facetime with IT leadership.\u0026nbsp; Procurement can also use feedback surveys and post-project reviews to objectively measure the value it provides; although this is not common practice.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ESupplier relationship management (SRM) is typically Procurement's responsibility, even when the operational responsibility is placed with IT.\u0026nbsp; However, if Procurement does not have sufficient resources, SRM may be conducted by the IT team.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn some areas of IT, like infrastructure and software, the company may have two dozen significant suppliers, for which it is impractical to fully apply SRM.\u0026nbsp; The suppliers that are selected for SRM programs are typically only the top 10% of the supply base, and your company’s vendor management office should be able to provide the list of vendors who meet this threshold.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EImproving IT Contracts\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/benchmarking-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESource One is a respected source of benchmarking information\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(click \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/news-research\/research-and-whitepapers\/research-papers-overview\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E to download our benchmarking whitepaper)\u0026nbsp;regarding the IT industry, and is being used by many of our client’s Procurement teams to obtain supplier and market information, as well as analysis and strategic guidance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIn improving IT Contracts, there are several best practices:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EOutcome-based key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics are recognized as being useful but are difficult to apply.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EApplication deployment, system enhancement, and development contracts should apply milestones linked to business requirements within contracts, in order to monitor the performance and service delivery.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EWhere possible, use your organization’s paper. This is nearly impossible with license agreements or SaaS subscriptions, but relying on suppliers’ contracts and in particular, performance measurements may result in your company missing valuable opportunities.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EIf your company hasn’t had suppliers refresh their rate cards recently, have them provide an updated card. This should be a collaborative effort in which they learn of the types of resources and services they may need to provide in the next 12 months.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EAn 'obligation tracker' tool may be used to monitor the compliance of suppliers with the contractual requirements.\u0026nbsp; This is a useful tool for recording and regularly updating supplier performance against the contract, as well as factors such as scope and price changes.\u0026nbsp; The overview an obligation tracker provides reduces the need to refer back to the contract to check details; and is also valuable during merger and acquisition activities.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EFuture Strategies\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EFuture IT procurement strategies are expected to be focused on consolidation, standardization and simplification.\u0026nbsp; The trend for implementing software, platform and infrastructure as a service (SaaS, PaaS and IaaS) has not yet changed this centralized approach to IT strategies; but there is a preference for innovative solutions requiring minimal customization.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ECompanies are at varying levels of maturity in the implementation of cloud-based solutions.\u0026nbsp; The lack of control and ownership of data are issues still to be addressed by some; but there is a general acceptance of the move towards cloud-based computing solutions. As such, Procurement needs to become close with their company’s data privacy and security officer. Having a solid understanding of GDPR and your organization’s policies will allow you to move contracts through the evaluation, compliance assessment, and negotiation processes more quickly.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ETechnological trends that are expected to have an impact on IT procurement but are not significantly influencing strategy development and execution include:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EThe Internet of Things (IoT)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EMobility\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EDigital twinning\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003ERobotic process automation (RPA)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIT procurement professionals should continue to anticipate challenges regarding the solutions that are being promoted by suppliers as not needing involvement, approval or control by the IT team. CIO’s are struggling to eliminate Shadow IT (technology applications and services used in a business but not owned by IT) and suppliers are going directly to business stakeholders and trying to sell cloud-based services that they say can be easily implemented, integrated and operated.\u0026nbsp; This will result in the fragmentation of IT applications, as well as disruptive changes or redundancy within the IT function.\u0026nbsp; When standalone solutions are being used, IT still needs to control the quality standards and security, and have oversight of the architecture; for which governance policies and procedures must remain current.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EThe Bottom Line\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EIT category strategies are being focused on standardization, consolidation and simplification.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EIT Procurement not may not have sufficient resources to meet the demand for its services from IT stakeholders. Project prioritization is critical.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003ELook for creative way to obtain feedback from IT stakeholders to learn Procurement’s value.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003EUsing an obligation tracker for contract management and SRM.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E•\u003Cspan style=\"white-space: pre;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003ERecognizing that only a limited number of suppliers can be actively engaged in an SRM program, usually the tier-one suppliers that may be regarded as being business partners, for which regular meetings and senior-level communications are justified.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/1472543185599804162\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/09\/it-category-management-best-practices.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/1472543185599804162"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/1472543185599804162"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/09\/it-category-management-best-practices.html","title":"IT Category Management Best Practices (Now with Pumpkin Spice)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-9TMrs6pWEyk\/XYuqtY-9NAI\/AAAAAAAAnxg\/6hK6a3B53nwIH_-dABfWj2Mc3nCngPTTgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/IT%2BCategory%2Bmanagement.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-5959424840599935955"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-18T09:34:00.003-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-18T10:21:13.621-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Data Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Rig Your Organization to Succeed: Digital Nomadism, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, \u0026 the Procurement of All Kinds of Fun Stuff"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Fk5GfLtRlu0\/XYI9SxD0JbI\/AAAAAAAAHBA\/NWgGWGAUjsI8G_doQCJvERQEfhUtJdHUgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/brunette-computer-daylight-2773528%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"931\" data-original-width=\"1280\" height=\"290\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Fk5GfLtRlu0\/XYI9SxD0JbI\/AAAAAAAAHBA\/NWgGWGAUjsI8G_doQCJvERQEfhUtJdHUgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s400\/brunette-computer-daylight-2773528%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EIntroduction\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDigital nomads are a type of people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and, more generally, conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Such workers often work remotely from foreign countries, coffee shops, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles. This is often accomplished through the use of devices that have wireless Internet capabilities such as smartphones or mobile hotspots\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Ca href=\"ttps:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_nomad\"\u003E[10].\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAs I am a Digital Nomad, I can personally attest to how wonderful Digital Nomadism can be. Unfortunately, the virtues of Digital Nomadism and operational objectives are not always be aligned so infrastructure and collaboration tools are an exceedingly important consideration when managing resources this way. As a manager and decision-maker for a group that utilizes Digital Nomads, I must take into consideration the processes and technologies that are necessary to drive efficiency gains while simultaneously considering their implications on the people involved in them.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThroughout the remainder of this blog I am going to focus on some of the considerations that are necessary for supporting a group of Digital Nomads that perform resource intensive computational work, such as Deep Learning. It is worth noting that many of the talking points that will follow are equally relevant to supporting a group that performs software development or data analytics with the likely exception of GPU considerations. Whether you are a decision maker for one of these groups, or a procurement professional supporting such a group, hopefully find this to be a useful guide.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Quick Detour\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EDeep Learning, Machine Learning, and All The Fun Stuff\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EDeep learning is a subfield of machine learning. It focuses on developing and implementing algorithms that are inspired by the structure and function of the brain. According to Andrew Ng, the idea behind deep learning is that we may use brain simulations to:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMake learning algorithms much better and easier to use.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\"tr_bq\"\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMake revolutionary advances in machine learning and AI.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003EThese algorithms are called artificial neural networks. Deep learning has become popular because while most learning algorithms eventually reach a plateau in their performance, deep learning is believed to be the first class of algorithms that are scalable. That is, their performance continues improving as you feed them more data (with some caveats that we won't get into here).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=n1ViNeWhC24\"\u003E[11]\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ECPU vs GPU\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EWhen most people discuss computer performance they are usually referring to CPUs. This is appropriate since for most activities, especially multi-tasking, CPUs are a highly important consideration. However, for backend matrix\/vector operations such as graphics processing (i.e., playing computer games) and deep learning the GPU is king. A CPU is optimized to fetch small amounts of memory quickly while the GPU is optimized to fetch large amounts of memory not so quickly. One way to visualize the difference is using a squirt gun versus a hose in repeated water fights. The squirt gun can help you get your neighbor wet very quickly at any moment, while the hose can get them much more wet but requires much more time to setup between each fight. This is not to say that CPUs do not matter at all when performing matrix computations. Without a decent CPU one might run into some process bottlenecks.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EGPU\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EGetting a bit more into the weeds, GPUs are computer chips that were originally developed for the purpose of rendering images which requires a heavy amount of matrix computation. As such, they have been optimized to perform this task. Coincidentally, deep learning also requires a heavy amount of matrix manipulation and so GPUs have since been re-purposed for the needs of data scientists and machine learning engineers. For a more in depth explanation see this excellent\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.quora.com\/Why-are-GPUs-well-suited-to-deep-learning\"\u003EQuora post\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIt is important to note that when I say GPU, as of writing this blog I really just mean NVIDIA. The reason for this is historical. NVIDIA's standard libraries made it easy for the first wave of deep learning libraries to be established in CUDA. It is for this reason, along with continued strong community support from NVIDIA, that deep learning capabilities rapidly grew. As of the publication of this blog AMD and Intel are just not truly viable options. See this post for a great analysis on the current state of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/timdettmers.com\/2019\/04\/03\/which-gpu-for-deep-learning\/\"\u003EGPUs\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EOther Relevant Hardware\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EOther components that are necessary to build a deep learning rig include the following:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003ERAM\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E: Random Access Memory. It performs short-term data storage by handling the information you are actively using so that you can access it quickly. You will likely want at least 32GB but your needs are largely defined by your use case - research \u0026amp; state-of-the-art capabilities requires a very different capability than Kaggle research or building a startup.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHard Drive\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E: It handles long-term data storage. You will likely want a solid-state drive (SSD) since it is much faster. If money is a concern a hybrid (SSHD) may be a viable alternative. You will likely want at least 1TB because deep learning datasets can get big.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003EMotherboard\u003C\/i\u003E: In terms of your CPU, PCIe lanes are an important consideration. However, even more important is your ultimate use case and potential needs around using multiple GPUs. It's important to know your minimally viable considerations, and your long term objectives, since you want to ensure that the combination of your CPU and motherboard supports running the number GPUs that you are planning executing against.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ci style=\"font-weight: bold;\"\u003EPower Supply: \u003C\/i\u003EYou need a power supply that can produce as much power as is being consumed.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Ci\u003ECase\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E: You need something to put all of the above components in that will appropriately address protection and heat considerations.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EDecisions, Decisions\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003ENow that we have established a barebones understanding of the technologies involved in a computationally intensive rig we will simply list the options for deployment within a group that facilitate Digital Nomadism. For a more in depth analysis that provides pros and cons for each I highly recommend \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/which-hardware-should-i-use-as-a-remote-machine-learning-engineer-35af52301d3c.\"\u003E[1]\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ETower\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA full-blown piece of hardware that is used for local delivery. Not recommended.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ENotebook\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA high-end laptop.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ENotebook + Tower\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA low-to-mid tier laptop that can be used to run code remotely via the terminal (i.e., SSH-ing) on a piece of hardware.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ENotebook + eGPU\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA pre-built eGPU that affords plug and play capability.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ENotebook + Cloud\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA low-to-mid tier laptop that can be used to run code remotely via the terminal (i.e., SSH-ing) on someone else's (AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft, etc.) piece of hardware.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECosts\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;\"\u003EThere are both direct and indirect costs associated with all of the options listed above. For instance, consider the opportunity costs and risks. Having a high-end laptop is great because you can run your code anywhere but it will likely come with considerations: a high upfront cost, operational risks if you are accessing data locally, upgrade and maintenance limitations, and probably a hefty weight that makes it less than desirable from a portability perspective. Alternatively, building and deploying your own rig may not be desirable - at least at the beginning - because you now have infrastructure costs and require time allocation towards management and maintenance. This leads one to believe that cloud computing might be preferable but then its highly important to consider how much data you have, costs associated with maintaining it, security risks around managing it, and execution times with your algorithms. In the long run there's a very real chance you'll spend less money not using web services after you've got yourself up and running.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFurther Reading\u003C\/h2\u003EFor a better understanding of a logical enterprise approach towards strategic sourcing as it relates to this topic on an enterprise level, it may be useful to refer to some of the following links:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/strategic-sourcing-business-intelligence\/\"\u003EStrategic Sourcing Business Intelligence\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/strategic-sourcing-data-center-management\/\"\u003EStrategic Sourcing for Data Center Management\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/hosting-and-colocation-cloud\/\"\u003EStrategic Sourcing for Hosting, Colocation, and Cloud Services Providers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EAlternatively, feel free to reach out to Source One's IT \u0026amp; Telecommunications expert\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"mailto:dpastore@corcentric.com\"\u003EDavid Pastore\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;directly. Finally, for much more in depth reading on the specific topics covered above see the following links:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EWorks Cited\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"wc02\"\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref01\"\u003E[1]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EMonn, Dominic. “Which hardware should I use as a Remote Machine Learning Engineer.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003ETowards Data Science\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 30 May 2018,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/which-hardware-should-i-use-as-a-remote-machine-learning-engineer-35af52301d3c\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/which-hardware-should-i-use-as-a-remote-machine-learning-engineer-35af52301d3c\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref02\"\u003E[2]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EFortuner, Brendan. “Building your own deep learning box.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003ETowards Data Science\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 12 Feb 2017,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/building-your-own-deep-learning-box-47b918aea1eb\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/building-your-own-deep-learning-box-47b918aea1eb\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref03\"\u003E[3] Condo, Nick\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E. “Build a Deep Learning Rig for $800.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003ETowards Data Science\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 22 Feb 2017,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/build-a-deep-learning-rig-for-800-4434e21a424f\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/towardsdatascience.com\/build-a-deep-learning-rig-for-800-4434e21a424f\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref04\"\u003E[4]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003ERagalie, Alex. “Build your own top-spec remote-access Machine Learning rig: a very detailed assembly and installation guide for a dual boot Ubuntu 16.04\/Win 10 with CUDA 8 run on i7 6850K with 2x GTX 1080Ti GPUs.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EMedium\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 2 Nov 2017,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@aragalie\/build-your-own-top-spec-remote-access-machine-learning-rig-a-very-detailed-assembly-and-dae0f4011a8f\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/medium.com\/@aragalie\/build-your-own-top-spec-remote-access-machine-learning-rig-a-very-detailed-assembly-and-dae0f4011a8f\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref05\"\u003E[5]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EBiewald, Lukas. “Build a super fast deep learning machine for under $1,000.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EO'Reilly\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 1 Feb 2017,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.oreilly.com\/learning\/build-a-super-fast-deep-learning-machine-for-under-1000\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.oreilly.com\/learning\/build-a-super-fast-deep-learning-machine-for-under-1000\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref06\"\u003E[6]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EChen, Jeff. “Why building your own Deep Learning Computer is 10x cheaper than AWS.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003EMedium\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 15 July 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-building-your-own-deep-learning-computer-is-10x-cheaper-than-aws-b1c91b55ce8c\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-building-your-own-deep-learning-computer-is-10x-cheaper-than-aws-b1c91b55ce8c\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref07\"\u003E[7]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E“Deep learning workstation 2018-2019 buyer's guide. BIZON G3000 deep learning devbox review, benchmark. 5X times faster vs Amazon AWS.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EBizon-Tech\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 10 Oct 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/bizon-tech.com\/blog\/buyers-guide2018-bizon-g3000-gpu-deeplearning-workstation-review-benchmarks-5xtimes-faster-aws\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/bizon-tech.com\/blog\/buyers-guide2018-bizon-g3000-gpu-deeplearning-workstation-review-benchmarks-5xtimes-faster-aws\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref08\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot;; text-indent: 0px;\"\u003E[8]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EChen, Jeff. “How to build the perfect Deep Learning Computer and save thousands of dollars.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: bitter, serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EMedium\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 15 July 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/how-to-build-the-perfect-deep-learning-computer-and-save-thousands-of-dollars-9ec3b2eb4ce2\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/how-to-build-the-perfect-deep-learning-computer-and-save-thousands-of-dollars-9ec3b2eb4ce2\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;times new roman\u0026quot;; text-indent: 0px;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref09\"\u003E[9]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EChen, Jeff. “Why your personal Deep Learning Computer can be faster than AWS and GCP.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003EMedium\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 15 July 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-your-personal-deep-learning-computer-can-be-faster-than-aws-2f85a1739cf4\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-your-personal-deep-learning-computer-can-be-faster-than-aws-2f85a1739cf4\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"ref09\"\u003E[9]\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EChen, Jeff. “Why your personal Deep Learning Computer can be faster than AWS and GCP.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"box-sizing: border-box;\"\u003EMedium\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E(blog), 15 July 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-your-personal-deep-learning-computer-can-be-faster-than-aws-2f85a1739cf4\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/medium.com\/the-mission\/why-your-personal-deep-learning-computer-can-be-faster-than-aws-2f85a1739cf4\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"wc01\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent;\"\u003E[10]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci\u003EWikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E, s.v. \"Digital Nomad,\" (accessed August 8, 2019),\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_nomad\" style=\"background-color: white; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Digital_nomad\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv id=\"wc02\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #222222;\"\u003E[11]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: \u0026quot;bitter\u0026quot; , serif; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003EHuang, Xin.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E“Andrew Ng: Deep Learning, Self-Taught Learning and Unsupervised Feature Learning.”\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ci style=\"background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"box-sizing: inherit;\"\u003EYouTube\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot; , \u0026quot;helvetica\u0026quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;video, 45:46. May 13, 2013.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=n1ViNeWhC24\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=n1ViNeWhC24\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"citation\" style=\"background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; line-height: 2; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 10px 10px 10px 35px; text-indent: -25px;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/5959424840599935955\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/09\/rig-your-organization-to-succeed.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5959424840599935955"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/5959424840599935955"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/09\/rig-your-organization-to-succeed.html","title":"Rig Your Organization to Succeed: Digital Nomadism, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, \u0026 the Procurement of All Kinds of Fun Stuff"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"James Patounas"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17228778256776663425"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Fk5GfLtRlu0\/XYI9SxD0JbI\/AAAAAAAAHBA\/NWgGWGAUjsI8G_doQCJvERQEfhUtJdHUgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/brunette-computer-daylight-2773528%2B%25281%2529.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-6029384739553713484"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-30T11:32:00.001-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-05T11:47:29.123-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"IT and Procurement Have Never Needed Each Other More"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kfFJzoBX5SA\/XUBi11qXJpI\/AAAAAAAAAFY\/0rDDhL9YkIc19IdrxsUsZmUs3SJgBk30wCLcBGAs\/s1600\/itproccollaboration.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1068\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kfFJzoBX5SA\/XUBi11qXJpI\/AAAAAAAAAFY\/0rDDhL9YkIc19IdrxsUsZmUs3SJgBk30wCLcBGAs\/s320\/itproccollaboration.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003ESlashing budgets has always been a perennial challenge for organizations.\u0026nbsp; Procurement has always had to deal with the compounding difficulty as years go by and the well dries of new ways to reduce cost yet savings goals hold steady or even increase!\u0026nbsp; Though, Procurement has always had the opportunity to expand its horizons and turnover stones previously left alone either due to focus on others, limited time, or lack of experience and expertise –usually the latter.\u0026nbsp; In most organizations, IT is one of the last frontiers of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/sourcing-and-procurement-services\/cost-reduction-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecost reduction potential\u003C\/a\u003E, previously unexplored due to the complexity and lack of meaningful historical collaboration with the\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E IT organization\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESimilarly, IT has been under pressure of its own to reduce cost or minimally do more with the budget they have, all while business requirements grow and demand for innovation increases.\u0026nbsp; IT has evolved to address these challenges…sometimes.\u0026nbsp; Generally, we see IT garner more leeway on budgets than any other group.\u0026nbsp; Maybe this is because IT is the lifeblood of the organization: increasingly, everything a company does is facilitated by a multitude of facets of infrastructure and services for which IT is responsible.\u0026nbsp; Maybe this is also because it is complex: if it cannot be understood it can’t be optimized, and those who do understand it are measured far less on a basis of budgetary responsibility and far more on uptime, security, innovation, and management of changing requirements.\u0026nbsp; But, the days of leeway on IT budgets is waning.\u0026nbsp; It is simply too large a spend to ignore, is growing all the time, and it is too important to the organization to let risk go unmanaged.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe are experiencing a convergence.\u0026nbsp; One in which Procurement needs IT in order to find new opportunities to reduce costs enterprise-wide and one in which IT needs Procurement to complete primary objectives within budget.\u0026nbsp; Even mature organizations where \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/rethinking-it-strategic-sourcing.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EIT and Procurement\u003C\/a\u003E are collaborating, a great deal of activity is focused simply on keeping the lights on, reactive, or both.\u0026nbsp; In some cases, large strategic projects happen in collaboration between IT and Procurement.\u0026nbsp; In very few do IT and Procurement share the same roadmap.\u0026nbsp; One that is driven by common goals and is coordinated around maintaining steady state management of existing spend and tackling technology transformations, process changes, and infrastructure overhauls proactively.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhether Procurement is still working on getting a seat at the table with IT or a longstanding relationship exists, both organizations need to leverage one another’s resources and expertise in order to fulfill their respective roles in ensuring a strong return on their investments and continuous improvement.\u0026nbsp; This is not something that will naturally occur by scheduling periodic planning or status sessions.\u0026nbsp; It also will not yield optimal nor long-term results if efforts are based on a short-term viewpoint like a simple spend analysis and immediate action on low hanging fruit and quick wins.\u0026nbsp; It requires a long-term focus with a roadmap that accommodates short term benefits while laying the groundwork to realize improvements over a three to five year time horizon and the necessary governance to adapt and recalibrate as time goes on.\u0026nbsp; For help getting started or taking your IT and Procurement collaboration to the next level, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/contact\/contact-source-one\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Econtact Source One today\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/6029384739553713484\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/07\/it-and-procurement-have-never-needed.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6029384739553713484"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6029384739553713484"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/07\/it-and-procurement-have-never-needed.html","title":"IT and Procurement Have Never Needed Each Other More"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"David Pastore"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/18305861384385875620"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-fd3Pupg0C8c\/WVO4eBFqDVI\/AAAAAAAAAB4\/dj0BAwWM54AFJQpWN1uT3kV-ygvRyjvxgCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/vector.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kfFJzoBX5SA\/XUBi11qXJpI\/AAAAAAAAAFY\/0rDDhL9YkIc19IdrxsUsZmUs3SJgBk30wCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/itproccollaboration.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-8455286931941085618"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-12T13:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-17T10:11:08.842-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Trending"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Internet of Things Has a Big Privacy Problem"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-H7VV3d7JfQc\/XSiV_SdcuqI\/AAAAAAAAGrw\/1eUvSx-sADgLXicQNzOd6Ts1nm6UBq8FACK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/petter-lagson-MSWD-PDMizQ-unsplash%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"424\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-H7VV3d7JfQc\/XSiV_SdcuqI\/AAAAAAAAGrw\/1eUvSx-sADgLXicQNzOd6Ts1nm6UBq8FACK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/petter-lagson-MSWD-PDMizQ-unsplash%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003EThe following guest blog comes to us from Brad Smith at #\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turnonvpn.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETurnOnVPN\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInternet of Things (IoT) devices are everywhere and this is only the beginning.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/michaelkanellos\/2016\/03\/03\/152000-smart-devices-every-minute-in-2025-idc-outlines-the-future-of-smart-things\/#7705f5569a71)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EBy some estimates\u003C\/a\u003E, we can expect 80 billion devices to be connected to the Internet in 2025. With the IoT industry soon to reach $520 billion, the skyrocketing adoption of connected devices is good news for manufacturers and software vendors. But is it so positive for the users?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt’s no secret that technology has a complicated relationship with privacy. But with IoT devices having direct access to the most intimate spheres of our lives, the question of privacy become impossible to ignore. Our homes and even our bodies can now transmit a never-ending stream of data. And some of the more dystopian scenarios are getting pretty close to becoming a reality…\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EWhen a smart home turns into a Big Brother\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003EEarlier this year, it was revealed that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2019-04-10\/is-anyone-listening-to-you-on-alexa-a-global-team-reviews-audio\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EAmazon employees are listening to users' Alexa recordings\u003C\/a\u003E. It’s part of the process to teach AI to better understand human speech and give more relevant suggestions in the future.Whether it's done in the name of science or not, it’s still creepy to know that someone might eavesdrop on you when you’re at your most vulnerable.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom Boston to Costa Rica, India to Romania, Amazon workers are meticulously sifting through millions of hours of recordings. They transcribe and annotate users’ interactions with Alexa “in order [to] improve the customer experience”. But according to employees in the Romanian office, things aren't exactly what the Amazon PR team would like us to believe. The more amusing recordings are shared with other workers on an internal chat room, so if you have a smart home device, your shower recitals are no longer safe.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EYour entire life in one device\u003C\/h3\u003EData-hungry companies are not your only worry when it comes to IoT security. IoT devices are often reported to have security flaws that make them a relatively easy target for hackers.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYour smart home devices can be secured with an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.expressvpn.com\/what-is-vpn\/wifi-vpn\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eencrypted Wi-Fi VPN \u003C\/a\u003Ewhich protects the data stream from prying eyes and criminals trying to extract your personal data. Wearables like Fitbit or Apple Watch, on the other hand, are often used outside the safety of your home network which exposes them to a number of threats.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe fast-paced consumer market forces wearable manufacturers to produce new devices with lightning speed. Typically, fitness trackers would be developed in just six months, from planning to market release. Often when pressed for time, companies skip security testing in favor of faster roll-out. For example, researchers have demonstrated that hacking a Fitbit can easily reveal your location and other data.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EThe way to a man's heart is through his IoT pacemaker\u003C\/h3\u003EIoT privacy and security might sound a bit abstract until we talk about a very specific type of connected devices -- the Internet of Medical Things. Technology is transforming the\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/industries\/sample-industries-served\/healthcare-hospitals-life-sciences\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E healthcare system\u003C\/a\u003E and IoT devices are a big part of it. They can administer life-saving medicine, monitor the patient’s health state or even keep your heart beating.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe problem is: these devices are not exempt from any of the threats I've discussed. In fact, researchers have already successfully hacked a pacemaker and insulin pump. What if a hacker took over a medical device and demanded a ransom? It’s a dark future, but not an unimaginable one.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EWhat can we do?\u003C\/h3\u003EIn the US, there are no specific laws around IoT device privacy, although plans for legislation were just launched by the Digital Minister Margot James. The European Union is already there, with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) outlining stringent rules around the IoT in particular. Overall, IoT devices are advancing faster than the legal framework regulating them and the governments are catching up rather than staying ahead of the curve.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFor consumers, this means that we have to stay vigilant. The tech industry has a tendency for over-collection and over-retention of data. And as users, we aren’t always aware of what data collecting capabilities a device might have. Hiding behind blanket statements like “improving customer experience”, Amazon and other tech giants make the rules of the game we all play.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 14.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EBrad Smith\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E is a technology expert at TurnOnVPN, a non-profit promoting a safe, secure, and censor-free internet. He writes about his dream for a free internet and unravels the horror behind big tech.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 14.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 14.0pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"line-height: 115%;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E#TurnOnVPN\u003C\/b\u003E \u003Ci\u003Eis a non-profit organization focusing on a free and unimpeded internet for all. We take part in numerous online events, aimed at promoting a safe, secure, and censor-free Internet. Learn more at www.turnonvpn.org\/blog\/.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/8455286931941085618\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/07\/the-internet-of-things-has-big-privacy.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8455286931941085618"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/8455286931941085618"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/07\/the-internet-of-things-has-big-privacy.html","title":"The Internet of Things Has a Big Privacy Problem"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14742442637346043323"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-H7VV3d7JfQc\/XSiV_SdcuqI\/AAAAAAAAGrw\/1eUvSx-sADgLXicQNzOd6Ts1nm6UBq8FACK4BGAYYCw\/s72-c\/petter-lagson-MSWD-PDMizQ-unsplash%2B%25281%2529.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-2236529345197541261"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-21T14:04:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-24T08:35:04.403-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Transformation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Rethinking I.T. Strategic Sourcing"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv bis_size=\"{\u0026quot;x\u0026quot;:16,\u0026quot;y\u0026quot;:8,\u0026quot;w\u0026quot;:653,\u0026quot;h\u0026quot;:18,\u0026quot;abs_x\u0026quot;:165,\u0026quot;abs_y\u0026quot;:171}\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EMy client came to me the other day and asked me to put together a category management plan for the company’s Information Technology Department for the next 18 months. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AadCF7V5MWU\/XQ0bNutguhI\/AAAAAAAAlNk\/3PtPVvaRZGkK4W7VbqWTq1d75eKWNirmgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/artificial-intelligence-2167835_1280.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"856\" data-original-width=\"1280\" height=\"214\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AadCF7V5MWU\/XQ0bNutguhI\/AAAAAAAAlNk\/3PtPVvaRZGkK4W7VbqWTq1d75eKWNirmgCLcBGAs\/s320\/artificial-intelligence-2167835_1280.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAlways helpful, my client who is a senior leader in the company’s finance department, put his thoughts on paper regarding the various areas of I.T. that could benefit for a strong sourcing and procurement presence. However, when I looked at the list the first item that popped up was the company data center and its co-location facility, I kind of had to shake my head.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EWhile looking at how procurement can work with an I.T. infrastructure team in reducing costs for servers, storage appliances, networking gear, and telecom is a no-brainer, my client forgot that the company is beginning to migrate its data center to the cloud next month. Within the next 6-12 months, there will be no more data center. (Cue sad trombone music)\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIt got me to thinking about how IT Strategic Sourcing pros need to reflect on the changing landscape of technology, and how we need to both lead and support our stakeholders in I.T. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EWe all know the big changes that have occurred over the past several years in the enterprise technology space. The jump to the cloud, supporting the end-user via outsourced, off-shore MSPs, and SaaS platforms are just a few. But when thinking about I.T. as a category, and how it should be managed, what should be doing differently from what we’ve done in the past? \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/supplier-relationship-management\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESupplierRelationship Management\u003C\/a\u003E is as important as ever\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E – As companies continue to outsource key technology resources to remain lean and effective, its vital to have constant and effective communications with your business-critical vendors. As technology rapidly changes, the resources supporting that technology may need to change as well. I.T. leaders and their strategic sourcing partners need to know in real-time if SLAs are being met, if there are any skill gaps in the talent a supplier is bring to the table, and ensure that the supplier has a qualified bench of personnel who can jump into the mix when a new technology is deployed. And as the marketplace of MSPs increases, the opportunity to negotiate rate cards downward increases. Sourcing must regularly be benchmarking hourly rates for developers, DBAs, help desk talent and the like. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAnother aspect of SRM that needs to be pushed is innovation. The large MSPs have thousands of clients and have a pulse of the innovative, game changing trends in dozens of industries. Working closely with your supply base can provide ample opportunity to co-innovate applications, processes, and strategies that automate day to day activities, reduce overhead, and utilize budding technologies to get products and services to market faster.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cu\u003ELong Term Relationships, Short Term Contracts\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E – I am a huge advocate for consolidating suppliers in the Information Technology space as much as possible. The outsourcing landscape is constantly changing, so retaining the flexibility to change direction rapidly is key. Of course that can be difficult to do when different leaders in I.T., such as Enterprise, Commercial, and Infrastructure, have maintained relationships with their preferred suppliers for years. But it makes sense to leverage the most strategic suppliers in your organization’s portfolio and get the most from their wide swath of technological expertise. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EAnd, with the ever-changing needs of a business’ tech requirements, gone should be the days of multiple year contracts. Depending on the size and scope of a particular project, contracts can be shortened to six to twelve months. This applies pressure on those key suppliers to stay on time for deliverables and budget and offers the business the convenience of swapping out resources, or switching to a secondary supplier should the need arise. \u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EYes, the burden of managing contracts and processing purchase orders will increase, but with the improvement of automation tools in the sourcing and contracting space, this can be managed so that category managers are not overwhelmed with day to day paperwork minutiae. \u0026nbsp;\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cu\u003EFocusing on the value proposition\u003C\/u\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E – Particularly in I.T., it is not always in an organization’s best interests to award contracts based on lowest bid price alone. Instead, sourcing and their business stakeholders should award contracts based on the principal of creating and sustaining value, while balancing cost factors and quality of delivery. An organization can secure suppliers with whom they can innovate to transform the underlying costs and value of IT services. This will help to achieve meeting annual savings targets and optimize the contribution of the supply base to the organization’s strategic objectives. By awarding contracts based on ‘lowest price’ only, organizations may miss opportunities to work with IT product and service suppliers who offer superior technical expertise, longer-term “shift right” opportunities, and longer-term strategic relationships.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EObviously, I am just scratching the surface here. Service level agreements need to be rethought in the new technology landscape. The opportunity to crowdsource and insource I.T. activities are more achievable than ever. And without a doubt, I.T. management needs to be brought along to a new way of thinking about their suppliers, technology delivery, and how to go about getting the most value out of their budget. Now is a great time to have a discussion with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESource One about how our experts can transform your InformationTechnology Sourcing strategies\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv bis_size=\"{\u0026quot;x\u0026quot;:16,\u0026quot;y\u0026quot;:8,\u0026quot;w\u0026quot;:653,\u0026quot;h\u0026quot;:18,\u0026quot;abs_x\u0026quot;:165,\u0026quot;abs_y\u0026quot;:171}\"\u003E\u003Cbr bis_size=\"{\u0026quot;x\u0026quot;:16,\u0026quot;y\u0026quot;:8,\u0026quot;w\u0026quot;:0,\u0026quot;h\u0026quot;:17,\u0026quot;abs_x\u0026quot;:165,\u0026quot;abs_y\u0026quot;:171}\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/2236529345197541261\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/rethinking-it-strategic-sourcing.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2236529345197541261"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2236529345197541261"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/rethinking-it-strategic-sourcing.html","title":"Rethinking I.T. Strategic Sourcing"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AadCF7V5MWU\/XQ0bNutguhI\/AAAAAAAAlNk\/3PtPVvaRZGkK4W7VbqWTq1d75eKWNirmgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/artificial-intelligence-2167835_1280.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-6830064300817002414"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-14T08:46:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-17T15:54:57.726-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Flip the Script on Your Next Telecom Renewal"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-nCvwmUCjDGk\/XQOYDUQ9EjI\/AAAAAAAAGec\/6JvkpZe6zo0ZSsJU3YV4XczvAEExSUjEgCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/astronomy-bandwidth-cell-tower-2352277%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"356\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-nCvwmUCjDGk\/XQOYDUQ9EjI\/AAAAAAAAGec\/6JvkpZe6zo0ZSsJU3YV4XczvAEExSUjEgCK4BGAYYCw\/s400\/astronomy-bandwidth-cell-tower-2352277%2B%25281%2529.jpg\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou can never be too prepared for your next \u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/telecom-wireless-sourcing\/\"\u003Etelecom services\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E deal.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EUnfortunately, many organizations are underprepared and leave themselves too little time to optimize the outcome of their sourcing and \u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/contracting-negotiations\/\"\u003Enegotiation efforts\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThis is nothing new, it has been the same challenge for procurement, IT, and telecom leaders for as long as enterprise communications services have existed.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EWhat has changed, though, are some of the risks and opportunities that are cropping up along the way.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EOne of the biggest challenges that comes with managing technology spend is maintaining an awareness of the market as it relates to the company’s requirements.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EWhat’s available?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EWho should we buy from?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EHow do we get from where we are today to where we want to end up?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EHow do we figure out where we want to end up in the first place?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EFor most companies these types of questions are only explored every three years or so and having to catch up is never the best place to have to start.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EIncreasingly, companies are encountering unexpected curveballs when working through their telecom renewals: carriers discontinuing services, not offering discounts on legacy service, or worse raising pricing for legacy service that suits its purpose just fine for the enterprise.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EOf course, being prepared in the first place goes a long way in mitigating these risks.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThis usually means looking out at least a year before your agreements expire (or when you plan to have met all of your obligations under them).\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EBy doing so, you can become aware of where you may need to begin planning for a change of services and\/or carriers.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EWith your awareness, you’re setting yourself up to translate significant renewal liabilities into opportunities.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EThe reason the carriers are digging their heels in on pricing for legacy services is because newer technologies have become available to replace them and the old services are costly to maintain and support.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EAccount reps are being told to sell the new stuff, not the old stuff. \u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EAnd that’s reasonable.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003ENot only are the alternatives typically more robust with expanded capability\/functionality, but they’re lower cost and higher margin for the carriers –all positives for you if you can capitalize on them.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003ESimply being prepared and taking advantage of these new technologies isn’t all, though.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EThey represent enormous leverage.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EAfter all, if you’re going to have to move off TDM voice services to SIP anyway, why not see what the other carriers are doing?\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EIf TDM access\/loops are going up in price in favor of Ethernet or SD-WAN and you’re going to have to rip out and replace your circuits anyway, there’s no sense in limiting your options to the incumbent.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EIf the carriers know you understand the landscape and where things are headed and that instead of being backed into a corner, you’re prepared to take full advantage of your flexibility to explore options at the end of your contract’s term you’ve set yourself up with a very strong and credible negotiation position right from the start.\u003Cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003EFor help \u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/contact\/contact-source-one\/contact-us\/\"\u003Eplanning and preparing for your next telecom renewal or sourcing event\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, contact Source One.\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/6830064300817002414\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/flip-script-on-your-next-telecom-renewal.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6830064300817002414"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6830064300817002414"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/flip-script-on-your-next-telecom-renewal.html","title":"Flip the Script on Your Next Telecom Renewal"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"David Pastore"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/18305861384385875620"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"32","height":"32","src":"\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-fd3Pupg0C8c\/WVO4eBFqDVI\/AAAAAAAAAB4\/dj0BAwWM54AFJQpWN1uT3kV-ygvRyjvxgCK4BGAYYCw\/s220\/vector.png"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-nCvwmUCjDGk\/XQOYDUQ9EjI\/AAAAAAAAGec\/6JvkpZe6zo0ZSsJU3YV4XczvAEExSUjEgCK4BGAYYCw\/s72-c\/astronomy-bandwidth-cell-tower-2352277%2B%25281%2529.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-4258459875731648703"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-05T13:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-05T13:00:04.926-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Data Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Guest Posts"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Transformation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Which Technologies are Transforming Procurement?"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ynHCc03JsBE\/XPfDBtJGuHI\/AAAAAAAAGc0\/xsG-oC0FCTgj9UdXdafOMF8INe1M7DYOACK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/art-artistic-background-247676.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ynHCc03JsBE\/XPfDBtJGuHI\/AAAAAAAAGc0\/xsG-oC0FCTgj9UdXdafOMF8INe1M7DYOACK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/art-artistic-background-247676.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EThis guest blog comes to us from Megan Ray Nichols of Schooled by Science.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EEvery type of company that trades or transports goods of any kind, whether private or public, from governance to hospitality, is looking for ways to trim waste, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/procurement-transformation-advisory\/procurement-process-redesign\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eimprove the speed of critical processes\u003C\/a\u003E and eliminate errors. It's fair to say procurement and other supply chain activities are among the most demanding in industry today. That means they're prone to error — but also that they're uniquely situated to enjoy the benefits of a select group of technologies.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIn a Deloitte survey, a majority of more than 500 procurement professionals from across the globe, representing $5.5 trillion in turnover per year, said they expect digitization to cause considerable disruption to this space \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/content\/dam\/Deloitte\/us\/Documents\/process-and-operations\/us-chief-procurement-officer-survey-2018.pdf\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Ein the next half-decade\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003ELet's look at machine learning and advanced analytics, additive manufacturing, cloud computing, blockchain, and generative design in more detail below. These are some of the most frequently named technologies when procurement leaders are asked what the future of their industry looks like.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2 style=\"margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EMore Data, Advanced Analytics, Machine Learning\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe collection and analysis of customer, company, vendor, and market data, insofar as data privacy rules are \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2018\/05\/11\/technology\/gdpr-tech-companies-losers\/index.html\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Etaken into consideration\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E, is driving disruption in a number of sectors. Procurement is no different — especially not in industries involved with the buying, selling and transportation of perishables like foods and beverages.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThat's why the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association joined with supply chain management companies, industry consultancy groups and major food chains like Wendy's and Burger King: to \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.havi.com\/press\/international-foodservice-manufacturers-association-kinetic12-and-havi-develop-best-practices\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Ecollaborate on the use of data\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E to the benefit of all.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe group's primary goals are to find ways to use advanced analytics to more accurately predict demand, so as to eliminate waste, and to continually look for ways to streamline the supply chain. At the same time, the industry group is looking at structured and unstructured data from internal research, customer surveys, social media, web traffic and more to restructure how their products are sourced, stored and distributed, in order to meet higher customer demands for variety, freshness, timely delivery (up to same-day) and maybe most importantly sustainability — including ethical and \"farm to fork\" options.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003ECustomers today, especially millennials, show a statistically significant preference for fresh food and dairy products. According to some polls, millennials make a majority of all organic food purchases and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.grocerydive.com\/news\/grocery--consumers-want-more-fresh-foods-and-transparency\/534021\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Eeat 52% more vegetables\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E than previous generations. Even among those who buy groceries online, fresh produce and dairy products \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/info.fieldagent.net\/the-digital-shopper\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Eare top sellers\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIt's not hard to see why collecting, organizing and analyzing data on customers, the state of the market, transportation times, and equipment health will prove essential in Procurement's future. So what other technologies are bringing new functionality and new synergies to the supply chain?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2 style=\"margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EBlockchain and the New Cloud\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIn procurement and supply chain management, blockchain stands to provide an entirely new level of visibility, accountability and accuracy in recordkeeping. Some refer to blockchain as \"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/hackernoon.com\/will-the-cloud-move-to-the-blockchain-6ceabd0ce664\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Ethe new cloud\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E,\" which is appropriate.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EBlockchain is a likely solution for meeting the demands of the aforementioned modern consumer for ethically sourced, sustainably harvested products. It's also an ally in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apnews.com\/ef15478fa38649b5ba29b434c8e87c94\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Ethe trilllion-dollar struggle\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E against counterfeit products making their\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003Eway into critical industries' supply chains:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 35.35pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 35.35pt; text-indent: -14.15pt;\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EBlockchain gives manufacturers and distributors a way to cryptographically tag products with identifiers and subsequent data gathered at each leg of that product's journey.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThis cryptographic \"uniqueness\" gives procurement leaders peace of mind that the merchandise they're procuring is genuine — and that its \"origin story\" hasn't been tampered with.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C!--[if !supportLists]--\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIf blockchain is a \"new cloud,\" it's because all of the information that makes this system work is safely and immutably stored in a decentralized ledger, which participants may view but not alter.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThis pivot to blockchain isn't just good news for authenticity and visibility, either. It's also a way to speed the transfer of funds and goods across international borders. Blockchain-based payments \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.coindesk.com\/central-banks-settle-cross-border-payments-with-blockchain-for-first-time\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Edon't require third-party vetting\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E or lengthy waiting periods: both of which are common, costly and time-wasting pain points among supply chain manufacturers and procurement professionals.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2 style=\"margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 7.5pt; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: 0in;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: small;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003ERapid Prototyping and Generative Design\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EWe don't have to remind you that procurement is an often time-sensitive affair with tight deadlines. With that in mind, let's look at rapid prototyping through 3D printers and generative design through machine learning. Both of these technologies will dramatically improve manufacturers' ability to generate and test prototypes, help companies meet demanding procurement deadlines and ultimately move the manufacturing \"plant\" closer to the end-user.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EOne story of its implementation involves General Motors, Boeing and Citrine Informatics, but a scaled-down version could happen anywhere. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/the-ai-company-that-helps-boeing-cook-new-metals-for-jets\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003EHere's a summary\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; text-indent: -14.15pt;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; text-indent: -14.15pt;\"\u003EGM and Boeing needed a way to rapidly generate as many formulas as possible for a new alloy with specific performance requirements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; text-indent: -14.15pt;\"\u003ECitrine used generative design through machine learning, which came up with (literally) millions of \"recipes\" which might plausibly solve the problem.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; text-indent: -14.15pt;\"\u003EUsing 3D printers, the companies rapidly prototyped a number of candidates and then tested and microscopically examined each one for durability.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe point of this story is that companies that need to source products or parts with specific requirements, and still get to market on time, have a choice to make: companies that use generative design, machine learning and additive manufacturing in R\u0026amp;D, prototyping and testing and those who don't. The benefits of advanced product testing, especially of multiple prototypes, include \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan class=\"MsoHyperlink\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/qualitytest.net\/product-testing-process\/\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: blue;\"\u003Esatisfying regulatory requirements\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E and actually decreasing, rather than adding to, the ultimate cost of bringing a product to market. Simply put, it's cheaper to test many permutations and product candidates beforehand than to deal with the fallout after a product failure or recall later on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EThe implications of 3D printers and additive manufacturing could be especially critical for procurement leaders. Having 3D printers in the supply chain means keeping physical inventory levels to a minimum, lower storage and shipping costs, and the opportunity to engage in truly local manufacturing and sourcing instead of spending on wasteful air, sea or truck transportation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoBodyText\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black;\"\u003EIn short, it's an exciting time to be in procurement or any other type of supply chain management position. And it'll be gratifying to watch these technologies continue to mature and deliver returns.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Co:p\u003E\u003C\/o:p\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/4258459875731648703\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/which-technologies-are-transforming.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/4258459875731648703"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/4258459875731648703"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/06\/which-technologies-are-transforming.html","title":"Which Technologies are Transforming Procurement?"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14742442637346043323"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ynHCc03JsBE\/XPfDBtJGuHI\/AAAAAAAAGc0\/xsG-oC0FCTgj9UdXdafOMF8INe1M7DYOACK4BGAYYCw\/s72-c\/art-artistic-background-247676.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-7564152638445216670"},"published":{"$t":"2019-05-07T10:30:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-05-07T10:30:07.798-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Communications"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"SD-WAN Considerations for Sourcing Professionals"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bOFS8RyITd0\/XNBJKVf1XsI\/AAAAAAAAGUQ\/5ydlhQSv-QMhqHdUH77A_UT2q51myUZ9wCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/computer-desk-hands-2089373.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bOFS8RyITd0\/XNBJKVf1XsI\/AAAAAAAAGUQ\/5ydlhQSv-QMhqHdUH77A_UT2q51myUZ9wCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/computer-desk-hands-2089373.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the last several years, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/telecom-wireless-sourcing\/sd-wan\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESD-WAN\u003C\/a\u003E has become one of the hottest topics across the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EIT\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/telecom-wireless-sourcing\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ETelecom\u003C\/a\u003E space. I want to use this blog to provide some context for sourcing professionals looking to gain a better understanding of the technology and make more strategic supplier selections.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo start, let’s take a high level look at\u0026nbsp; what it is: SD-WAN (Software-defined wide area network) is an application of SDN (software-defined networking) technology that is applied to WAN (wide area network) connections. It alleviates some of the management required for a WAN by migrating the majority of the management functions to a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/hosting-and-colocation-cloud\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecloud based platform\u003C\/a\u003E such as Velocloud.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProviders that have become strong players in the SD-WAN category include telecom giants such as AT\u0026amp;T and Verizon Business, as well as growing providers like CenturyLink and Zayo. Our clients have consistently brought all four providers into consideration. Depending on what you’re hoping to accomplish with SD-WAN, each provider will rank differently for you. There are a few components that each client has weighed differently. Each are important to consider when assessing potential SD-WAN providers:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECost\u003C\/b\u003E: Is your decision to implement SD-WAN primarily driven by cost-savings? If so, then SD-WAN will allow you to move away from primarily using costly MPLS connections, and leverage cheaper transports instead. This will enable\u0026nbsp; you to scale your bandwidth at a more affordable\u0026nbsp; rate.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETransport\u003C\/b\u003E: Since SD-WAN is software based, it should be transport agnostic. You should always ensure, however, that the solution you are evaluating is adaptable enough to overlay on top of the transports deployed in your current network.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESecurity\u003C\/b\u003E: A caveat to the above is that \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/clients-results\/case-studies-examples\/mpls-network-case-study\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EMPLS connection\u003C\/a\u003Es are the most secure transport. Therefore, if you are trying to move away or reduce your reliance on MPLS, you will want to understand the security that is built into the SD-WAN service offering and make sure it aligns with\u0026nbsp; the network requirements.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EManagement\u003C\/b\u003E: Do you want your network team to\u0026nbsp; serve as the primary managers of the network, or would you prefer to have it managed by a provider? Some of the major telecom providers\u0026nbsp; offer fully-managed solutions. Others take a more co-managed approach.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EScalability\u003C\/b\u003E: SD-WAN will make scaling your network with higher bandwidths easier and less expensive because you will not need\u0026nbsp; to deploy MPLS connections.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003ECloud Connectivity\u003C\/b\u003E: Most providers\u0026nbsp; can connect to the primary cloud platforms such as Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Salesforce, but some\u0026nbsp; are limitated to other third party\/public cloud providers. It is important to include this in your inquiry if your business relies on these services to operate.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThese aren’t the only technical considerations you’ll need to evaluate SD-WAN offers. They should, however, prove sufficient for any Procurement professional looking to build out the criteria for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/sourcing-and-procurement-services\/strategic-sourcing-overview\/supplier-scorecarding\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eevaluating a provider’s proposal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/7564152638445216670\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/05\/sd-wan-considerations-for-sourcing.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/7564152638445216670"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/7564152638445216670"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/05\/sd-wan-considerations-for-sourcing.html","title":"SD-WAN Considerations for Sourcing Professionals"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14742442637346043323"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bOFS8RyITd0\/XNBJKVf1XsI\/AAAAAAAAGUQ\/5ydlhQSv-QMhqHdUH77A_UT2q51myUZ9wCK4BGAYYCw\/s72-c\/computer-desk-hands-2089373.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-2472926173934649199"},"published":{"$t":"2019-01-25T10:25:00.000-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-01-25T10:25:00.351-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Intern Corner"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Technology"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Cyber Security: What Procurement Professionals Need to Know in 2019"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3m3WJNzf2Ak\/XDTVyIPdj4I\/AAAAAAAADZY\/W0KDDq1YwjUAETlK5cy32JN-N_6HzL9FACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/Dollarphotoclub_81160853.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"cyber-attack, data breach\" border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1067\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3m3WJNzf2Ak\/XDTVyIPdj4I\/AAAAAAAADZY\/W0KDDq1YwjUAETlK5cy32JN-N_6HzL9FACEwYBhgL\/s400\/Dollarphotoclub_81160853.jpg\" title=\"Cyber Security and Procurement\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ECyber-attacks are the fastest growing crime in the United States and as \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/procurement-in-2019\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eprocurement trends\u003C\/a\u003E shift to digitally enabled supply chains, the organizational supply chain becomes more vulnerable. This puts sourcing and purchase data like supplier contracts and financial details at risk. In fact, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.capsresearch.org\/research\/#tab-recentlycompleted\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECAPS research\u003C\/a\u003E stated that in 2017, 60% of reported attacks on publicly traded U.S. firms were launched through the IT systems of suppliers or other third parties. In response to the growing cyber security threat, procurement teams must protect sensitive information belonging to their own organization and their customers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ECosts of a Cyber-Attack\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe cost of a successful cyber-attack to a company is over $5 million. In fact, by 2021 damage related to cyber-attacks is projected to hit\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cybersecurityventures.com\/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E$6 trillion annually\u003C\/a\u003E. These costs include direct damage and even post-attack damage, such as loss of customers and reputation. No matter how you look at it, cyber-attacks are costly to a business, and they are not going anywhere.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EHere are a couple examples of organizations that suffered\u0026nbsp;after a third party \u003C\/span\u003Eexperienced\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;a data breach.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe 2014 attack on Target caused an estimated $162 million in damages. This was due to a small HVAC company, Fazio. Hackers broke through Fazio’s firewall and stole Fazio’s credentials to break into Target’s system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E[24]7.ai, a vendor that provides customer support to clients via online chats, was breached affecting customers of Sears, Delta, and Best Buy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EIn 2015 about 1,025 Wendy’s locations were hit by a credit card breach. Wendy’s placed blame on an unnamed third-party that serves Wendy’s locations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EThe major credit bureau, Experian, suffered a major data breach in 2015. The hackers got access to the personal information of 15 million people who recently signed up for T-Mobile's service.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPreventing a Data Breach\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Col\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EStay up to date: Implement cyber security solutions that offer up-to-date security measures and mechanisms. This can also include staying up to date on news of cyber threats to other companies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003ECollaborate with the IT team: A procurement team should collaborate with the IT department to monitor systems and update internal policies. Additionally, holding company-wide cyber security meetings allows everyone in the organization to review the company’s policies and any recent cyber security threats. Holding these meetings can help prevent and manage cyber-attacks if one occurs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EDevelop a disaster recovery strategy: If all else fails and your system has been hacked, it is important to already have a plan in place to limit the negative effects of the data breach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ol\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003EAs a procurement professional it is your responsibility to protect the financial data of your customers. Not only have customers trusted you with sensitive information, if a data breach did occur, your company losses all credibility. Keep this in mind as procurement becomes more technological dependent and cyber security continues to increase in risk.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe cybersecurity skills gap is one of the many trending topics addressed in Source One's latest whitepaper. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/procurement-in-2019\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EDownload \u003Ci\u003EProcurement in 2019 \u003C\/i\u003Etoday\u003C\/a\u003E to learn more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/2472926173934649199\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/01\/cyber-security-what-procurement.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2472926173934649199"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/2472926173934649199"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2019\/01\/cyber-security-what-procurement.html","title":"Cyber Security: What Procurement Professionals Need to Know in 2019"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3m3WJNzf2Ak\/XDTVyIPdj4I\/AAAAAAAADZY\/W0KDDq1YwjUAETlK5cy32JN-N_6HzL9FACEwYBhgL\/s72-c\/Dollarphotoclub_81160853.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-3613782769022027955"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-18T12:00:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-18T12:00:09.668-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Transformation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"What Is . . . Digital Transformation? "},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-UptrGT6FT7A\/W66IrOcg_1I\/AAAAAAAAAAM\/i4lQViZfb50fpNxKLWe7C3MV92D0yyA2gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/What%2Bis%2BKG%2Bsketch.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"783\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-UptrGT6FT7A\/W66IrOcg_1I\/AAAAAAAAAAM\/i4lQViZfb50fpNxKLWe7C3MV92D0yyA2gCLcBGAs\/s640\/What%2Bis%2BKG%2Bsketch.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EYou don't have to know much of anything about Procurement to recognize that digital transformation is on almost everyone's mind. New terms seem to enter the conversation every day. Robotic Process Automation, Blockchain, the Internet of Things, the list goes on and on.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOrganizations are most definitely believing the hype. \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thehackettgroup.com\/key-issues-pro-1801\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHackett's recent CPO survey\u003C\/a\u003E found that nearly every respondent expects digital solutions to transform the way their organization does business before the decade is out.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey certainly have the potential to do so, but organizations are mistaken if they believe these changes will just happen. They're also wrong if they expect transformation to look the same for every organization. In reality, the precise nature of Procurement's digital transformation will vary based on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/procurement-transformation-advisory\/procurement-maturity-assessment-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe function's resources and maturity\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003EWhat could \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/procurement-technology-advisory\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EDigital Transformation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;mean for your company?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"\u003Eactical\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003EWhatever form they take, whatever solutions they lead your organization to embrace, digital transformations are really about one simple thing - introducing new ways to generate value. That's why organizations with purely tactical Procurement functions need to do some serious thinking before they can begin to pursue new technologies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy allowing Procurement to reside in an obscure, tactical space these organizations are severely limiting opportunities for value generation. Before such companies can look into P2P platforms - even simple eSourcing suites - a fundamental cultural shift is in order. Leadership won't feel compelled to invest in Procurement's technology unless they've accepted the function itself as a strategic value generator. The promise of emerging tools is good fodder for building a business case, but the worst thing a Procurement unit can do here is get ahead of itself. They're ready, however, to take what is perhaps the most important step in any transformative initiative. They're ready to start changing the conversation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnce the organization has agreed to provide for a more strategic Procurement function, \u003Ci\u003Ethen\u003C\/i\u003E the conversation can shift to additional value a new tool might bring.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"\u003EOperational\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003EProcurement teams at this stage have earned some of the buy-in necessary to begin acting strategically. Beyond looking for the best price, they're working to identify additional sources of value and understand the total cost of every dollar spent. They've begun to do this, but they're not fully there yet. At this stage, people will still do more to inspire a digital transformation than any tool will.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn all likelihood, an Operational Procurement function is still mostly concerned with ensuring deliveries arrive on-time, suppliers remain compliant, and contracts get renewed. While they look for opportunities to boost their internal clout, they should also begin to identify tools that will expedite these processes. By adopting tools that will eliminate (or reduce) Procurement's manual workload, they can free up time to engage in more strategic initiatives.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt this stage, a large investment is likely out of the question. Luckily for Procurement, there's a wealth of low-cost tools out there for \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/tools-technologies-products\/rfx-reverse-auction-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EeSourcing\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/whyabe-contract-management\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Econtract management\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/consulting-services\/spend-analysis-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Espend analysis\u003C\/a\u003E. Leveraging any of these could enable Procurement to boost its efficiency and attract additional investments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cb style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-style: normal;\"\u003EStrategic\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003EStrategic Procurement teams are well-positioned to take a leading role in \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/procurement-technology-advisory\/procurement-technology-needs-identification\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emapping out a digital transformation\u003C\/a\u003E. Success will depend on leveraging their internal reputation effectively. By persuasively reporting on the impact of the tools they already employ, they can begin to build an argument for more advanced technologies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProcurement's leaders should encourage a blend of skepticism and curiosity when it comes to new solutions. After all, this could be a 'make it or break it' stage for their department. While advocating for an effective investment could solidify their position as a strategic partner, a hasty or ill-informed suggestion could lead them to lose the trust they've worked so hard to establish.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EListening is as important - if not more so - for these Procurement units as acting. By listening to industry conversations as well as stakeholder, supplier, and customer expectations, they can start to lay out a plan for well-paced and effective transformation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"\u003EBest-in-Class\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003EThis is where things start to get really interesting. A true Procurement innovator has the power and resources to stand at the vanguard when it comes to adopting emerging tools. By partnering with the right providers and cultivating the right internal environment, they could help make the speculation around digital technologies a reality.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThey cannot afford, however, to forget the importance of the human element. Instead of looking for opportunities to replace existing processes and veteran employees, they should strive to encourage augmentation and evolution. Digital technologies will (eventually) change the shape of Procurement. For these organizations to see those changes through, they need to remember the importance of careful consideration and deliberate pacing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECarrying out a \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/procurement-technology-advisory\/procurement-technology-advisory-support\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Esuccessful digital transformation\u003C\/a\u003E means navigating through the hype, honestly reflecting on Procurement's capabilities, and committing to a long-term initiative. At their most robust, these efforts are often multi-year, multi-million dollar undertakings. Even a best-in-class organization shouldn't risk going it alone. Reach out to Source One's \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/contact\/contact-source-one\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edigital transformation specialists \u003C\/a\u003Etoday to learn more about what a digitized Procurement function could bring to your organization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/3613782769022027955\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/10\/what-is-digital-transformation.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3613782769022027955"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/3613782769022027955"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/10\/what-is-digital-transformation.html","title":"What Is . . . Digital Transformation? "}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Strategic Sourceror"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/14742442637346043323"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-UptrGT6FT7A\/W66IrOcg_1I\/AAAAAAAAAAM\/i4lQViZfb50fpNxKLWe7C3MV92D0yyA2gCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/What%2Bis%2BKG%2Bsketch.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-6226846633717722929"},"published":{"$t":"2018-09-28T13:08:00.002-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-01T22:01:01.810-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Data Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement Transformation"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Things to Consider When Procuring Analytics Technology"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-U27vWcKRJtE\/W65HK1OSmdI\/AAAAAAAABdE\/IaBqlmPSF3QDP2ko0WT2O7a8mCfXO0-1wCLcBGAs\/s1600\/pexels-photo-265667.jpeg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1033\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"204\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-U27vWcKRJtE\/W65HK1OSmdI\/AAAAAAAABdE\/IaBqlmPSF3QDP2ko0WT2O7a8mCfXO0-1wCLcBGAs\/s320\/pexels-photo-265667.jpeg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003EThere are two ways of consuming reports for decision making. The first is that of performing a quick high level assessment to answer a well-posed question. These tend to be static reports that are automated on a recurring basis. An example is a weekly resource utilization report which answers a question around how well resources are being used over some time horizon. The second use case is an insights driven analysis where the objective is for the end-user to interact with the report in an interactive capacity and in doing so identify insights or generate new questions that should be answered. A reasonable way to think of this second use case is that of R\u0026amp;D where the underlying asset is data. However, in order to generate these reports there are an awful lot of complexities that must be implemented and managed against. Let us first consider the typical data pipeline.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EData Pipeline\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EA typical pipeline involves the following steps:\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIntegration\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPreparation, Curation, \u0026amp; Enrichment\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EExploration \u0026amp; Refinement\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAnalysis\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVisualization\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EEvery analytics implementation has a data pipeline. In some cases this may be reasonably simple. In other cases this may be extremely complex. The one certainty is that there will be data flowing in and out. What needs to happen in between these two steps will significantly differ depending on the complexities intrinsic in your data, the manipulations that must occur within your process, and the availability of people, process, and technology\u0026nbsp;to execute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EData Considerations\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThe primary considerations for procuring analytics tools are the same as those for any procurement initiative: people, process, technology, and value. At a more technical level, it's important to account for what are known as the V's of data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EVolume\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHow much data is being processed?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EIf it's small (i.e., ~ \u0026lt;600,000 rows) then Excel may meet your needs. If it's medium (i.e., can be held in computer memory) then a more technical solution like Python or R may be appropriate. If it's large (i.e., can't be held in computer memory) then perhaps a combination of a database and chunking with Python and R may be appropriate. If it's really large maybe you need to consider Hadoop and MapReduce.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003EMany modern technologies\u0026nbsp;distribute parallel data access and computations over lower cost solution rather than continue to optimize vertically. Further efforts have begun on optimizing against the hardware itself such as SSD. Keep in mind, if you have a small dataset then processing in parallel may actually slow down your analytics pipeline due to the overhead of introducing a slave\/master relationship that must be managed. Furthermore, this assumes that the underlying software you are using even addresses parallelization in the first place.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003EThe volume will have significant implications in your process due to limitations from write speeds and read speeds. Specific attention should be paid to the tasks that you will be performing most frequently as not all technologies are made equal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EVariety\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ci\u003EWhat types of data sources are being processed?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003EData comes in many different formats. The three classes of data are structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. Some example consumables include images, video, audio, numeric, spatial, and text. Many deliverables are actually a combination of multiple consumables. Consider for example a video. It may include visuals, audio, and text overplayed on top of each other. As such it's very important to consider the types of data you will be handling and your organization's requirements for ingesting, manipulating, analyzing, and presenting it. For instance, an organization handling Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data will likely have very different primary considerations than a financial institution.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EVelocity\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHow frequently is the data received? How frequently is it consumed?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003EData comes in two types that play a significant role in determining their velocity: streaming or non-streaming. Theoretically a streaming data source can be thought of as infinite data processes in small temporal chunks.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVelocity considerations may impact both our confidence in the accuracy of the data, how powerful (and so costly) our technology needs to be, and how complex our analytics use cases can be built. For instance, if we need to instantly process data because we receive it at a high frequency (i.e., stock market data) then it might not be viable to have bi-directional machine communication that properly validates the correctness of the packets being exchanged. Alternatively, if we need to make quick decisions with the data (i.e., a credit card company validating fraud with its models) we may need to have disparate analytic processes (i.e., an immediate feedback mechanism based upon a standard model and a small time horizon that's likely done in memory and a separate system that allows us to build, backtest, and tune a model from the a larger pool of data).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EVeracity\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ci\u003EWhat is the quality of the data being processed?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003EThe quality of the data and the steps that one needs to apply in order to make it useful are an important technology and resource consideration. It is often estimated that 70-80% of a data resources time is spent cleaning data. There is definitely truth behind this assertion.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EValence\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ci\u003ETo what degree is the data interconnected?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EData that has a clear primary key \/ foreign key relationship or columns with a standard recurrent structure is wonderful because then you can easily connect it through joins, vlookups, appends, concatenation, or whatever flavor of connectivity functions you may be familiar with. However, most data is not this easily connected and requires some level of processing and\/or entity resolution. Real value and insight typically doesn't come from structured data. Rather, it often comes from taking unstructured data and layering it on top of the structured data.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFurther Considerations\u003C\/h2\u003ENow that we've properly considered the data that we are handling and what we need to do with it in order to generate insights and visualizations we must also consider the appropriate organizational philosophy.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EDisruption\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EDo we need backups of our data? Where and how often?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EAs much as we want everything to work all of the time, this is not a practical expectation. There will be disruptions to your process and technology. The real question is when and to what extent. It is extraordinarily important to consider how, where, and with what technology the data and associated processes should be developed, version controlled, backed up, and audited. Furthermore, what are the down-time versus up-time requirements? What is the plan in the unlikely scenario of a catastrophic event? Most importantly, it's important to consider how issues will be managed and communicated back to the developers, IT, and end-users, among others.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EEthics\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EWhat can we ethically do with the data, what must we divulge about it, and are our results potentially biased in some way?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThis is a consideration that could potentially have huge PR impact. Ethics have now become a mainstream consideration given the problems that have surfaced in the media around Facebook, Microsoft, and other major tech companies. Let us assume that you have a machine learning model. Can you reasonably assume that your data science made it without any preconceived notions? This is not likely the case if they all come from similar academic or cultural backgrounds. Let us assume that there are no preconceived notions. Can you assume that the data itself is not the product of an underlying societal or cultural norm that is suboptimal and being reinforced by the model itself?\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ESecurity\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003EHow long should we keep the data? Who should be able to access it? What are the security requirements around it?\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EMost IT teams would agree that it is very important to know what level of restrictions and security protocol exists around your data. Does the data get transferred server-to-server? Then there should definitely be some form of encryption and decryption protocol in place. What considerations have gone into administrative rights? Who may actually access the data at any given point? Should they be able to access it? These are important considerations that must be managed and continually updated. Ideally from a secure, central location that offers easily deployed updated through some level of automation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOf course, these days security is not limited to administrative and IT rights. There is also a data risk component associated with security. What is the shelf life of the data and how long should it be kept? The more data that might require a user agreement or NDA that your company has the more it might risk your company might be at if it's acquired by the wrong people. While unfortunate, it's imperative for every organization to consider the risk\/reward surrounding its data, the shelf-life of that data, and the importance of insurance surrounding it.\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EConclusion\u003C\/h2\u003EThe first step in the journey to analytics technology adoption is identification. From there it's all about executing against the above. Technology consideration, procurement, and adoption is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Many people think of an analytics solutions solely from the perspective of the operational efficiencies, visualization capabilities, and\/or the insights to be gained from using them. While these are important considerations, they do not necessarily take into consideration the full picture. There are inherent complexities in selecting analytics solutions, such as a Business Intelligence (BI) tool, for your organization. As such, all of the relevant stakeholders including but not limited to IT, software engineering, analytics, operations, and legal should be involved in the decision making process. Feel free to review Source One's procurement technology advisory services\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/procurement-technology-advisory\/procurement-technology-advisory-support\/#\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eroadmap\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or contact us directly if you need further guidance.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/6226846633717722929\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/09\/things-to-consider-when-procuring.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6226846633717722929"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/6226846633717722929"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/09\/things-to-consider-when-procuring.html","title":"Things to Consider When Procuring Analytics Technology"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"James Patounas"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17228778256776663425"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-U27vWcKRJtE\/W65HK1OSmdI\/AAAAAAAABdE\/IaBqlmPSF3QDP2ko0WT2O7a8mCfXO0-1wCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/pexels-photo-265667.jpeg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018230518319999846.post-9106595551309281513"},"published":{"$t":"2018-09-14T10:24:00.000-04:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-09-14T11:30:54.988-04:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Best Practices"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Data Science"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"IT"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Procurement News"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Cybersecurity Supply Chain: Study Shows “Alarming Gap” in Available Resources"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-CORyAXnZQZY\/W5vEKsCPaMI\/AAAAAAAAAM0\/1qYzwA0Q1B8yioAtVG1Xl3ZVcIEowOP_gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Dollarphotoclub_100883657.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"600\" data-original-width=\"900\" height=\"213\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-CORyAXnZQZY\/W5vEKsCPaMI\/AAAAAAAAAM0\/1qYzwA0Q1B8yioAtVG1Xl3ZVcIEowOP_gCLcBGAs\/s320\/Dollarphotoclub_100883657.jpg\" width=\"320\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003ETwo months ago, two California state offices released the findings of a study conducted by the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research. This study aimed to take a look at the growing gap between the supply of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/specialty-category-focus-areas\/information-technology-and-services\/cybersecurity-strategic-sourcing\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ecybersecurity \u003C\/a\u003Eprofessionals and an ever-growing demand for these roles.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn a nutshell, organizations in California recognize the need for cybersecurity professionals, but simply aren’t finding the right mix of candidate work experience and skill sets in the available labor pool.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile state institutions do have related programs, most at the two-year level, they simply aren’t producing enough qualified professionals. The result? About 60% of hiring organizations are facing challenges in landing qualified workers to fill an incredibly important set of technology-based roles:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETechnical Support Specialists\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENetwork Operations Specialists\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESystem Administrators\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESoftware Developers\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESystems Security Analysts\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECyber Defense Analysts\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECyber Defense Infrastructure Support Specialist\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EVulnerability Assessment Analyst\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECyber Defense Forensics Analyst\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003EFor more detail, you can read more about this study here.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EWhat Does this Mean to My Organization?\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe concepts within this report speak to the wider business community outside of California, of course. It isn't just Californian companies that will lean on these resources more and more as time goes by.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt’s no secret that supply chains are moving further and further towards globalization at a fast pace. This shift isn’t reserved for only the largest organizations anymore – small- and mid-sized organizations are starting to think more globally than they have in years prior. How has this been made possible? By technological advances in communications systems and data management.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUnfortunately, with many things tech-related, the regulatory landscape and internal organization SOP lags behind development. The result? A greater reliance on technology leads to a greater exposure to cybersecurity threats – the last thing you want to expose your supply chain to.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EExamples abound, including a recent attack against British Airways (a type of supply chain attack that targets third party payment mechanisms to give hackers a way in). Don’t think that these attacks only impact the big guys, either. You don’t need to be the size of British Airways for this issue to impact your organization. Any organization that works with third parties or, more so, integrates such third parties into their own systems, is at risk. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cb\u003EMoving Forward\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAny organizations concerned about how prepared they are to deal with cybersecurity threats can begin the process of assessing their own readiness and hardening their defenses. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis is a huge topic, certainly too big for this post to cover. That said, there are several high-level steps you can initiate now to get the ball rolling:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIdentify what your organization’s security policies are as they relate to your supply chain and any third party suppliers involved in it. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDespite sounding like a technology problem, cybersecurity is very much a human resource issue! Make sure your team is well-versed in the types of attacks that could harm your organization. The best security system in the world can fall prey to a team member clicking on the wrong link in the wrong phishing email.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EConfirm if key suppliers are aware of these policies and, more importantly, what their own policies are. A chain is only as strong as the weakest link – any vulnerabilities on your suppliers’ ends could become your own.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBridge the gap by conducting an info exchange with your suppliers to make sure a complete understanding exists on both sides.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMoving forward, ensure that security concerns are discussed as part of any RFP initiatives. If you aren’t asking suppliers to detail their procedures in your \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sourceoneinc.com\/consulting-tools\/sourcing-and-procurement-services\/strategic-sourcing-overview\/rfx-design-services\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERFP questionnaires\u003C\/a\u003E, now is the time to start.\u003Cbr \/\u003EWithout a doubt, your supply chain will be more and more dependent on technology – an area that could very well face a shortfall in resources available to handle it. Take steps now to shore up your security before it is too late.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"blogger-post-footer\"\u003EBrought to you by the \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\"\u003EStrategicSourceror\u003C\/a\u003E.\n A Blog for Procurement, Supply Chain and Purchasing Professionals, sponsored by \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.corcentric.com\"\u003ECorcentric\u003C\/a\u003E, a leading  Procurement Service Provider, specializing in Strategic Sourcing, Procurement Resources and Procurement Advisory.\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/feeds\/9106595551309281513\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/09\/cybersecurity-supply-chain-study-shows.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/9106595551309281513"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/7018230518319999846\/posts\/default\/9106595551309281513"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.strategicsourceror.com\/2018\/09\/cybersecurity-supply-chain-study-shows.html","title":"Cybersecurity Supply Chain: Study Shows “Alarming Gap” in Available Resources"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Brian Seipel"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/01838867250981418173"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-CORyAXnZQZY\/W5vEKsCPaMI\/AAAAAAAAAM0\/1qYzwA0Q1B8yioAtVG1Xl3ZVcIEowOP_gCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Dollarphotoclub_100883657.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}}]}});