| Purchasing supply chains are a network of service | | | | each part of the supply chain costs, what its delivery |
| organisations, manufacturers, wholesalers and | | | | performance is and what quality levels are like - use |
| distributors who together provide the products or | | | | value mapping techniques to build up a picture;o |
| services that you buy. How well they do this is a | | | | Benchmark every step in the chain against |
| major factor in the speed, quality and cost of the | | | | organisations you consider to be world class - even if |
| finished item that you buy. | | | | they are not from the same industry as you;o Form |
| In today's rapidly changing world, customers and | | | | a project team that uses people from your own |
| users of these products and services are constantly | | | | organisation (not just buyers) and those from key |
| raising the bar in terms of what they want. They | | | | suppliers along the supply chain;o Use creativity |
| want everything faster, better and cheaper. If you | | | | techniques to identify alternative solutions - |
| are to survive, you can't get away with just small | | | | brainstorming is not sufficient on its own as people |
| improvements - you need to make radical changes to | | | | need to be shaken out of their familiarity and |
| your supply chains. | | | | comfort with the way things work today;o Be radical |
| How can you do this? Here are some tips:-o | | | | in your thinking and solutions - think the unthinkable |
| Understand just what your supply chains are - you | | | | and use outrageous and audacious goals to guide |
| need to know the complete supply chain not just | | | | you;o Build a compelling case for change that senior |
| your immediate suppliers as opportunities may lie two | | | | executives can buy in to immediately - use headline |
| or more steps away from you;o Find out how much | | | | techniques as newspapers do to grab attention. |