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From ABC to XYZ: How to Thoughtfully Manage Your Inventory
Back in January, we talked about tail spend and ways to reduce your spend with the bottom 20% of suppliers. But what if you don’t really know which tail spend items/suppliers to keep and which to get rid of? What else should we think about when classifying our...
What makes a manufacturing supply chain unique?
Several months ago, I published an article on what makes a utility supply chain unique. This article is the same for the manufacturing supply chain - which is a HUGE category with thousands of businesses represented. I’ve been working in and with manufacturers since...
Why Your RFP Might Be Driving Suppliers Away — And How to Fix It
Some months ago on LinkedIn, I saw an account rep run a poll about all the questions he had to answer for a Request for Proposal (RFP), asking his fellow sales team peers about their experiences with long question lists. This struck me because my reaction was: why is...
Should You Sign an Exclusivity Clause? Key Considerations for Buyers
Contract exclusivity clauses are interesting. Suppliers almost always like them, but some companies use them and some don’t. Today let’s talk about what they are, when they are used, ways to structure them, how to negotiate using them, and enforceability. Note: This...
Standardizing Services: The Case for Assigning Item Numbers to Non-Material Purchases
Item numbers can be so powerful. An item number for a part provides a common spec/description, a way of tracking a part across time and different suppliers, and increases the efficiency of a supply chain. Item numbers, also known as part numbers, material numbers,...
Short-Term Tariff Strategies to Keep Procurement Costs in Check
I try to stay off of bandwagons. But (you knew that “but” was coming, didn’t you?) I was at a client’s site this week reviewing category strategies, and of course the subject of trade tariffs came up. Then on a call with a different client this week, someone brought...
Supply Chain Pitfalls that are Holding Your Business Back
I haven’t been in supply chain management as long as some, but I’ve been around long enough to have some observations on common errors supply chain practitioners make. Some are things many professionals can do better (such as continually learning) and some are very...
Why Every Business Needs a Supplier Manual (And How to Create One)
Does your business have a supplier manual? If not, do you feel like you struggle to communicate with your suppliers and hold them accountable? A Supplier Manual is one of those things every company should have, but many don’t. One of my first ever tasks for a client...
Smart Payment Terms: More Than Net 30 vs. Net 45
One of the first places company leaders go looking for savings is supplier payment terms. While this seems simple, payment terms are more complicated than they first appear. Payment terms usually appear in the contract or even as part of the purchase order terms, if a...
Tail Spend: What It Is and Why It Matters for Your Procurement Strategy
In a deep dive training into Sourcing with a client recently, I mentioned the phrase “tail spend” and was met with a few blank looks. Tail spend is one of those procurement terms that we don’t realize is jargon, and this was a group of people new to the profession. So...
Move from Chaos to Clarity: Define Your Supply Chain’s Top Metrics
Since it’s still January, we’re right in the thick of Metrics Season. Traditionally this is the season where we measure everything, take a look at our upcoming year, and then decide to measure everything we measured last year and also add a few more. While today we’re...
Breaking the Silos: Why Warehouses Belong in the Supply Chain
Once the procurement team orders goods and the inbound logistics team ensures they arrive, the warehouse team ensures they are delivered safely and accurately to their final destination. So why is the warehouse so often part of operations instead of the supply chain?...
The Art of Good Bureaucracy: Insights from Pop Culture and Supply Chain Management
There is an episode of the TV show “Archer” that always crosses my mind when I think of bureaucracy. In this scene (season 12 episode 7), the character Cyril Figgis is trying to infiltrate an enemy spy agency. He tells his partner he will get them past the guard, and...
From Des Moines to Dubai: Highlights and Insights from Passwall Solutions in 2024
Allow me a moment of self-indulgence, as I review this past year. This post may also be a bit more personal than most and is a chance for reflection. 2024 was a good year for Passwall Solutions, and I’m proud of the work I have done. I am still a solopreneur, not yet...
How a Supply Chain Geek Sources a Live Christmas Tree
Because this week is Christmas and this post will publish on Christmas Eve, let’s talk about sourcing a live Christmas tree as a supply chain professional. Now, true to form, this post is coming too late to do anything about it this year, which is appropriate for the...
The Ten People You Meet in Supply Chain
In my time in supply chain, I’ve found there’s a few personalities that keep popping up. Some of them show up in every supply chain team I’ve ever been a part of. Some only show up in the larger teams, and some of these people definitely show up in non-supply chain...
The Hidden Costs of Change Orders—and How Supply Chain Can Mitigate Them
Ah, change orders. While it is often necessary to change a project (and therefore change pricing) while that project is ongoing, change orders are frustrating for everyone involved. Large change orders can cause a blame game where everyone in a company blames everyone...
Perfect Timing: Mastering RFP Open, Close, and Bid Durations
In running a Request for Proposal (RFP), timing matters. This includes when it opens, how long it lasts, and when it closes. Today we’ll talk about RFP timing, including opening, running, and closing for the best bid results. We’ll also cover sealed vs. unsealed bids...
Express Gratitude Instead of Apologizing
In this season of gratitude here in the U.S., I’m reminded of one of the best pieces of professional advice I ever received: Don’t say “I’m sorry,” say, “Thank you.” The anecdotal wisdom is that women apologize more than men, but research shows it’s a little more...
Contract Negotiation Deep Dive: Contract Exhibits
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. This series is from a supply chain practitioner’s perspective on negotiating contracts and is simply offering my perspective on common contract clauses. Seek professional legal advice for your own...
Contract Negotiation Deep Dive: Governing Law and Force Majeure
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. This series is from a supply chain practitioner’s perspective on negotiating contracts and is simply offering my perspective on common contract clauses. Seek professional legal advice for your own...
Contract Negotiation Deep Dive: Miscellany
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. This series is from a supply chain practitioner’s perspective on negotiating contracts and is simply offering my perspective on common contract clauses. Seek professional legal advice for your own...
Contract Negotiation Deep Dive: Indemnification and Termination
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. This series is from a supply chain practitioner’s perspective on negotiating contracts and is simply offering my perspective on common contract clauses. Seek professional legal advice for your own...
Contract Negotiation Deep Dive: Training and Insurance
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and cannot give legal advice. This series is from a supply chain practitioner’s perspective on negotiating contracts and is simply offering my perspective on common contract clauses. Seek professional legal advice for your own...