Dr. Tony Vercillo

There’s an old supply-chain saying that goes, ‘A vendor gives you the best ‘deal,’ while a strategic partner gives you the highest quality at the lowest cost.’ This adage sets the stage for this article on Strategic Supplier Relationships (‘SSR’) also known as Supplier Relationship Management (‘SRM’).

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SSR is defined as a comprehensive approach to managing the interactions and communications between an enterprise and its suppliers. The goal of SSR is to effectively streamline and make more efficient the communication and interaction between an enterprise and its suppliers. This is accomplished through increased process efficiency related to the acquiring of goods and services, the managing of inventory, purchase order processing, and the management of materials. The benefits of SSR are lower costs, less administrative burden, increased productivity, and a more integrated supply-chain.

With margins within the food industry being squeezed, it is ever so important to manage COGS (cost of goods sold) aggressively, thereby increasing profitability. The objective of this article is to shed some light on how SSR might reduce costs and administrative burden, while increasing margins. There are well published examples of companies using SSR to enhance the strategic relationship between buyers and suppliers. In essence, SSR can be accomplished by following these rules of engagement:

1. Carefully evaluate and choose strategic suppliers. When choosing a strategic partner, be sure to take a close look at their business, including such things as:

- Financial stability (D&B)
- Client references
- Proximity to your network
- Management depth
- Years in business
- Use of technology (EDI)
- Cultural fit

2. Develop a clear set of expectations. Before signing an agreement with a supplier, be sure there are clear rules and expectations, including specific tasks you demand them to accomplish. There must be clear roles and nothing must be left to interpretation in terms of responsibilities.

3. Define goals and performance targets. Specific key performance indicators (KPI’s) must be developed and tracked to compare suppliers and keep them on track. KPI’s such as on-time delivery, expected lead time, freight terms, etc. must be included in a quarterly report-card for each supplier. When setting targets for performance, use the SMART method for developing goals. Each goal must be:

Specific,
Measurable,
Attainable,
Realistic, and
Timely

4. Monitor and rank supplier performance. It's always a good idea to use a scorecard to monitor supplier performance. Additionally, ranking suppliers from best to worst and sharing this data will go a long way to improve performance (nobody wants to be at the bottom of the report).

5. Conduct annual reviews for continuous improvement. Finally, be sure to meet with your suppliers to solicit ideas on how to improve productivity, reduce administrative burden, increase the use of technology, and lower costs.

Conclusion

A comprehensive strategic supplier management program will result in a significant reduction in administrative burden, lower cost of goods, and ultimately, improved profitability. The first step is to establish the baseline of existing suppliers in terms of volumes, frequency, and costs. Next, develop a clear set of expectations, goals, and key performance indicators to monitor quarterly. Finally, be sure to meet with your strategic partners frequently to pick their brains about ways to improve productivity or reduce costs. Additionally, be sure you spend some time teaching your suppliers about the culture at your company and the strategic plans for growth. When taken seriously, the steps outlined in this article will not only improve supplier relationships and lower costs, but will also have a positive impact on profitability. So, remember, vendors are things of the past; strategic partners are what make a difference!