Supplier Relationship Management

Course Overview

Supplier Relationship Management is the process of systematically and efficiently managing suppliers in order to maximise operational and commercial performance and effectively handle risk.

An organisation’s suppliers are often its lifeblood and when suppliers are managed properly they can be a source of very significant value. Unlock the long-term benefits of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) with our comprehensive training course. The program focuses on key aspects such as cost reduction, Early Supplier Involvement (ESI), and innovative programs.

Crucial Elements: Learn about the importance of senior management support, establishing clear goals, and map-ping the supply chain for effective SRM. Supplier evaluations cover a spectrum of criteria, including financial, quali-ty, organizational, labor, and performance aspects.

Supplier Exit Strategy: Address the significance of a well-planned “Supplier Exit Strategy” for a smooth transition to a replacement source. Understand the orderly processes required for a seamless shift in supplier relationships.

Successful Customer-Supplier Relationships: Overall, the course delves into the principles of successful customer-supplier relationships within the realm of SRM. Gain insights into fostering collaboration, trust, and strategic align-ment with suppliers.

Elevate your SRM expertise and cultivate enduring partnerships that drive efficiency and innovation.

Upon completion of the Fundamentals of SRM course, the participant will:

• learn how to rationalize (optimize) their supply base which involves activities such as spend segmentation, leverage through reduction and cultivating key relationships based on the ABC approach
• understand the benefits that result from the above including reduced risk, lower TCO-Total Cost of Ownership (see Applications In Cost Modeling course), pursuit of value added activities and overall, streamlined SCM
• be able to segregate suppliers into the Transactional (tactical price-buy), Collaborative (blanket orders) or Strategic (SMI) categories
• compare and contrast the rating categories of Pre-Qualified, Approved, Certifiable, Certified, Preferred, Partnerships or unfortunately, Disqualified
• engage in Supplier Segmentation by following four progressive steps
• review the eight key ways to maintain good supplier relationships from training and education to paying on time
• be able to segregate suppliers into Basic, Operational, Business Strategic categories 
• explore how supplier innovation (with both customer-supplier inputs) can lead to good SRM
• implement Diversity programs MWBEs and/or HUBs (as noted above) as a social/community responsibility or as a customer/governmental requirement including both issues and elements
• perform Supply Chain Mapping (a visual representation) including various samples and a review of the SCOR – Supply Chain Operations Reference model
• perform detailed financial evaluations on your suppliers with a focus on the Balance Sheet, Income Statement and key ratios
• perform detailed quality evaluations on your suppliers with a focus on the suppliers own incoming quality, testing capability, SPC – Statistical Process Control, and TQM- Total Quality Management
• perform detailed overall supplier organization evaluations with a focus on top management commitment, technical competence and technical support
• perform detailed supplier labor evaluations with a focus on skill sets, training and industrial relations policies
• perform detailed overall performance evaluations with a focus on lead/cycle time reduction, delivery, capacity and productivity
• understand the importance of good housekeeping – “a place for everything and everything in its place”
• create a good Supplier Exit Strategy before the relationship begins if a divorce ensues including internal/external factors and risk

• We employ best practice interactive training techniques. 
• All of our Trainers are highly experienced practitioners who have operated successfully in the field and are with us by reputation and invitation only. We have no ‘beginners’. All of our Trainers have themselves been trained in our techniques and our style is common throughout our entire portfolio of courses.
• The technique involves classroom lecturing, highly intensive case study / role playing sessions, classroom interaction and feedback, one-to-one coaching from the Trainer, and a final examination. 

Meet your course director:

Patrick Woods, BS, CPSM, CPSD, C.P.M., CPIM

Patrick is an international training consultant and adjunct professor, specializing in Business Administration, Project Management, Management Development, Supply Chain, Logistics, Procurement and Contracts.

He brings 36 years of experience working in Senior Management positions for Fortune 100 corporations and based on his leadership of a multi-national team for Emerson Worldwide, a global technology and manufacturing company, was recognized by the CEO as the: “team of the year”.

For the past 20 years, as the Founder of Supply Chain Education, Patrick has worked with over 300 firms based in 30 countries located primarily in the USA, the Middle East, Africa and Central America. In collaboration with Missouri State University, USA, Patrick has delivered training which includes: leadership fundamentals, how to move from a tactical cost function to a strategic profit function and risk/cost management.

His delivery style is: “Edutainment” where he blends best practices with a gentle dab of humor and as a result, he has won outstanding evaluations from major manufacturing to service to government organizations, including to NGOs in warn-torn countries. He divides his time between the USA (Texas) and Central America (Costa Rica).