7 Tips to Boost Productivity in Procurement

The business world in the 21st century is seeing new changes every day. From a simple barter system since 6000 BC to advanced trading via e-commerce in 2022, almost everything has changed except the basic principles of the profession. Companies now look forward to expanding their businesses across national borders, and many organizations have become successful globally. While these companies have a great marketing strategy and a good line-up of products, the material they use also plays a significant role in building their image.

All the companies, which have made it big, have something in common. They have a great procurement team. Procurement is a process in which a business spends a specific amount to achieve the goods and services necessary for its functioning. This process is fundamental since its revenue and profits are directly affected. Having a set target in mind and an excellent team to procure the needed goods is as important as marketing the company's products and services.

The procurement of goods may seem easy, but several factors play a crucial role in deciding the quality of services the organization advertises. Most of these depend on the supplied products, and hence, quality inspection is a must. Some of the factors to pay heed to while checking the product's worth are:

● Quality conformance: The quality of the item must match the given standards of the customer company.

● Proper storage of the item: Items must be packaged and stored correctly.

● Quality of the design: The design must be up-to-date and conform to the trendy market demands.

● Safety of the product: The product must be safe to use, and the supplier must set an age seal.

● Reliability: The supplier must set a reasonable and realistic reliability period for any given product.

These factors are tedious to check for, and a team dedicated entirely to this task is essential in any company. The team management can profit from the suggestions given below. There are 7 crucial tips to pay heed to, and they can help boost productivity in procurement. The team management can integrate the same in their guidelines to ensure outstanding performance on the team’s behalf. Read on to find out more!

1) Centralize the information about the topic and think carefully before purchasing.

This is one of the foremost things to be done. If the information is scattered all over the place, a business might find itself going into loss due to its high procurement cost. Centralizing the available information, such as the vendor's payment information and inventory details, can help cut down on sloppiness and increase the effectiveness of the procurement process.

Every efficient procurement team pays heed to the companies needs and targets before finalizing the list and gathers more information if any is missing.

2) Standard procurement policy is a must.

Creating a different procurement process every time the inventory needs to be stocked is tedious and sloppy. If every purchase is handled according to the company's given standard procurement policy, the margin of error is significantly reduced, and this helps bring consistency. Quality of the company's services is also maintained if this factor is paid heed to.

 The company's standard purchasing policy may contain the following elements:

● A needs analysis and objectives of the purchasing policy - The procurement team has to identify the company's demands and rate the importance of the needed tools to establish a concrete list to give to the supplier.

● Purchasing role of the company - This step is vital to involve the company's stakeholders in goods procurement.

● External stakeholders' engagement is essential as well - The policy developed for the external stakeholders helps decide how the suppliers will engage with the company.

● Vendor setup and completing the onboarding process - Introducing the company's policies to the supplier plays a significant role in deciding the quality of services catered by them.

● Authority levels in purchasing and contract signing - The assigned team member or the leader should complete all the legal formalities within a given time frame.

● Acceptance norms must be clearly stated - The quality of the product must be up to par and as mentioned in the contract.

● Invoice generation - Invoices must be generated for every major dealing by the company.

● Competitive bidding will be held - Suppliers will be given a fair chance to compete for the deal they want to acquire.

● Conflict of interest must be resolved at the earliest. In case of any argument that arises between the two parties, it must be solved amicably while considering the interests of both parties.

● Supplier diversity must be paid heed to - For consistent record retention, it's essential for the company to diversify their outlook and inform their procurement agents of the same.

3) Identifying the best supplier relationships and cutting off the inefficient processes. 

Establishing clear communication and trust with the vendors helps speed up the goods procurement process. The procurement team must be clear while stating its demands and needs and evaluating them after every delivery. When the team ensures good performance from the suppliers and assures them of consistent transactions, it helps build an effective atmosphere for frictionless goods.

If any bottlenecks are encountered, straightforward negotiations help. Request for Proposal (RFPs) help avoid any confusion during the transactions, and the suppliers are satisfied with the same. Any other inefficient processes must be identified at once, and realistic solutions to adjust or eliminate them must be sought.

4) Investing in strategic sourcing and an effective feedback system.

Getting the company's needs across clearly can be challenging. This is where the process of strategic sourcing jumps in. The suppliers must understand the demands legibly to bid for the project. Potential vendors must have all the necessary information, and the submitted bids can then be compared to a set standard. Standardizing the bidding process can help establish trust by being entirely transparent with the providers.

Feedback from the procurement team or other stakeholders on a completed transaction can help pinpoint deficiencies within the system. Changes in the standard procurement policy can also be made if feedback hints at some form of betterment. Feedback can be verbal or written, and it should be taken care of by the management, which overlooks quality integration.

5) Assessment of key performance indicators is essential.

KPIs help measure how well the company is doing and where it is lacking. It's abstractly calculated and the more time the organization takes to achieve its target, the more it is inadequately equipped. While the metrics may change over time, the company must strive towards betterment. The procurement process is more or less affected by the analysis of these indicators. 

If the indicators point towards a negative growth chart, the authorities must pinpoint the issues related to the goods obtained, services rendered, or the company's marketing strategies. If there's positive growth, maintenance and improvisation strategies must be designed to produce the given results consistently. 

6) Effective negotiating is the first step to establishing a good business relationship.

Negotiations gone south can adversely affect the company's image. To avoid the same, the procurement team must develop a good negotiation plan. Some of the skills needed for effective negotiation are:

● Agreement - An amicable verbal agreement between the two parties.

● Skills - Research some excellent negotiation skills before meeting with the other party.

● Communication - Clear communication helps get the company policy across to prospective suppliers.

● Contract - Draft a legal contract that clearly states the roles of both parties.

● Collaboration - Look forward to diverse collaborations in the field and following all the above-mentioned steps.

● Goal - Achieve targets after following all the steps and clearly stating the policies beforehand. 

7) Research and invest in a suitable supply chain to avoid huge losses. 

Procurement teams have this as their primary job. Optimizing the workflow and adequately involving all the concerned parties is one of their essential tasks. For every project, the management must decide where to invest the most and research how they can maximize their profits.

Since a company deals with many projects simultaneously, ensuring efficiency and smooth functioning of the supply chain is of utmost priority. The workload must be distributed clearly, and tasks with realistic deadlines must be assigned. When appropriate tools and skills are onboard, there is a boost in the company's performance in the sector. This also helps minimize losses faced and is, thus, an important tip related to the procurement of goods.  

These are 7 of the most important tips to pay heed to when formulating a good procurement plan. A diligent team is needed to ensure that the suppliers meet the standard guidelines and diversify the company's vendor list.

Since business has become part and parcel of different sectors, it's crucial to identify the unique factors that affect the procurement process in different fields. In the fashion field, Fashinza is one of the companies that help connect the suppliers to their prospective customers. By bringing about collaborations between big fashion brands and experienced manufacturers, Fashinza guarantees great products and a smooth fashion experience for every party involved. Want to know more? Click the link mentioned below and enter the world of "fashionable administration"!