This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at SRM: nuevas metas en la relación con proveedores

SRM: New put in the relation with providers

Pilar Cuesta, manager of BravoSolution

28/03/2014

A program of SRM (Supply Relationship Management), understanding like such the promotion of the relation with the strategic providers with the end to generate value for both companies, involves always a change of philosophy of the company, by what always will be necessary to communicate, form and mentalizar to the team. Although it is true that to guarantee the success of the SRM is convenient that the department of shopping have the backrest of the steering and the respect of the rest of units of business. Besides, it is fundamental to know in depth the map of providers of the company, the market of supplies and the peculiarities of our business, as well as support us in technological tools.

Strategic advantages

The fact to have implanted a SRM with the strategic providers has like end last turn into the best customer of each one of our providers, with all what this comports: greater commitment and dedication in front of the competition and, in a lot of cases, exclusivity. Therefore, if we ensure us that we are working with the best providers of each product or service, have a clear competitive advantage with regard to our competitors.

Pilar Cuesta, manager of BravoSolution.

A program of SRM requires of a lot of effort by part of the organisation, by what before initiating any program will have to be safe that the provider will fulfil with all our expectations. For this, will have to have the majority of the following characteristic, without forgetting some that they are intrinsic of each activity: it has to be a strategic provider for our business, be ranged with the values and principles of our company, have the capacity to supply what request in time and with the quality required fulfilling all our specifications, have a human team and technician that do viable the relation that wish and, of course, be interested in establishing durable relations, transparent and opened with us.

The risks of the SRM

The main risk that assumes when establishing a SRM with a provider is the dependency of him that the new situation can originate. Another risk that exists is the possibility to lose visibility about the novelties of the sector in the market, being able to not taking advantage of opportunities of improvement and/or commercial opportunities.

Integration of the equipment of customer and provider

The human equipment and technicians of customer and provider have to be perfectly integrated . From the human point of view, guesses fundamental for the success of the SRM the interlocución continuous of both equipment, defining to the start of the relation a plan of meetings of follow-up, of detection of risks, evaluation of the exert, definition of new aims and expectations, solve possible conflicts, comment market trends… in addition to the interlocución daily for the management of the service.

From the technical point of view, is very necessary that both systems are integrated with the end that customer and provider are continuously connected. Nowadays, they exist a lot of tools of SRM that are ‘in the cloud', by what the necessary integration is invalid or minimum, what speeds up, definitely, the set up of this type of programs.

With this achieves a climate of beneficial and durable confidence for both parts, and endows to the process of visibility, transparency, trazabilidad and efficiency.

Participation of other departments in SRM

Although the program of SRM was led by the department of shopping, is very important for the success of the same involve to all the departments that save some relation with the provider, with the end to know which appearances are notable from all the points of view and like this take them into account in the program.

Some examples are: the department of quality has to fix the standards of quality to demand and control his fulfillment, the juridical department has to look after fix the contractual conditions that will regulate the service, the financial department will control the turnover and payment to the provider, the department of operations has to work to ensure the supply, fulfillment of terms…

Is clear that the relation with our providers is fundamental for the development of our business and the success like company, by what what more invest in her from the human and technological point of view, more fruitful will be the relation and greater value will contribute to our company.