Eye for Details
Missing notes makes any rocker sound bad. Keep an eye on details such as pricing,
terms, freight, and the fine print in contact agreements. Although pricing is always top of mind, paying
attention to quality of your buys is critical.
Saving a few pennies isn’t always worth products falling apart, not
servicing a patient well, or the complaints that will later roll back to your
desk.
Negotiate
Get the best gig. Strong negotiation skills go a
long way to securing the best deals.
Remember negotiation includes details beyond pricing. Securing
beneficial terms and conditions often go further than a price decrease. Remember to think about payment terms such as
discounts for early payment or including freight on your POs. These can add up to big wins for the bottom
line.
Create Efficient Reports
Have the right sheet music. Setting up systems for
reordering, alerts for low items, price discrepancies, and freight changes will
make your work day flow like practiced orchestra. Work with your IT department and
administrators to create automated reports that run on demand or generate
automatically. Having the right data at
the right time will help you work efficiently and effectively.
Build Relationships
Create your fan base. Setting phone calls with your vendors allows
you to stand out from the crowd in the world of email and voicemail tag. Try using humor and knowing a bit about your
vendors’ personal lives and interests.
Asking how Johnny did in his last ballgame or the discussing the latest
reality show your vendor can’t live without can lead to bonding moments. These stronger relationships will drive more
successful negotiations and longer term agreements allowing you to work smarter
not harder.
Team Player
Don’t always perform the guitar solo. Find ways to help your co-workers and vendors. Avoid the big ego and my way or the highway approach. Inevitably situations will arise and favors will need to be called upon. Being able to work together as a team will get fires put out and make solutions a win-win for all parties.
To stay a relevant rock star one must keep
evolving. Invest in continuing education, read trade publications and incorporate
some of these tips in your daily processes.
You can be a Rock Star Buyer that keeps climbing the charts!
