Alignment – Procurement’s Great Balancing Act
Globalization places great demands on the supply chain, in particular the challenge of aligning demand and supply. The requirement is to maximize product availability and supply flexibility while minimizing costs, inventory and investment levels. This is no easy task and one that relies on the development of a highly skilled, integrated and collaborative; procurement, supply [...]
Globalization Makes Procurement King!
Globalization has been the dominant economic trend for more than two decade. Not only has it fundamentally changed the world we live in, but it has changed procurement and buying too. The Globalization Of Procurement Globalization is the high-octane fuel propelling procurement to new levels. It has transformed procurement’s role, scope and importance, transforming it from [...]
The New Love Affair Between CEOs and CPOs
Few managers or departments can write their CEO a cheque for millions and promise more again next year. Procurement however is the exception. Its almost un-paralleled ability to boost the bottom line has earned it a position of influence and power. Little wonder then that procurement is the CEO’s new best friend. Strategies for Low [...]
Why Decentralized Buying Is Dead!
Why You’re Increasingly Talking To Head Office Sellers are increasingly being deferred to head office in their attempts to sell to the local plant or facility of a global corporation. That is because in most large organizations decentralized buying is dead, or at least dying. So, if you are selling at the edge of the organization, [...]
Procurement’s Best Year Yet
We are confidently predicting that 2013 will be a great year for those on the opposite side of the table – the procurement team. Indeed it may be their best year yet. That is clearly good news for buyers, but it presents opportunities for sellers too.
The New Universal Super-Buyer
Why more of your customers are conforming to a new global procurement standard. Sellers are witnessing the emergence of a new class of buyer – what we call the Universal Super Buyer. It has profound implications for how you sell. This new class of buyer is ‘universal’ because its approach to procurement rises above industry [...]
Buying Revolution Video Series, Part 4: Who Really Makes The Buying Decision
Who Really Makes Buying Decisions At one time a question, such as ‘who makes the buying decision?’ was easy to answer. But this is no longer the case. Sellers almost need a map of organizational buying to reflect all those who make and shape the buying decision. This video shows the locus of control in [...]
Buying Revolution Video Series, Part 3: Why Buying Decisions Are Really Made
How Buying Decisions Are Really Made As salespeople we can often find buyers and their behavior very confusing. Just why do buyers do what they do? Getting inside the head of the buyer can be a real challenge. For one they are increasingly playing their cards close to their chest. However, as this video shows, [...]
Buying Revolution Video Series, Part 2: How Buying Decisions Are Really Made
How Buying Decisions Are Really Made? Organizational buying, once ad hoc and unstructured, has become highly sophisticated and process-driven. Although salespeople have noticed some changes, they often underestimate just how sophisticated buying has now become. That means they are prone to over-estimating what deals will close and when. What Is In This Video? In this [...]
Buying Revolution Video Series, Part 1: Welcome To The Revolution
As a salesperson, or sales manager, getting to grips with these new realities of modern buying is one of the most important things you can do this year.
Helping The Buyer To Go Faster
Understandably accelerating the sale is an obsession for sellers at this time. However, as every professional salesperson knows when buyers are pushed, they push backtwice as hard. One thing is increasingly clear – buyers won’t be rushed into a decision, especially not the wrong decision. A sales cycle that is progressing slowly needs more interaction not [...]
Welcome To Buyer Heaven
‘Buyers are in heaven right now’ proclaimed the country sales manager for one of the top 5 global IT vendors recently. But if buyers are in heaven, what does that mean for sellers?
Why Saying Buying Has Changed Is An Understatement
Buying has changed, that is little doubt about that. As salespeople we have witnessed first hand the changes and many of them have hurt us in the pocket. But add up all the changes and it amounts to something revolutionary. How Much Has Buying Changed? We all know that buying decisions are taking longer, that buyer [...]
Buyers Confront New Market Realities
A long period of buoyant growth ended suddenly in 2008, resulting in a fundamental shake up of industries and economies worldwide.Thus it was that a golden age of corporate growth, confidence and ambition gave way to a period of retrenchment and uncertainty. Almost universally, organizational priorities have changed from growing sales to cutting costs. No where can the effects of this [...]
Selling Higher – Are You Ready to Climb?
The fact that decisions are being made at a higher level requires a totally different approach to selling. It can present many challenges for the salesperson, including access. Indeed, our experience of dozens of United Kingdom sales campaigns suggests it is 50% more difficult to access C level (CEO, CFO, or CTO) executives in major [...]
Introducing The Self-Contained Buyer!
(a) Buyers Are ‘Doing It For Themselves!’ Buyers are increasingly self-contained. They like to be in control and to stay in control. That means they start to elicit the requirements, build the business case and define the solution well in advance of meeting vendors. Buyers know that they have the power in a market where [...]
The Age of The Skeptical Buyer Has Dawned
(a) ‘Sales Weary’ Buyers Buyers are more skeptical of vendor sales; people, processes and promises than ever before. They don’t trust easily, or forget quickly- and with good reason. Buyers are increasingly ‘sales-weary’, so sellers take great care! (b) The Sins of Past Sales People Here is a simple reality that we as sellers need [...]
Buying Gets Strategic!
Welcome to the new strategic buying! Purchasing has been elevated from an administrative function to a strategic business driver and this has important implications for sellers. (a) The Strategy Behind The Purchase Managers are required to demonstrate how projects and purchases fit with strategic priorities and drive business performance. That is because major purchase decisions [...]
The Business Case Is King!
One of the key trends of concern to sellers is the rise in importance of the business case in the making of important buying decisions. The reality is that the business case is King and that means sellers must bow before it. (a) Putting the Business Decision First Major purchase decisions are first and foremost [...]
