Supply Leaders Academy

7 Habits of High Functioning Procurement Professionals

30.05.17 04:54 AM By Randall Mauldin
sla-logo-2015030smallpng2A great procurement professional should purchase goods and services with the best possible combination of service, quality, and price. High functioning procurement professionals possess habits that are undeniably great. You probably want to be at the top of your field since you are reading this article. You are doing the right thing! This article will help you achieve your dreams of becoming a top procurement professional. 7 habits of high functioning peopleBe a Team Player A procurement professional should be a good steward that is willing to address the day-to-day needs of the group. Teamwork means working with the other departments in your company, especially in handling accounts payable. Keep the Big Picture in Mind Be a big picture guy! Don’t just focus on your company needs, but also try to visualize what is going on with other companies, the needs of the global market, and so on. Invest in analytics and global solutions to stay competitive and perform better in the long run. Understand Customer Needs A great procurement professional should identify the needs of his/her customers. You can do this by constantly getting in touch with them such as conducting surveys and getting testimonies from them. This is also the reason why a company needs to have a customer support.  Create Fiscally Responsible Decisions Being fiscally responsible isn’t just about sticking with a budget, but about gaining insights and finding value with appropriate analytics tools. Embrace Modernization and Technology Always look forward and embrace technology. You can always track your stocks and inventory with today’s technology. Maintain Good Supplier Relationship As procurement professional, you need to scrutinize every contract and negotiate the prices without offending your supplier. You have to be courteous and fair at all times. Establishing a good supplier relationship with your supplier would enable you to leverage good prices. Develop Good Negotiation Skills You have to develop your communication and negotiation skills from time to time to convince your supplier to give you the best prices.