Supplier Positioning

Your supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link.  The most vulnerable points in complex global supply chains are the links with suppliers and vendors.  Identifying and strengthening those links is critical to protecting your credibility and reputation – particularly in the oil and gas business.

A properly conducted audit is the only way to ensure that your suppliers are complying with the standards you agreed when you chose them.  There’s a lot to consider: engineering processes, shipping, invoicing procedures and quality controls.

Over 50% of companies may be failing to follow best practice in auditing their suppliers.  That means an increased risk of the unexpected happening – with potentially serious results.

This course provides you with the skills you need to audit and manage your suppliers and vendors effectively.  After attending, you will be well equipped to build a robust management platform from which to continuously improve your supplier partnerships.

Course Objectives

By the end of the program participants will be able to:

• Use auditing tools and techniques to uncover weak links in the supply chain
• Apply best practice supplier/vendor auditing strategies internationally
• Undertake objective supplier/vendor audits and reporting
• Develop effective supplier/vendor compliance and improvement initiatives
• Engage effectively with stakeholders, both internal and external
• Translate auditing activities into tangible organizational benefits

Who Should Attend?

We have designed this course for supply chain and procurement officers, audit managers and key account managers in supplier businesses.

It will be of particular benefit to any manager who can influence processes and procedures in the supply chain, who needs to improve their skills in managing vendors and suppliers, or who wishes to improve their understanding of supply chain management.

It will also be of interest to any manager about to be promoted to any of these roles, and to graduates on fast-track development routes

Course Outline

Product and Service Knowledge

• The need for product and service knowledge
• Fact as opposed to opinion
• Product and service knowledge has to be fluent
• Sources of information and comparing products and services
• The tactful use of knowledge

Competitive Analysis
Information about market share

• Organization for customer services
• Reviewing mission statements and operations
• Analyze marketing campaigns

Perceptual Mapping and Positioning

• Perceptual Mapping
• Determine the hidden competitors
• Competition for scarce resources
• Seek out competitive advantages and identify possible opportunities
• Establish Unique Selling Points (USP)
• Positioning
• Choose the place your product will occupy in the customer’s mind
• The SWOT analysis
• The PESTEL analysis

Practical Supplier & Vendor Auditing

• The External Environment
• Systems and Supply Chain Risks
• The Nature of Risk in Supply Chains
• The Risk Management Cycle
• Risk Identification
• Segmentation Tools
• Procurement Targeting
• Stakeholder Management
• Audit Systems and Processes
• Supplier Management  - auditing
• Translating Audit Findings to Business Improvements
•  Procurement Risk Register

Course Methodology

A variety of methodologies will be used during the course that includes:

• (30%) Based on Case Studies
• (30%) Techniques
• (30%) Role Play
• (10%) Concepts
• Pre-test and Post-test
• Variety of Learning Methods
• Lectures
• Case Studies and Self Questionaires
• Group Work
• Discussion
• Presentation

Course Fees

This rate includes participant’s manual, Hand-Outs, buffet lunch, coffee/tea on arrival, morning & afternoon of each day.

Course Timings

Daily Course Timings
08:00 - 08:20 Morning Coffee / Tea
08:20 - 10:00 First Session
10:00 - 10:20 Coffee / Tea / Snacks
10:20 - 12:20 Second Session
12:20 - 13:30 Lunch Break & Prayer Break
13:30 - 15:00 Last Session