Is this Believable? Could You Complete Sourcing Events in 30% Less Time?
What would make you believe Is it possible to spend 30% less time on sourcing events?
A very good friend of mine, who is a defense attorney, once shared a diagram with me on the topic of belief.
He drew a large circle and said that it represented all the things about a case that were true.
In the middle was a very small pinpoint.
He said that based on his 25+ years of defense work, the pinpoint represented what every person on a jury would believe.
Even though everything else was true, at least one juror would not believe it.
We have all heard claims that didn’t ring true.
Maybe it was from a misguided sales professional.
In all my professional roles, I have been responsible for business development.
In my experience, the buyer comes to the table with a degree of skepticism.
I am sure you have heard or read the term “buyer beware”.
I understand because I share the same skepticism when I am a buyer.
So, is it possible to complete sourcing and all the tasks related to it in 30% less time?
Yes.
I don’t know if every event could be done in 30% less time.
On some events you might save 50% of the time and on others only 10%.
It depends on your current process.
If your current process requires numerous manual steps to collect and analyze bids, onboard suppliers, answer vendor questions or any other time-consuming task then you can same significant time.
Now that is something you should believe because you are experiencing the frustration of working with the shortcomings of the system every day.
What can you do to evaluate a new system?
Three popular options are:
- Demo
- Sandbox
- Pilot
All three allow you to experience the new system at a different level.
I prefer the sandbox or pilot approach because I like to press the buttons myself.
Would you buy a vehicle without doing a test drive? I wouldn’t.
If you learned about a system through a referral from a trusted source, that is another way to increase your belief.
Especially if they had a similar process before making a change.
Many sellers provide testimonials or case studies to substantiate their claims.
I like these, and I put more faith in them when I can speak to the individual who shared their success.
Let me share one more thought based on my own experience.
Important choices require a leap of faith in every situation.
Even if you are 100% convinced that what you are about to buy will help you solve a problem, there is still a degree of risk.
Deciding on the status quo can seem like the safest path but standing still for too long is rarely the way to greater success.
Ask better questions, make changes now and 2019 will be your best year ever.
Action Step: Every organization can get better. Finding and creating success is often a matter of taking the first step. If you are uncertain where to start, a procurement professional like myself can provide guidance and expertise to help your organization achieve the results you want.
If you want to explore a purchasing or procurement topic in greater detail, I invite you to request 30-minute discovery conversation. In my experience the next step will be apparent at the end of the call. I never assume that my recommendations will be right for everyone, so don’t expect a sales pitch. You can reach me at 973-936-9672.
Organizations of all sizes are reducing costs and increasing efficiency, without changing the way they conduct business. If you would like to know how, simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact information and the best time to reach you.
You Won’t Drift to Success©
Think about it.
Until Next Time, I Wish You Great Success in Your Business and in Your Life
Mike Jeffries