Purchasing

Mary Walker

Purchasing Professionals as Salespeople
September 5, 2007

Tom Keenan wrote in his 2006 article in Purchasing called Purchasing professionals as salespeople that much of what makes a successful purchasing manager is the same as what makes a successful salesman. Negotiation, persuasion, collaboration and analytical skills are among the most important skills shared by both the salesman and the purchasing manager. For purchasing, those skills can be used to gain support from people who control resources both inside your company and at your suppliers.

For years I have been trying to get the companies I have worked for to support the Institute for Supply Management’s certification program, an excellent training ground for purchasing.

Purchasing is becoming an increasingly important function in most businesses. A visible purchasing manager and more importantly a visible department is the first step to collaboration with other functions of the business. We want to be included and recognized in the group.

I think the top level managers in purchasing probably possess the skills of negotiation, persuasion, collaboration and analytical skills; however I think the position is changing more to a required analytical skill. Purchasing is getting turned in to an inventory control function. Analytical skills and computer skills are a must. The cry from buyers these days is tell us our priorities. We can’t do it all. There is a report for everything. Back to my theory, “Reports are great however if you don’t have time to work them, they are useless.”   Purchasing departments are moving up in the responsibilities of the buyers, in which case, more time is needed to perform effectively. Companies need to reevaluate job responsibilities as to the time required for these new responsibilities.

Purchasing managers should work with Human Resources; work out a plan for training and continuing education for the buyers. They are becoming known as the bean counters instead of the accountants. With their position, their skills in negotiation and persuasion, they are the ones that can make a difference in the employees that work for them.

Posted by Mary Walker on September 5, 2007 | Comments (0)