Can purchasing professionals keep up the multitasking?
Whoever said the more things change, the more they stay the same probably wasn’t a purchasing professional. With so much change, it seems the core part our job is disappearing.In the old days, you, the buyer, got to the office, sat down at your desk and you started ordering “stuff.” You got right into the buying process. In those days, you typed the purchase orders, making four copies. This is how you processed it through the system from receiving to paying the supplier. You mailed the purchase orders through the U.S. Postal Service and you only called in rush orders. If you ran short of inventory, you picked up the phone and expedited the purchase order. The suppliers’ carrier just rolled up to the dock and unloaded the stock.
Certainly, many aspects of our daily work have changed, but one of the biggest changes that impacts our time is the number of reports we have today. We have a top 25% item report, an expedite report, a smoothing report, an aged report, a non-stock report and this is not naming them all. These are to be worked daily. It seems that the actual buying is becoming a secondary factor to tracking all of this information.
Don’t get me wrong, the data in these reports can be very useful, but if you spend all your time collecting data, there’s no time to review it. So, how do you prioritize the job functions of a buyer? When you come in each day, how do you decide what to do first? Are you finding it more challenging to juggle the tasks? I’d love to hear from others on this.
George, Bucks County. Pa commented:
If you did away with 75% of your activity and were able to increase control over that 75%, would you do it? Would acquiring 75% more time make your job more efficient....Make your company more profitable? Would it minimize ,"I need it tomorrow"? The solution lies in assigning low value activity to those with core expertise which allows you to attend to and solve the high value issues you face.
Jeff commented:
Juggling who us? We all could be working for Ringling Brothers or the fire department.
We have so many balls in the air or fires we are putting out its ridiculous. We are surround by individuals that have no concept of time, the effort involved, or the cost involved in getting product in and out the door. “I need it tomorrow!” does that sound familiar? It should it’s ringing in our ears daily.
How do you decide? Well for me it comes down to experience. If you are not involved and somewhat versed in all aspects of your company then it is going to be a struggle beyond the norm. When projects go awry and they will, we are the safety net. Staying cool, asking questions and knowing the ins and outs is how I know which fire to put out first. Do I miss a few of course who doesn’t but minimizing the damage/exposure is what it is all about now.
If you have the opportunity to mentor someone (as I am doing now) it really seems to help in my decision making process. I’m being asked the same questions I asked 10, 15, 20 years ago that forces me to stop, think and explain what the best course of action is.
Jeff
DFB, FL
