ISM membership for sales: What's in it for you?
As many people may have heard, the Institute for Supply Management is voting to allow salespeople into the organization. I ask the question to the salespeople that want to join our organization, what’s in it for you?In our local ISM-Dallas affiliate, we continue to strive to find ways to show benefits to people in the purchasing profession as to why they should belong to the local affiliate. We offer monthly dinner meetings that typically feature a speaker that talks about the ins and outs of procurement. We push our certifications programs and study groups to our members which require a supply management background.
I always felt that sales had a benefit over procurement. They are the ones that walk around, Blackberries in hand, having sales meetings at hotels or resorts and have the opportunities for various training programs with different suppliers. Don’t forget they also have an expense account. Some of us in procurement do not have all of these benefits.
I think I speak for a core group of ISM members, when I say we are concerned with salespeople joining us at our meetings. Has the sales force made any requests to gain membership? As members of ISM, what do they expect to gain?
As always, I’d welcome your thoughts.
GB commented:
I would love to see the ISM Board's SWOT analysis....:)
mare commented:
As of Oct. 1, 2009, ISM had a membership of 33,823 members. How many do you think will actually vote on the entrance of salespeople
into ISM?
Andrew commented:
Hi Mary! /wave
The only concerns I have are based on worse case scenarios. As a Buyer for umpteen years, one learns to navigate Sales people with both affection and aversion. It is a delicate dance we do - regardless of the industry we work in.
I would be more interested in understanding what brought this decision to light. Kind of the motivation of this action and why now, why sales folks.
Like others - I have friends in Sales and I do enjoy my relationships with my Suppliers, but at the end of the day, I have a few fears as to the objectivity.
A great example: What if a fellow member of ISM is a Sales person of a local firm I have just included in my RFP? What if they sit next to me at a monthly dinner? Would that appear to be objectionable to the other firms if they could not do the same?
I know those are "what ifs" and may not even happen, but it does bring up possibilities that would not have had a chance of happening in the past.
sandie commented:
Agree with Larry, "If sales people are allowed to join ISM I will not renew my membership!".
Have been in "mixed" group situation before and did not feel free to exchange ideas and ask questions of my supply chain colleagues! (The very reason I joined.) Example: joined Linked-in several months ago. Immediately got sales and "consultants" pouncing like vultures!
Larry commented:
If sales people are allowed to join ISM I will not renew my membership! There has to be a line and the organization must find a way to be more relevant and not just "survive" by adding members for membership sake alone.
sandra commented:
I think that it is a HUGE mistake to let sales people in. I can just see them 'networking' to find leads. This is like mixing apple and oranges and not the place for it. I guess ISM is desperate for membership. I have nothing against sales people, my boyfriend is one [not in my industry]. And yes, they seem to get all the perks and we hardly ever do. I say NO.
Stan commented:
Only knowledge.
