(Outsourcing) How to multitask with multiple suppliers... -
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Published on: 8/8/2004
Last Visited: 8/8/2004
Evans: Most OEMs who are looking to outsource do not ask their potentialsuppliers the right questions.
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And this, says Bill Evans, founder of Bridge Design (San Francisco), is not the time to learn the ins and outs of outsourcing with multiple suppliers.
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The supplier selection process, if done correctly, requires more time and effort than most OEMs invest, according to Evans."People in industry are, on the whole, not very prudent buyers of services," he says.Many project managers get outsource referrals from "their friend Joe on the golf course," but don't ask the right questions about the company.Evans suggests that instead of asking, "Who is the right partner or vendor?"
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Evans says that what a project manager needs from suppliers is "accurate data from which to act, not people agreeing with him."The time to gather these data, stresses Evans, is before promising the CEO or investors that something can be delivered by a certain date.
Make sure to allow time in your schedule to get all your vendors working together.A good collaboration isn't a given, even if each individual vendors or suppliers can do their piece of the job well."People underestimate the amount of time [that is needed] to integrate multiple vendors into a project," says Evans.
During schedule planning at BodyMedia, heads of internal departments-such as the hardware development group-are all present.
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"Cc-mentality oftentimes means that nobody ever reads anything," says Evans.He recommends stating your purpose in the first sentence of any e-mail you send and specifying what actions you want each recipient to take or what information each recipient will receive.Evans considers project Web sites an ideal way for suppliers and OEMs in diverse locations to stay in touch.They are secure and always accessible, allowing everyone involved to log files and progress, or access downloads.
Invest in Supplier Relationships
Sometimes your ability to keep projects on schedule is directly connected to your relationship with the suppliers involved.Still, OEMs often underestimate the importance of the interpersonal aspects of their relationships with suppliers and vendors, says Evans."We routinely go the extra mile for clients with whom we have a good personal-professional relationship," he says.
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As the architect of the project, float potential boundaries with all parties you are considering working with, and do some risk management up front, Evans suggests.Ask supplier candidates about potential problems that they see with the project, and how they might manage them.If they don't believe the boundaries are set as they should be, ask for advice."Good people, if they see a potential problem, will make practical suggestions," Evans says.
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And if your partners have worked with each other on projects before, then things will go even more smoothly, Evans says.
Manage Crises
When things don't go smoothly, you'll come to a solution more quickly if you create a blame-free environment for your suppliers.This will encourage innovation and potential solutions."You want people to open up sooner with ideas, rather than later," Evans says.And, if a multiple-supplier project has fallen behind schedule, don't assume you can fix things by just adding more suppliers."It takes one woman nine months to have a baby.Nine women can't have a baby in a month," Evans says.
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