Dashboards – Exit Procurement Chaos and Enter Strategic Management

I often hear from CPOs that their staff is in chaos and struggling to meet daily challenges. Strategic management is only a dream.

Feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated seems to be the norm in procurement.

What if you could see the status of every project on your personal dashboard?

What if you could instantly answer the “where is my project?” question? Do you think that other executives would wonder how you do that?

You may be thinking that this is a dream scenario – let me assure you that it isn’t.

Workflow tools are available that will pull information from any system in real time.

These tools can automate virtually any manual process and the valuable information that is not available currently.

Here is a short list of basic goals for your consideration:

  • Ability to see all events and projects in real time
  • Automated reminders and alerts customized to your needs
  • Bottleneck and impending deadline reporting
  • Grow your knowledgebase of best practices and best performers
  • One repository for communication (this is my favorite)

Features that will boost productivity:

  • Flexible organization of your dashboard that can be copied by others as a template
  • Unlimited tags for tracking and reporting
  • Every user and collaborator can set up reminders and alerts customized to their needs
  • Team members can be notified to update status – let’s call it a gentle nudge – this is important to keep the data current for all
  • Project status should be customized to fit your personal style – the ability to create graphs or timelines or charts is a big deal and you shouldn’t have to compromise on this
  • The tool should be easy to set up for power and casual users – training should be flexible and on demand
  • Integration and information sharing with existing systems and tools is a must even if some of the systems are ancient
  • Automatic updating across all devices, platforms and apps is another must have
  • Mobile access and approval are critical to keep things moving
  • All communication is maintained within the tool to ensure integrity and audit trail

I have another dozen features on my list but the ones I have shared should be a good place to start.

Expect the naysayers to object that:

  • This will be another system to update – this is simply not true – every project is being updated and reported on in some way now – just not in the most efficient way
  • Most people dislike change especially if “it works” – working and working well are very different
  • No time to learn another tool – the efficiencies will save so much time that the initial investment will be a “no brainer”
  • Some people may be worried that they can no longer hide behind a manual process – I think you know what my thoughts would be on that

You may be thinking that it will cost seven figures to get started. It will if you hire a mega company to do this.

If you receive a proposal with a huge price tag, we should chat – this is a lot easier than some mega companies want you to believe.

In my experience you will be much better served to work with a nimble tool that doesn’t require months to be customized to your needs. You should be able to configure it right out of the box.

Learn how you can make this a reality for your team.

Imagine how much happier everyone will be without that feeling of always being overwhelmed.

Start now and by January you will be focused on strategically managing your procurement and supply chain initiatives.

If you and your team are ready to move forward, reach out to me. In most cases, I can determine if I can help you in 30 minutes. At that point we can decide if further discussions are appropriate.

Whether they are or aren’t it will be an efficient use of your time.

Ask better questions, make changes and 2019 will be your best year ever.

Action Step: If you are uncertain where to start the process of change, a procurement professional like myself can provide guidance and expertise to help your organization achieve the results you want.

If you want to go explore this topic in greater detail, please contact me. 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 what I have to offer will be right for everyone, so don’t expect a sales pitch. You can reach me at 973-936-9672.

If you would like to know more ways to reduce costs without changing the way you do business, 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©

Commit to taking the next step.

Until Next Time, I Wish You Great Success in Your Business and in Your Life

Mike Jeffries