Suppliers and Contractors - How to Get the Best from Local Providers

Course review:

As organisations contract out more of their activities they become more reliant on their "external resources" - the suppliers and contractors.

In the eyes of the public these outsourced activities are none-the-less the company's activities. Contracts must be designed to ensure that the contractor not only delivers the product or service but in doing so achieves company's goals of Customer Satisfaction, Local Content, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility and HSE Management.

If the contractor is under-performing then the company is also seen to be
under-performing. This is particularly relevant with long term service contracts and for projects that are of an ongoing repetitive nature. Continually changing contractor in search of improvement is not the answer.

It is therefore paramount that suppliers and contractors are developed to the required standard to enable them to deliver the expected results within a long-term relationship. At the least front-line staff must play a vital role in this development process. At the best they can champion it and drive it forward.

The course is intended for both management and front-line staff with responsibility for interfacing with contractors and suppliers. It goes beyond the normal 'Supplier Selection' procedures and techniques by equipping participants to employ a process of persuasion through identification of mutual benefits, providing them with:

• tools and techniques to be able to select suitable suppliers.
• a process to identify key areas of importance in the performance of the contract.
• a systematic approach to developing contractor capability.
• methodology for measuring improvements in contractor performance.
• an understanding of the contractor's point of view.
• persuasion methods to get contractors to improve.
• ability to develop relationships within a professional context.
• practical change management tools.