I recently wrote an entry titled When Should Purchasing Get Involved which was about how often in the Sourcing process Buyers should be called in to assist.
Once again, the answer is much sooner rather than later. Vendors are the experts in their areas and we should utilize their expertise as such.
We don't expect them to be proficient in our core competencies so why do we think we can be proficient in theirs? Many vendors I've worked with over the years in different size companies offered free consulting in areas as varied as paper/document management, shipping services/supplies, and print services as part of our overall vendor relationship. In these cases, the consultants were just that, knowledgeable people hired by vendors to help their clients, not merely salespeople trying to get more dollars out of the Procurement Department.
Find out what vendor consultants you have at your disposal and product planning will be much easier.
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