Future of Work Exchange: seek to collaborate, not control, during procurement process.

When it comes to services procurement, the reality is that managers and procurement teams often come to the table with different goals already in mind. The key is to meet somewhere in the middle with flexibility and value creation as the ground rules. 

“It is critically important that you [procurement] are regarded as a champion for effective and not outdated buying practices,” writes Paul Vincent, global head of Services Procurement at Randstad Sourceright. Vincent has been on both sides of the equation — as a buyer of services and, later, as a procurement leader.

“Stakeholders will want speed and simplicity. Suppliers will want to minimize their cost of sale,” he explains. “True business partnering happens when all parties are invested in each other’s success. So the more you demonstrate a collaborative center of gravity, the more you can expect your stakeholders and suppliers to positively reciprocate.”

Vincent has seen managed services programs (MSP) and statement of work (SOW) solutions reigned in to the extent that they could not be truly effective. “Better outcomes will result with stronger collaboration, rather than control,” he stresses.

Read his story about working with a deeply entrenched procurement team while trying to vet new and existing suppliers in the Future of Work Exchange. Then explore additional MSP and SOW insights from Randstad Sourceright to further drive collaboration.