Buyer’s Toolkit – 2-Day ‘Proficient Buyer’

This 2-day training workshop is aimed at individuals or those in companies who buy or want to learn how to buy more effectively.

It is suitable for those in the organization who are responsible for buying, or who interface or interact with suppliers, or who manage contracts. It is particularly suitable for small to medium sized buying teams who wish to move from basic tactical buying to a buying approach that adds greater value to the organization. It is relevant for teams with little or no buying experience and equally suitable for those who know what they are doing.

The course is designed to provide delegates with a solid grounding and full training in the 5D Power Buying® Process. It will also establish a common toolkit and language within a team and across the business as a whole, and will help make a significant difference to buying outcomes while enabling better contract and supplier management.

The event is fully customizable and modules can be adapted to meet specific client requirements. We can also adapt the agenda to provide real outputs for an organization.

Learning objectives

By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:

  • Describe the basic principles of buying
  • Describe the different ways suppliers gain advantage
  • Assess our buying position and strength
  • Develop a simple plan for effective buying
  • Determine which suppliers are more important than others and state why
  • Define the needs and wants for an area of spend
  • Develop and implement arrangements to better manage a supplier and drive improved performance
  • Conduct simple negotiations
  • Agree simple contracts with suppliers
  • Buy more effectively

Who should attend

  • Anyone who buys
  • Anyone who manages a supplier
  • Anyone who interfaces with a supplier
  • Anyone who agrees or manages contracts

Course content

  • Introduction to buying
  • How suppliers gain advantage
  • The 5D Power Buying Process
  • Defining our buying objectives and the needs and wants
  • Determining our buying power using the power check test (including group work)
  • Getting behind price
  • Understanding our position in the market
  • Determining how to boost our power
  • When things go wrong - dealing with supplier disputes (including group work)
  • Developing a Power Buying Plan
  • Negotiating to get the best deal
  • Fundamentals of the contract
  • Introduction to negotiation and basic negotiation toolkit
  • How to manage the suppliers and check performance
  • How to implement new buying arrangements
  • Next steps in the journey to effective buying