Creating Efficiency in the Supplier Management Process

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Procurement teams are continually challenged by their own stakeholders to demonstrate value. Often overlooked are the broader challenges of ensuring post-contract efficiency from the supply base. This webinar will explore best practices in managing supplier relationships to create a strong foundation of Supplier Relationship Management, and development of a collaborative process to add value.

Your Benefits of Attending:

  • Understand the elements of supplier management
  • Learn about metrics that matter and how to use them
  • Gain insight into the "7-steps" of supplier management that optimize resources and minimize effort
  • Hear case studies on measures of success

One size does not fit all! You will leave this webinar knowing how to more efficiently and effectively manage suppliers based on critical importance and areas of impact.

  1. Introduction 00:01:
  2. Kevin Giblin - Biography 00:01:35
  3. Today’s Agenda 00:02:51
  4. Today’s Learning Objectives 00:04:52
  5. Supplier Management Process 00:06:39
  6. Traditional Role - Supplier Management 00:06:41
  7. Functional Evolution - Supplier Management 00:09:08
  8. Supplier Management Process - Today’s Challenges 00:14:15
  9. Operational Challenges 00:14:41
  10. Management Challenges 00:15:25
  11. Efficiency Challenges 00:20:24
  12. Overcoming Challenges 00:20:25
  13. Supplier Management Process - Elements Of The Function 00:24:14
  14. Typical Supplier Management 00:24:27
  15. Segmentation 00:28:22
  16. Three-Dimensional Segmentation 00:34:09
  17. Three-Dimensional Segmentation Cont’d 00:35:59
  18. Supplier Relationship Maturity 00:37:58:
  19. Supplier Management Success Factors 00:43:15
  20. Supplier Management Process - Dimensions of Supplier Management 00:50:19
  21. Supplier Management = Risk Management 00:50:49
  22. The “Impact Tree” of Risk Mitigation 00:56:03
  23. Risk Due Diligence 01:00:20
  24. Technology-Related Risks 01:03:25
  25. Financial and Operational Risk 01:05:35
  26. Supplier Viability Risk 01:06:43
  27. Prioritizing Risk 01:08:59
  28. Supplier Management Process - Tools for Efficient and Effective Supplier Management 01:10:42
  29. The “Manage and Measure” Checklist 01:11:36
  30. “Forward-Looking” Performance Insight 01:17:00
  31. “Actionable” Measurement 01:18:36
  32. Supplier Management Process - Data-Driven Decisions 01:19:37
  33. Managing Data = Improved Supplier Management - Flow Chart 01:19:53
  34. Managing Data = Improved Supplier Management 01:21:23
  35. Data-Driven Supplier Management Approach 01:22:16
  36. Information Dashboard 01:23:16
  37. Supplier Management Process - The Bottom Line 01:24:57
  38. Key Elements of An Efficient Program 01:25:57
  39. Seizing The Moment 01:27:14
  40. Investing in Supplier Management 01:29:53
  41. Efficient Supplier Management Makes A Difference! 01:33:43
  42. Attendee Questions 01:35:56
  43. Presentation Closing 01:42:11
  • Kevin Giblin

    Kevin Giblin

    Career Highlights: Ranked #23 in Thinkers360’s Global Top 50 Thought Leaders in Procurement 2017 EPIC Award for Career Excellence, Indirect Purchasing 2012 SDCE Green Supply Chain Award  2011 recipient IACCM “Collaborate to Innovate Award”  2009 CTB Achievement Award 2005 Corporate A [...]

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ISM Credit

Institute of Supply Management

This program may be used for Continuing Education Hours (CEH) toward recertification for programs offered by the Institute for Supply Management®, including the Certified Professional in Supply Management® and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity®.

ATAPU Credit

Aurora Training Advantage is offering continuing education points designed to recognize dedication to training and excellence in purchasing.

QPANJ Credit

Qualified Purchasing Agent - New Jersey

  • Contract 00:02:17, 00:06:54, 00:44:11, 00:57:14, 01:21:03
  • Cost 00:10:44, 00:53:28, 01:31:14
  • Due Diligence 01:01:35, 01:02:54
  • Financial Statement 01:17:28
  • Forecast 01:22:41
  • Inventory 00:53:46, 00:54:09
  • Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 00:06:58
  • Market Share 00:58:39
  • Procurement 00:01:47, 00:02:26, 00:03:26, 00:07:55, 0:46:54, 01:27:30
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) 01:06:17, 01:07:27, 01:16:46
  • Revenue 00:21:32
  • Risk Mitigation 00:36:22, 00:50:49, 00:54:58, 00:56:09, 01:23:33
  • Strategic Sourcing 00:08:09
  • Supplier 00:01:11, 00:02:09, 00:03:45, 00:12:44, 00:21:48, 00:25:32, 00:34:57, 00:44:54, 00:49:57, 00:52:25, 00:59:09, 01:02:23, 01:06:56, 01:09:15, 01:22:24, 01:35:25
  • Supplier Relationship Management 01:06:03
  • Supplier Segmentation 00:25:41, 00:28:22
  • Supply Chain 00:48:58
  • Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) 00:35:04
  • Value Chain 00:58:52

Bankruptcy: is a legal proceeding in which a debtor declares their inability to pay back their creditors.

Contract: A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.

Cost: The sum of the applicable expenditures and charges directly or indirectly incurred in bringing an article to its existing condition and location

Due Diligence: Due diligence is a process or effort to collect and analyze information before making a decision or conducting a transaction so a party is not held legally liable for any loss or damage. The term applies to many situations but most notably to business transactions.

Financial Statement: Financial statements (or financial reports) are formal records of the financial activities and position of a business, person, or other entity. ... A balance sheet or statement of financial position, reports on a company's assets, liabilities, and owners equity at a given point in time.

Forecast: A method used to predict inventory levels for a future time period.

Inventory: A company's inventory typically involves goods in three stages of production: raw goods, in-progress goods, and finished goods that are ready for sale. Inventory or stock refers to the goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate goal of resale, production or utilization.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) : A Key Performance Indicator is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. Organizations use KPIs at multiple levels to evaluate their success at reaching targets.

Market Share: The portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product.

Procurement: Procurement is the process of finding and agreeing to terms, and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source, often via a tendering or competitive bidding process. Procurement is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services, or works at the best possible price when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared.

Request for Proposal (RFP): A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that solicits proposal, often made through a bidding process, by an agency or company interested in procurement of a commodity, service, or valuable asset, to potential suppliers to submit business proposals.

Revenue: In accounting, revenue is the income that a business has from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. Revenue is also referred to as sales or turnover. Some companies receive revenue from interest, royalties, or other fees.

Risk Mitigation: Risk mitigation involves taking action to reduce an organization's exposure to potential risks and reduce the likelihood that those risks will happen again.

Strategic Sourcing: Strategic sourcing is an approach to supply chain management that formalizes the way information is gathered and used so an organization can use its consolidated purchasing power to find the best possible values in the marketplace and align its purchasing strategy to business goals.

Supplier: A supplier is an entity that supplies goods and services to another organization. A supplier is usually a manufacturer or a distributor. A distributor buys goods from multiple manufacturers and sells them to its customers. Similar Terms. A supplier is also known as a vendor.

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) : Supplier relationship management is the discipline of strategically planning for, and managing, all interactions with third-party organizations that supply goods and/or services to an organization The objective of SRM is to maximize the value of those interactions.

Supplier Segmentation: The process of allocating suppliers into distinct groups so that limited resources can be allocated to manage them effectively.

Supply Chain: A supply chain is a network between a company and its suppliers to produce and distribute a specific product to the final buyer. The supply chain also represents the steps it takes to get the product or service from its original state to the customer.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) : Total cost of ownership is a financial estimate intended to help buyers and owners determine the direct and indirect costs of a product or system. It is a management accounting concept that can be used in full cost accounting or even ecological economics where it includes social costs

Value Chain: A value chain is a set of activities that a firm operating in a specific industry performs in order to deliver a valuable product for the market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

An efficient supplier management process follows a structured sequence that transforms reactive vendor administration into strategic value generation. Kevin Giblin, ranked among the top global procurement thought leaders, outlines a seven-step framework in his Aurora Training Advantage webinar: start with supplier segmentation to classify vendors by strategic importance, then establish clear performance metrics aligned with business objectives. Define relationship management tiers—strategic partners require more intensive engagement than transactional suppliers. Implement risk due diligence protocols covering financial viability, operational capacity, and technology risks. Build a 'manage and measure' checklist that tracks forward-looking performance indicators, not just historical compliance. Create an information dashboard that gives procurement teams real-time visibility into supplier performance. Finally, invest in data-driven decision-making infrastructure so that supplier choices are based on analytics rather than relationships alone. Giblin emphasizes that one size does not fit all—the resources allocated to managing any given supplier should be proportional to their strategic criticality and risk profile. Organizations that follow this framework consistently demonstrate higher procurement ROI and fewer supply chain disruptions.
Supplier segmentation is the practice of grouping vendors into distinct tiers based on their strategic importance, spend volume, risk profile, and impact on business operations. It enables procurement teams to allocate limited management resources proportionally—focusing high-touch relationship investment on strategic partners while using lighter-touch, automated processes for transactional suppliers. Without segmentation, procurement teams often over-manage low-risk commodity suppliers while under-managing critical strategic vendors, leading to both inefficiency and vulnerability. Kevin Giblin introduces a three-dimensional segmentation model in his Aurora Training Advantage webinar that evaluates suppliers across multiple axes: business criticality, supply risk, and relationship maturity. This framework allows more nuanced prioritization than simple spend-based tiering. Effective segmentation also improves contract negotiation strategy, SLA design, and supplier development investments. It clarifies which suppliers warrant joint business planning, innovation collaboration, or executive-level relationship management versus those that can be managed primarily through procurement systems. Organizations implementing rigorous supplier segmentation report measurably improved procurement efficiency and stronger supplier partnership outcomes.
Effective supplier relationship management requires KPIs that are both backward-looking (measuring historical performance) and forward-looking (predicting future reliability and value). Core metrics include on-time delivery rate, invoice accuracy, defect/return rate, and response time to issues—these form a baseline performance scorecard. More sophisticated supplier management programs add forward-looking indicators such as supplier financial health scores, capacity utilization trends, and innovation contribution metrics. Kevin Giblin, a recognized procurement thought leader, distinguishes between metrics that matter and those that merely feel measurable—emphasizing that KPIs must connect to actual business impact. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) metrics that capture not just purchase price but logistics, quality, risk, and administrative costs provide a more accurate picture of supplier value than price alone. Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) maturity assessments can also reveal whether a relationship is progressing or stagnating. Giblin's Aurora Training Advantage webinar includes an 'actionable measurement' framework that helps procurement teams move from data collection to genuine performance improvement conversations with key suppliers.
Supplier risk management requires a systematic approach that addresses multiple risk dimensions simultaneously. Kevin Giblin describes an 'impact tree' of risk mitigation in his Aurora Training Advantage webinar, identifying four primary risk categories: technology-related risks (cybersecurity, data integrity, system dependencies), financial and operational risks (cash flow instability, capacity constraints, quality failures), supplier viability risks (bankruptcy, ownership changes, key personnel loss), and supply chain risks (geographic concentration, single-source dependencies). Effective risk management starts with supplier risk due diligence during onboarding—collecting financial statements, reviewing certifications, and assessing operational resilience. For critical suppliers, this diligence should be refreshed annually. Risk prioritization frameworks help procurement teams focus mitigation resources where exposure is highest. Diversifying the supply base for critical categories reduces concentration risk, while strategic inventory buffers and dual-sourcing arrangements provide operational continuity options. Procurement teams should also monitor leading indicators—such as changes in a supplier's financial ratios or shifts in their leadership team—as early warning signals. Organizations that proactively manage supplier risk spend less time on crisis management and maintain more resilient supply chains.
Data-driven supplier management replaces relationship-based or intuition-driven procurement decisions with objective, evidence-based analysis—dramatically improving both efficiency and outcomes. When procurement teams have access to accurate, timely supplier performance data, they can identify underperforming vendors faster, negotiate from positions of documented evidence, and make sourcing decisions that genuinely optimize total cost and risk. Kevin Giblin presents a 'managing data equals improved supplier management' framework in his Aurora Training Advantage webinar, illustrating how information dashboards consolidate KPIs, spend analytics, and risk indicators into a single management view. Data also enables proactive supplier development: rather than reacting to failures, procurement teams can identify performance trends early and work collaboratively with suppliers to address root causes. Forecast data shared with key suppliers enables better capacity planning and reduces lead time variability. Data-driven approaches also make the business case for supplier management investment more visible to leadership—quantifying cost avoidance, quality improvements, and risk reductions in financial terms. As supply chains grow more complex, organizations that invest in supplier data infrastructure gain a sustained competitive advantage.