The evaluation and selection of suppliers carry utmost importance in the current scenario of global purchasing. It helps companies in structuring the supplier base and improving the efficiency of the supply chain. Especially organizations in the manufacturing sector need to have a supplier selection and evaluation model in place in order to gain the utmost value from their suppliers. However, evaluating suppliers can be challenging, costly, inefficient, and inconsistent task for companies. The approaches used by companies can prove to be inadequate and inefficient when it companies to supplier measurement. Through this blog, we have tried to highlight the relevance of the supplier evaluation process and best practices that can address challenges such as how to :

• Identify hidden cost drivers in the business.
• Figure out approaches and metrics for supplier evaluation.
• Determine actionable supplier opportunities for improvement.

Simply gathering data will not produce the return on investment in supplier evaluation. Companies need to use the results as a starting point for supplier performance improvement. Request a free demo to know how our experts can help you with real-time insights.

Best Practices for Supplier Evaluation

Importance of Supplier Evaluation

Identify Hidden Cost Drivers

Supply chain inefficiencies can prove to be a major pitfall for companies. However, some of these inefficiencies can be efficiently addressed by improving communications between companies and suppliers. By improving supplier evaluation and selection process, companies can gain a better understanding of supplier performance and reduce wasteful costs occurring due to suppliers’ activities such as additional inspections, extra freight charges, obsolete inventory, and many more. Moreover, a better understanding of supplier business practices and processes can enable companies to drive waste out of the business.

Want to know how a robust supplier evaluation system can reduce wasteful costs? Request a free proposal and access our service portfolio of supplier risk assessment solutions.

Improve Performance Visibility

Often companies do not have a clear idea about how their suppliers are performing. By measuring the performance of suppliers, companies can easily improve their performance. The improvement can be more substantial if companies start awarding additional business based on the outcome of supplier evaluation.

Mitigate Risks 

Obtaining insights into the supplier performance can help companies to devise effective strategies and mitigate business risks. These risks can be financial and operational and escalate with geographic distance. In addition, the performance of sub-tier suppliers about whom the key suppliers are unaware of can be a major challenge for businesses. Want to know more about it,  request more information here.

Utilize the Supply Base

By improving the supplier evaluation system, companies can determine the threshold for suppliers and drive higher-quality results. They can strategize the deadlines for new products and services based on suppliers’ capabilities and performance levels. Leveraging local suppliers can further help companies to reduce total costs and enhance their competitive position by improving the companies’ bottom line.

Boost Supplier Performance

Improving supplier performance is the primary aim of supplier evaluation. While measuring supplier performance has a positive impact, supplier evaluation can further lead to continuous improvement initiatives. With proper supplier evaluation methods and system, companies can analyze different aspects such as quality, delivery, and cost management leading to the poor performance of suppliers. They can even strategize corrective measures to gain positive results.