MASTERING PURCHASING FUNDAMENTALS

If you are new to purchasing, are you ready for the many challenges you'll face in the
months ahead? Our highly personal and interactive seminar; “Mastering Purchasing
Fundamentals” walks you through the purchasing process step-by-step. You'll be ready
for these challenges. And you won't need the years of experience usually required to learn
how to deal with these challenges. You'll get more than just an introduction to purchasing.
You will become an expert at flawlessly executing and managing purchases.

You will learn how to make the many decisions necessary to identify the best
potential suppliers, plus…

• How to most effectively prioritize requisitions

• How to decide when to use competitive bidding, negotiation, or both
• How to successfully conduct competitive bidding using solicitation tools such
as RFP's and RFQ's
• How to use financial and operational analysis to select suppliers with not only
the best monetary offer, but also the least risk of failure
• How to determine whether a contract, purchase order, or other method of
ordering is best for a certain purchase
• How to use follow up techniques to ensure supplier compliance
• How to close out a transaction with confidence
• How to think like a purchasing manager
• How to prepare for the future of purchasing

MICROSOFT EXCEL FOR PURCHASING PROFESSIONALS

Are you failing to take advantage of Microsoft Excel's powerful techniques for
purchasing? Look, even if you are an experienced Excel user, you may not be utilizing
the tools that can help you make sound purchasing decisions and deliver top-notch
presentations. "Microsoft Excel For Purchasing Professionals" will enable you to perform

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sophisticated purchasing analyses through exercises that are based entirely on the
situations that you face in your purchasing work.

You will learn how to use PivotTables, functions, and subtotals to summarize large
amounts of purchasing data, plus…

• How to impress management with professionally formatted bid comparison

sheets
• How to assess the competitiveness of supplier pricing through developing
"Should Cost Models"
• How to assess all elements of supplier attractiveness by creating weighted
average supplier scorecards
• How to use Excel's sophisticated decision support features
• How to visually compare bids, analyze spend, and track supplier performance
by creating charts
• How to develop "Target Pricing Models" for negotiation strategy

SUPPLY MANAGEMENT CONTRACT WRITING

You’ve noticed the changes in purchasing over the past few years, haven’t you? The
changes that have purchasers doing less order processing and more contracting and
relationship building with suppliers? This new role requires that you have a new skill set
– contract writing. Yet most purchasers don’t know how to write a contract. This is
troublesome. Because if you aren’t familiar with the advanced techniques of contract
writing, you can put your organization at risk and be committed to a poor performing
supplier for years.

The bottom line is that you need world-class contract writing skills to be successful in
purchasing in the 21st century. Now is the time to get those skills. “Supply Management
Contract Writing” will give you the skills necessary to minimize your procurement risks.

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This class goes way beyond the typical, dry explanations of contract law. Through plain
English examples and exercises, you will learn how to negotiate and write effective
contracts and iron-clad terms and conditions.

You will learn how to protect your organization from the disastrous effects of
suppliers' failure to perform, plus…

• How to decide if you need the protection of a contract

• How to choose the most appropriate form of agreement
• How to structure contracts
• How to select, use, and develop language for methods of dispute resolution
• How to write a contract’s key legal provisions such as indemnities and limits
of liability
• How to write a contract’s key commercial provisions such as pricing and
delivery
• How to write a contract's key technical provisions such as specifications and
warranties
• How to make use of effective styles of contract writing
• How to effectively proofread and organize contract revisions

MICROSOFT PROJECT FOR PURCHASING PROFESSIONALS

Have you struggled with completing your purchasing projects on time? You probably
would not have if you used Microsoft Project. “Microsoft Project For Purchasing
Professionals” you will not only learn how to use the software, you'll learn how to apply
it to your purchasing work. You'll also learn project management principles that will
enable you to successfully manage complex procurement projects and meet aggressive
deadlines. You will need a copy of Microsoft Project 2000 or later.

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You will learn several techniques for accelerating your purchasing project, plus…

• How to effectively delegate tasks to Purchasing, co-worker, and supplier

personnel
• How to outline a purchasing project
• How to identify dependencies that can accelerate or delay a purchasing project
• How to manage the workloads of your purchasing project team members
• How to track and report progress to purchasing management

14 PURCHASING BEST PRACTICES

Wouldn't it be great if you could implement the purchasing best practices that are used by
the world's top corporations? Do you think it is impossible because your existing staffs
are so busy and you don't have the budget to hire an expensive consulting firm?

You can introduce purchasing best practices into your organization easily, without outside
help, if you have the right guidance. Our seminar "14 Purchasing Best Practices" makes it
realistic for you to quickly and significantly improve your performance and the
performance of your purchasing department. You'll become a respected purchasing leader
by following these seminar step-by-step instructions, examples, and exercises, as well as
the Sample, Tool, and Template Pack which is included with your registration. Get ready
to deliver world-class purchasing results.

You will learn how to strategically measure purchasing performance, plus…

• How to improve your spend management by implementing a buying plan

• How to select the best suppliers by using cross-functional commodity teams,
scorecards, and total cost of ownership analysis

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 • How to improve vendor performance through a supplier performance
management program
• How to optimize supplier relationships
• How to improve risk management
• How to map and improve processes
• How to leverage technology such as eProcurement and Internet Reverse
Auctions
• How to conduct benchmarking
• How to achieve efficiency through the systemization of purchasing operations
• How to utilize a strategic plan

SAVINGS STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

Your CEO wants to know: "Are you executing a cost savings strategy or are you just
'winging it'?" Could you respond by producing a top-notch written strategy? If not, our
savings strategy development seminar can help you.

You will learn a systematic method of establishing a cost savings strategy in your
organization. Your plan will be comprehensive, covering everything from analyzing your
spend to strategic sourcing to continually improving cost savings processes. You'll also
understand many nuances of how to write an RFP within the context of a step-by-step
sourcing process.

You will learn how to identify sourcing and savings opportunities by analyzing your
spend, plus...

• How to define several types of savings and avoidances

• How to create or improve a commodity classification system that optimally
supports sourcing and savings initiatives
• How to find and take advantage of easy cost savings opportunities

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 • How to achieve cost savings by leveraging existing supplier relationships
• How to negotiate savings without straining a supplier relationship
• How to diligently manage costs by utilizing the Producers Price Index and
developing your own Supplier Price Index
• How to get everyone to apply the same, proven approach to cost savings by
implementing The Ten Phase Approach To World-Class Sourcing
• How to track the progress of your sourcing strategy
• How to determine a methodology and strategy when writing an RFP
• How to write an RFP that is aligned with the final contract
• How to write an RFP that achieves the perfect balance of standardization and
customization
• How to write an RFP that is aligned with evaluation scorecards
• How to write an RFP that ensures equitable ("apples-to-apples") supplier
comparisons
• How to write an RFP with an optimized supplier response format
• How to report cost savings in a way that will be embraced by executive
management

POWERFUL NEGOTIATION FOR SUCCESSFUL BUYING

Have your suppliers figured out how to neutralize your procurement negotiation
strategies? Most savvy sellers go through negotiation training at least yearly. Unless
you’ve been just as diligent at improving your procurement negotiation skills, your
chances of getting the best deals from your suppliers are very slim.

Unfortunately, many procurement professionals feel that their past negotiation experience
will serve them well today. Guess what? Sellers have figured out how to thwart
yesterday’s procurement negotiation tactics. And much has changed. Supplier-friendly
win-win negotiation is the new standard. You have less preparation time than ever. You
may even get lured into using the convenient, but often ineffective, method of negotiating
by email. If it seems like you’re at a disadvantage, you are.

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But you can quickly get the modern procurement negotiation strategies and skills you
need to get the best deals in today’s environment. “Powerful Negotiation For Successful
Buying” will teach you the latest and greatest procurement negotiation strategies so that
even the most savvy sellers will give you the best deals possible.

You will learn the 10 essential steps of preparing for a negotiation, plus…

• 7 strategies on which to base a negotiation

• How to prevent the disasters common to team negotiations
• The unique things to consider in international negotiations
• When negotiating by email is smart and when it is the most foolish thing a
procurement professional can do
• How to persuade a sole source supplier
• The Negotiation Secret Suppliers Don't Want You To Know
• The persuasive concept that great marketers and salespeople use, but procurement
professionals don't use often enough
• The 1 negotiation technique that is difficult for even the best sales negotiators to
overcome
• Exactly what to say in 18 common negotiation situations
• 4 common supplier tactics and how to neutralize them
• 7 mistakes most procurement professionals don't realize that they make and how
to avoid them
• How to close a negotiation with big results using respectful pressure
• 6 ways to continually improve your negotiating abilities

EXPERT PURCHASING MANAGEMENT

Are you a purchasing manager who worries about balancing the many demands of your
leadership role? You're not alone. Today's companies are expecting more than ever from
their purchasing managers. And today's environment is confronting purchasing managers
with more challenges than ever.

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Between being accountable for measurable results, pleasing internal customers, and
ensuring that your purchasing staff improves its productivity, you may feel it is
impossible to do a good job. After all, it isn't easy keeping up with evolving best
practices, new technologies, and changing markets.

But fortunately, there is a way for you to learn how to meet and exceed today's high
standards for purchasing management excellence. “Expert Purchasing Management” will
teach you everything you need to know to lead your purchasing department to new levels
of success.

You will learn how to report purchasing performance metrics to senior

management, plus…

• 4 things about the purchasing environment that you need to assess right away
• How to develop a purchasing customer service survey
• Tips for improving purchasing staff productivity
• The secrets for involving internal customers and establishing a successful
Purchasing Advisory Board
• The most important things to consider when naming your purchasing department
• 5 common purchasing department structures and their advantages and
disadvantages
• How to prioritize commodities that the purchasing department will source
• 4 indicators that you should look for to identify non-traditional areas for potential
savings
• 3 different ways to assign buyer responsibilities
• The types of various purchasing profit center models and the dangers of choosing
the wrong one
• How to staff your purchasing department with the right people
• How to create a Purchasing Dashboard
• How to set the perfect purchasing department goals
• How to develop purchasing policies and procedures
• How to establish a standard sourcing process

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 • Strategies for using templates to improve productivity and reduce problems
• Best practices for making recommendations to senior management
• 3 ways to reduce the tactical purchasing activity under your management
• 5 steps to take to ensure that you don't do buyers' work
• How to improve compliance with purchasing initiatives
• The essentials of launching a purchasing department Web site
• 10 keys to eSourcing success

BASICS OF SMART INTERNATIONAL PROCUREMENT

Are you responsible for increasing your organization's international procurement and
don’t know where to begin? International procurement is a challenge. Buying
internationally is much more complex than buying domestically.

Buying internationally involves having to expand your knowledge of many aspects

of procurement that you don't have to worry about when buying domestically.
Differences in cultures, laws, communications, currencies, and more have to be
understood to support international procurement. And if you don't have a good
foundation, your international procurement efforts will have a higher probability of
failing.

Details of successful international procurement don't have to be a mystery. "Basics

of Smart International Procurement" will teach you the critical things every purchasing
professional needs to know before buying from foreign suppliers.

You will learn how to assess the cultural differences that you may experience with
suppliers from different parts of the world, plus…

• 7 key characteristics of cultural differences that you need to know to avoid

any unpleasant surprises from your suppliers
• How to determine whether international suppliers might be withholding bad
news from you

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 • How international suppliers differ in the importance they place on personal
relationships
• How the importance of contracts will differ among international suppliers
• When you might face one of the worst shocks - an international supplier's
request to renegotiate a contract
• 5 critical clauses that should be included in every international procurement
contract
• 6 principles for writing contract language that is clear and ideally suited for
international procurement situations
• Tips for reducing intellectual property risks
• How to handle communication when you and your supplier have different
native languages
• Little known facts for reducing communication misunderstandings with
foreign suppliers, including the use of jokes, hand gestures, and written
communications
• How exchange rates get factored into international procurement transactions
• How to calculate currency conversions
• Currency risks associated with international procurement transactions
• How hedging tools like forward contracts and options are used to protect
buying organizations from cost increases
• 3 ways that products are services are priced and a currency strategy for each
• The increased significance of accurate forecasts in international transactions
and how poor forecasts impact cost
• A risk sharing formula that truly distributes risk equally between a buyer and a
foreign supplier

EXECUTING A GLOBAL SOURCING STRATEGY

With all the talk about the global sourcing that many companies are doing, one may
think that it is easy, right? That perception could not be further from the truth. Global

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sourcing may be one of the most complex activities you’ll encounter as a purchasing
professional.

There’s no doubt about it – global sourcing is a challenge with many opportunities

to fail. There are many complex processes that need to be done right. It’s not enough to
know what those processes are. You need to know how to perform those processes in
order to be successful.

Despite the challenges of global sourcing, purchasing professionals do succeed at it.

They succeed because they know specifically how to handle all of the situations
involving coordinating logistics, dealing with customs, arranging payment, identifying
countries for sourcing, finding suppliers, calculating landed cost, assessing risks, and
implementing their global contracts. "Executing A Global Sourcing Strategy" will teach
you how to take global sourcing from a concept to a successful reality.

You will learn a strategy for selecting products, countries, and potential suppliers
for your first global sourcing initiative, plus…

• How to make your work easier by working with logistics support

organizations such as freight forwarders and customs brokers
• The critical details you must know about ocean and air freight
• How to determine global shipment quantities and frequencies
• How to ensure smooth customs clearance
• How the various duties, taxes, and fees affect total cost of ownership
• 13 Incoterms and how to use them to properly allocate the costs and risks of
global shipments
• How you may be impacted by the large number of regulations affecting
shipments to the United States
• The advantages and disadvantages of the channels for your global sourcing
effort, including international procurement offices, supplier’s subsidiaries and
representatives, third party IPO’s, and direct ordering

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 • The various global payment methods such as letters of credit, wire transfer,
and supplier credit
• 8 steps for evaluating prospective global suppliers and, ultimately, selecting
the best one
• Terrorism issues related to global supply chain management
• How to use a landed cost model, which is provided with the course
• How to integrate risk analysis techniques into your global sourcing strategy to
evaluate the potential effect of exchange rate fluctuations, the need for
unplanned expedited shipping, and more

NOTE: This short course will be most effective if you also take it in conjunction with
"Basics of Smart International Procurement," which covers the fundamentals of
preparing to buy globally including understanding differences in culture,
communications, laws, currencies, and more.

MANAGING SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE

Is poor supplier performance driving you crazy? You won't have to work so hard if you
apply certain proven techniques for evaluating and improving supplier performance. If
you have wanted to implement a supplier evaluation program but had difficulty getting
started, Managing Supplier Performance is the perfect course for you.

You will learn how to develop powerful performance measures for supplier
evaluation, plus…

• How to articulate the criticality of supplier performance

• How to select suppliers for a supplier evaluation program
• How to involve internal stakeholders in the supplier evaluation process
• How to decide between supplier evaluation methods such as supplier
scorecards and system metrics
• How to decide if Supply Chain Event Management software will work for
your organization

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• How to reward suppliers
• How to correct poor supplier performance

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