Change Management

Value-adding SRM needs two-way relationships

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) is a relatively new concept. Traditionally, a supplier’s relationship with a customer was a one-way thing: the supplier signed the contract and delivered according to that contract.

The idea that an organisation can use SRM techniques, and a two-way exchange of information and ideas, to get more value from suppliers still raises eyebrows among some business stakeholders and procurement teams.

Change management and stakeholder commitment

State of Flux has helped many organisations find practical ways to put SRM programmes in place. And we’ve developed a number of change management workshops and toolkits that can help launch SRM programmes, get buy-in from stakeholders and raise their commitment to SRM.

When we work on SRM change management projects we:

• Measure key stakeholders’ level of commitment to SRM and compare it to the commitment and actions that you need for effective SRM.
• Run workshops and briefings that will move stakeholders up the commitment curve (see diagram below).
• Put together a package of workshops, communication plans and training that will raise levels of commitment and awareness.

Raise stakeholders’ level of SRM commitment

The commitment curve chart shows where stakeholders’ SRM commitment is today, and the path to the higher levels of stakeholder commitment that you need for effective SRM.