Procurement Specialists Not Made to Order
Guest Blog Post by Lloyd Princeton, Design Management Company
Procurement makes the interior design world go round. The difference between a happy client and an irate client depends on fulfilling your promises and their expectations. That includes delivering products on time and on budget. Order delays, faulty or damaged goods, substitutions, out-of-stock items, and improper installations create headaches for you and erode client confidence. Indeed, procurement has become so central to the delivery of interior design services that some firms are now competing on their ability to streamline the procurement process.
A good procurement specialist or coordinator needs to master a wide range of roles and responsibilities. They must be familiar with both the design side and the purchasing side of the business, and able to communicate equally well with designers and vendors. In addition to product knowledge, they must have excellent project and time management skills; an in-depth understanding of specification, contracting, and ordering and delivery procedures; and maintain good working relationships with industry representatives, vendors, suppliers, contractors, and others. Plus, they need to have the computer skills to use your firm’s purchasing software to generate purchase and change orders, and monitor the receipt and delivery of goods. It’s a position that requires someone who is highly organized, has good people skills, can multitask, and works well under pressure.
Because your and your firm’s reputation has a lot riding on procurement management, hiring a procurement specialist or coordinator can enhance your competitive advantage – provided you hire the right person. With our personalized and discreet services, Design Management Company can help you find the best candidates who fit your firm’s particular requirements, and prevent a costly mismatch. Contact us, and let’s discuss how a procurement specialist may fit with your firm’s staffing plan and growth strategies.
For two decades, Lloyd Princeton has been immersed in the design industry, working with interior designers and architects, as well as with showrooms, design centers, manufacturers and vendors. Early on, Lloyd identified the need that design professionals have for sound business advice and guidance to effectively manage and grow their practices. Fulfilling this need became the cornerstone of his consultancy firm, Design Management Company (DMC), which he founded in 1999 to assist his clients with matters such as contract negotiation, pricing, marketing, staffing, and product licensing and distribution. Click here to read full bio.
Procurement makes the interior design world go round. The difference between a happy client and an irate client depends on fulfilling your promises and their expectations. That includes delivering products on time and on budget. Order delays, faulty or damaged goods, substitutions, out-of-stock items, and improper installations create headaches for you and erode client confidence. Indeed, procurement has become so central to the delivery of interior design services that some firms are now competing on their ability to streamline the procurement process.
A good procurement specialist or coordinator needs to master a wide range of roles and responsibilities. They must be familiar with both the design side and the purchasing side of the business, and able to communicate equally well with designers and vendors. In addition to product knowledge, they must have excellent project and time management skills; an in-depth understanding of specification, contracting, and ordering and delivery procedures; and maintain good working relationships with industry representatives, vendors, suppliers, contractors, and others. Plus, they need to have the computer skills to use your firm’s purchasing software to generate purchase and change orders, and monitor the receipt and delivery of goods. It’s a position that requires someone who is highly organized, has good people skills, can multitask, and works well under pressure.
Because your and your firm’s reputation has a lot riding on procurement management, hiring a procurement specialist or coordinator can enhance your competitive advantage – provided you hire the right person. With our personalized and discreet services, Design Management Company can help you find the best candidates who fit your firm’s particular requirements, and prevent a costly mismatch. Contact us, and let’s discuss how a procurement specialist may fit with your firm’s staffing plan and growth strategies.
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