First edition of SLIA\'s exciting new newsletter

1. S.L.I.A Consultancy
S.L.I.A Scoop Volume 1, Issue 1
3rd November 2009
Inside this issue:
Who is SLIA 1
Save a Million
Case Study 2
Case Study Results 2
Case Study 2 3
Case Study 2 Results 3
S.L..I.A Free day 4
Next Issue 4
SAVE €1 million in 2010
We in S.L.I.A have set ourselves a target to save companies in the mid-west a total of
€1m in annualized savings between
1st September 2009 to 31st August 2010.
e.g. 25 companies @ €40,000 per company
To date we have assisted companies save €131,462
Do you want to submit your company for review for potential savings?
Who is SLIA and what is its purpose?
SLIA is a consultancy group which was established in 2006 initially in the area of Career and Workplace coaching and developed into the additional
areas of
• Workplace Efficiency
• Purchasing Support
Vision
SLIA was established with a vision that we could help people love what they do every day and get paid for it.
Mission
The original SLIA mission of
Helping people enjoy their work and helping organisations provide an enjoyable workplace for their staff.
Is as much the mission today as it was on the first day 3 years ago.
In the early days of SLIA and as we continue to do today we assist many people who simply are not enjoying their day at work for various
reasons; whether it is a person who isn’t doing what they are passionate about or is doing a huge amount of hours every week, to managers
who can’t get the work/life balance right or a business owner who worries for the future and feels they are paying people well but aren’t get-
ting the return through a job done well.
From our excellent understanding of organisations and with the ongoing feedback we get daily from clients we have developed into the areas
of people efficiency in the workplace and purchasing (vendor efficiency). Now not only are we ensuring that everyone in a company is happy
in what they do, but also that the business is working at its most efficient level and saving loads of money to boot.

2. Page 2 S.L.I.A Scoop
Case Study 1 Purchasing
A local company was under immediately. The supplier quoted collection at his expense.
pressure to reduce costs and “cheque with order” so the pur-
1 week later and with 5% added to
decided to purchase machined chase order and cheque were sent
parts in Asia from a supplier and the clock began ticking toward the price of the parts, they arrive.
sourced on the internet. a 6 week lead time. Shock, horror when the incoming
inspector opened the box she
noticed immediately that the parts
The specifications for the parts 6 weeks later no delivery, Seventh were not right. A key step in the
being sourced were e-mailed week nothing… assembly process remained un-
following a good conversation done.
10 weeks later the supplier con-
between engineering managers
tacted the customer to advise the Again the e-mails began and after 2
from both companies. shipment was available to be col- weeks of solid disagreeing the
lected! customer was left with no choice
but to accept the cost of rework
The quotation came from the The customer believed the price
prospective supplier. The price was a delivered price but as it was from a local supplier.
was so good that it was accepted not clear agreed to arrange for What an experience!
Outcome
During a SLIA free day the their other customers and com- transport up to tender also and
client revealed their experience pleting credit checks on each secured an excellent saving on
with this supplier and asked us company to ensure they were the transport also.
to help on the next occasion viable. Our client was positioned with a
What did we do? We met with our client present- choice of suppliers that could all
ing all the information to them meet the exact requirements at
SLIA started the process of
and allowing them to select the a price better than they had
selecting the most suitable
potential suppliers the wished to initially budgeted for.
supplier immediately not wait-
ing until the need became quote for the supply of the parts. Our contract allowed for Qual-
urgent. Allowing sufficient time we de- ity Control by an independent
veloped the purchasing tender agent who attended the factory
We put the business up initially
forwarding to the suppliers se- in Asia and checked the goods
for RFI (Request for Informa-
lected by our client. prior to shipment. Our contract
tion) from potential suppliers
also permitted us to hold back
throughout Asia. The prices we received were
monies against on time in full
We followed through in detail fantastic. delivery and quality inspection
on the information provided We requested ex-works and on arrival at the plant.
securing samples speaking to delivered prices. We put the

3. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3
Case Study 2
Very often when we spend a free But what we find is that unless Their existing supplier and two
day with a potential client looking our client has a trained buyer potential suppliers were re-
at the area of purchasing assis- reporting against effective quested to quote for the 2010
tance our client asks us to con- purchasing measurements the supply of product .
firm as part of the examination company is rarely maximising
that everything currently being its potential purchasing power.
done is being done to the maxi- The existing supplier reverted
mum benefit of their organisation. confirming that through their
It is interesting that in a negotiating skills and despite
large percentage of cases if the unpredictability of cocoa
The same is true when we are a company is looking for a prices in the commodity mar-
completing purchasing audits on saving the only person they ket they could successfully
behalf of client.s ask is their existing sup- hold the existing price for the
plier! coming year.
We find that in most cases all the
people spending the company’s Details… The two potential suppliers
money are doing so in an honest, quoted 7% and 9% less than
A client we assist in the food
diligent, hardworking way. the current price being
business purchases items con-
charged.
taining chocolate.
Outcome
Our client confirmed to the existing supplier that they were unsuccessful in their tender and would not be the
TESTIMONIAL
supplier for the coming year.
We can conclude that in the tender for another item the existing supplier did successfully secure the business “S.L.I.A have been
for the coming year as they were the most competitive and obviously clear about the market they were in.
engaged by one of our
clients to represent them in
S.L.I.A Consultancy offers FREE days!!!!!
the purchasing side of their
What is the purpose of the free day?
The core purpose of the free day is for both the client and SLIA to identify the opportunity for improvements in cost reduction programme.
the clients organization together, at SLIA’s expense. S.L.I.A have exceeded the
The fantastic benefit is that these improvements and savings are not theoretical but specific to the clients own targeted price savings as
organization.
well as improving the
goods inwards process by
Why do it at SLIA’s expense?
Very often the companies SLIA assist don’t have spare cash to pay consultants so we feel that if we, with our ensuring delivered goods
experience, show a business owner how the organization can perform better we can also see how the savings are immediately ready for
we can generate can pay our bill.
use.
Does that mean that SLIA get paid from savings not clients paying directly? S.L.I.A also significantly
Absolutely! reduced the waste
We rarely get paid from within the organisation’s existing cost structure. We save organizations multiples of packaging costs for both
what we get paid.
our client and its
Companies who contract SLIA are very lucky in that our experience in Organisational Efficiency and Purchasing
will pay our bills suppliers.”
SAVINGS PAY SLIA is the best way of putting it. We regularly see the savings on the FREE DAY.
Brian Meehan, Vision
What are the next steps? Plus Consulting Ltd.,
If you wish to “take advantage” of a SLIA free day feel free to contact us at: Limerick
SKYPE : brian.cooneyslia Or E-Mail info@sliaction.com
We will call you to discuss and agree the next steps

4. S.L.I.A Consultancy HELP!
We are completing a survey and we would very much appreciate
your assistance….
Would you tell us who purchases your goods and services in
brian.cooney@eircom.net
your company?
087 9945545
O Office Administrator
O The person who requires the item
…..”enabling you to view your
business through O Buyer
a fresh pair of eyes” O Accountant
O Other
Please e-mail your response to marion@sliaction.com
Results will be issued in the next issue.
We Are Online!!!
Also, if you have any suggestions on how this newsletter could
www.sliaction.com
be improved please tell us. The best idea will be published!
Some questions for you to think about... NEXT ISSUE…
If you received two bids, If an existing supplier bid was
one price from an existing just outside the competitors • Update our status on saving €1m with companies
supplier and the exact same bid would you give them a sec-
ond chance? in the mid-west and beyond
bid price from a new sup-
plier, who would you award A-No
the business to? B-Yes • Confirm the result of our survey and publish the
A—Existing Supplier best idea on improving our newsletter
B—New Supplier
When you are developing your
• Document more case studies
In a bidding process if you annual budgets do you include
were asked by one of the your suppliers in the process
participants to share another
participants price.
A-Yes • Discuss the “Christmas Hamper”
B-No
Would you share it?
A-Yes • Advise how to avoid the “expenses furore” and
B-No control expenses in your organisation
S..L.I.A Consultancy Group
“enabling you to view your business through a fresh pair of eyes”
www.sliaction.com