The document summarizes discussions from a meeting regarding supplier collaboration best practices. Participants discussed exploring options like bringing in consultancies like Gartner to provide an independent review of supplier systems or having solution providers attend to meet with interested parties one-on-one. They also discussed reaching out to members of the peer group to identify systems they use and share best practices to help evaluate options before implementation. The group will reconvene in September to further discuss how to help members address this issue.

1. Sourcing – 8.1.18 notes
Mike Bitzer,Jack Links
Stuart Gonzales,RRD
Don Klock,RutgersBusinessSchool
NathanSicher,Leggett& Platt
AneesaYousuf,StarbucksCoffee Company
AmyThorn, DBMAssociation
Don – My groupcame forwardwitha topicfor the innovationlabin2019. Thisis the firsttime we’ve heldpost
conference discussions. We have createdourownLinkedInsite.Iencourage youtojoin.
Stuart – This isa topic I broughtup inour peergroup.We’re goingtobe selectingandimplementinganimprovementto
our systemapproach.We’ve metwithseveral folksandhave additional appointments –Ariba,etc. I’dlike toreachout
to a fewof you whohave done recentworkor selectionsorthoughtsto share aboutP2Ppaymentsystems.I’ve
contacteda fewpeople withsome datesonthe calendar.Atthe endof the day, I’dlike toreach outto folksinthe peer
groupor othersI metat SCLA forsome feedback.I’ve beenpleasedwiththe response. I’mwaitingonafewrepliesfrom
othersto schedule aconversation.
Aneesa– Process implementingbutit’snotup andrunningyet.I believeitisAribabased.We have a tonof people who
couldbe resourcesif youstill need.
Don – Are youan SAPhouse?
Aneesa– I believe so.
Don – When I wasat Colgate we were anSAP house 100% globally. SAPboughtAribaandthe base package of SAPwas
absolutelyhorrible.Itcausedproblemsandfrictionwithstakeholders. Iassume AribaisintegratedintoyourSAP.
Hopefully itiseasierif itispartof SAPratherthan individually.
Stuart – It does.Theyhave a lap aroundthe track butthe otherfolkshave hundredsof SAPimplementationsundertheir
belt. ThanksfromStarbucks.I have a meetingsetwiththem(lunchwithLeahanda call withJeremyBaker).
Aneesa– Perfect.Leahisleadingthatteamsoyouhave the rightperson.
Don – This discussionisagoodexample of howyoucan learnfromnon-competingcompanies. Reachouttoyour peer
group.Theymay not knowthe answerbutcan pointyou to someone whohasexpertise toshare. It’simportanttohear
whatreallyhappenedasopposedtothe salesPOV.Atthe endof the meetingat SCLA we came up withthe followingto
be furtherexplored:
 What are the “best”practices around SupplierCollaborationfromboththe suppliersandthe company's
perspective?
 What if any, are the bestexistingsystems/SupplierPortalstosupportSupplierCollaboration?[ourgroupfelt
that theywere individual pieces/home grownsystemsbutnothingthatiscurrentlyoutthere toprovide anall-
inclusive solution]
Amy – I hope forthisteam to become the ownersof thispiece.How couldwe shape asessionoreducational
componenttomeetyourneeds?Everythingwe doshouldbringvaluetoyou. Shouldwe openastructuredopportunity
for providerstoofferuphowtheyare workingwithSCLA companies?Are there companiesyouare partneringwithand
helpinganddoingagood job?It’dbe invitationonly.Those are the storieswe wanttohear.A chal lenge I’veheardfrom
executivesisthatitisso hard to vetthe solutionsbefore implementation.If we hadsome visibilityintosome of the
headachesothershave experiencedwe mayhave made adifferentdecision.We’renotinterestedinthe salesPOV
rather helpingeachother. I’mlookingforguidance fromthisgroupbefore we structure heavylifting.

2. Aneesa– I thinka lotof value will come froma providerinformationsession.
Stuart – There are a fewwaysto approach it.Bringin the top twoor three supplierstopresentanoverviewof the
solution.Thatwill become the salespitchwiththe optionsthatexistinthe marketplace. Whentheycome initdoesn’t
meantheyparticipate forfree.Theycouldbecome asponsor. My mindgoestoGartner or Forresterwitha topicand
some specificityaroundit. They will promote theirserviceasa consultancybutwouldhave someone come intodoa
seniormarketoverview. It’sacompletelydifferentapproachatthat pointasa consultancythatisknownfor whatthey
do.Those are two approachesthatmightbe considered.
Amy – I like the latteroption.Dotheycome inand share an overview onthe market?
Stuart – We have a big membershipwithGartnerandpaya fee.Theyare well knownandregardedinthe technology
world.Frame upa topicon suppliercollaborationsystems,techniques,bestpracticesandassignone of theirleadpeople
(if theydon’talreadyhave astudy) to collectthe providerswhoofferitandput togethera synopsis,reportthenpresent
theirindependentreview. Anothercouldbe Kearney.Theyare nota sellerof the solution.
Amy – That makessense. A thirdoptionwouldbe tobringinsolutionproviderstoschedule appointmentswiththem.
Theywill notpresentbutcouldbe there as a resource. If youare vettingafew solutionsandwantedtofocusonthat,
they’ll all be there foryoutomeetwithandhave a one on one conversation. Hasanyone hadthatexperience?
Don – Anotherideaisto reach outto the SCLA to findoutwhichsystemstheyare usingandshare theirbestpractices.
You can do thisinadditiontothe consultancyapproach.
Amy – Draft somethinglikethat.Letusknowwhichbusinessesyouare workingwith.We coulduse thatas a starting
pointand we couldleverage that.Ihave an educationcommittee meetingcomingupinOctober.
Don – I can puta quicknote outto the peergroup.Doesanyone feel comfortablesharingbestpracticesorsystems?
Amy – There’sanice mix of companiesinvolvedinthispeergroup. All are greatcompanies.Thatcouldbe a goodstart.
We don’thave to figure itall outnow. Thank youfor yourtime today. Thisis the firstyearof the lab component.We are
still inthe ideationstage.The purpose istohelpyouandput the righttoolsinyour hands. We are not lookingtobringa
saleselementintothe SCLA. We are brainstormingthe bestwayto bringitforwardin 2019. If additional ideascome to
youbetweennowandournextcall please share.
Don – This isa good start. There isa companythat is a spinoff of procurementleaders.I’ll sendyouthe contact
information. Theymightbe agoodresource too. Thisis a great groupof people toleverageonanytopic.
Amy – We’ll sendoutthe notesfromthiscall alongwitha calendarinvite forthe nextcall.We will reconvene in
September.Thankyou.
Nextconference call:Wednesday,September12th
at 4:00 PM Eastern