Supply Issues

The ability to solve problems is an important management skill that is essential to your success. A key part of this ability is having effective strategies in place.

As a manager, you need to be aware of any supply problems that might occur. Where possible it is important to have contingency plans in place to ensure that any disruptions to your supply of products is minimised.

Effective problem solving based on accurate information helps the manager to minimise potential product supply issues at crucial trading times.

 

The first step to solving problems is collecting all the relevant information you need to build up a complete picture. Information can be categorised under two headings:

• Hard data
• Soft data

Hard Data

Hard data is 'measurable' information. It is made up of facts such as:

sales results or statistical information Current events or historical records Market trends Company goals or objectives Time factors Productivity levels

Soft Data

Soft data is 'immeasurable' information. It is based on:

• Feelings and intuition
• Human factors and behaviours
• Opinions and attitudes
• Satisfaction levels
• Personality conflicts

Problem Solving Strategies

Once you have collected the relevant background information it is necessary to clarify the problem. This process is useful to identify the key issues involved and/or major obstacles to solving the problem. From this point you should be able to:

• Describe how things are affected
• What needs to change
• The scope of the problem

After you have clarified the problem you are in a position to develop and consider all of the available options to resolve it. To achieve this you may choose to:

Organise informal discussions with affected parties. Conduct brainstorming sessions. Implement a process of elimination. Weigh the impact of the problem against your goals. Weigh the impact of the problem against the possible consequences. Prioritise issues by their importance or seriousness. Combine a number of possible solutions. Measure the effectiveness of possible solutions.

When you finally decide on your solution, an action plan must be developed and communicated to the appropriate people. Again your communication must be clear, accurate and effective. Then it's a matter of monitoring and reviewing the action plan to ensure the required solution is achieved.

This is a general overview of problem solving strategies. To maintain the health of the relationship between all parties, solutions should be developed as soon as a problem is identified.

Maintaining Supply Records

Maintaining accurate supply negotiation records is essential to all businesses. For the benefit of all parties these records should detail:

Creating a recording system that clearly details the events in the relationship will enable you to make quick and informed decisions. This system will clarify:

• The agreed terms so management is clear on where they stand
• Relevant issues for further negotiations
• Yours and the suppliers credibility

As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that these records are continually updated, organised and legible. Maintaining these records will enable you to make clear decisions. It can also be used as the basis for reports to higher level management.

Record Security

It is important to have a record keeping system that is accurate and secure. Due to the confidential nature of these records, only authorised people should have access to this information. If the wrong person got hold of it, any ongoing negotiations could be put at risk. It could also damage your credibility as a reliable partner.