STATE OF FLUX
2014 GLOBAL SRM RESEARCH REPORT
RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT & CULTURE 175
Openness and transparency, and a high level of information sharing, are characteristics of most successful relationships. Openness and transparency is identified as important or very important to supplier relationships by 90% of respondents. It is part behaviour and part actions. It’s very difficult to measure behaviour other than to observe it. It is however possible to measure actions – in this case the act of sharing information as an indicator of how open and transparent the relationship is. Compared to last year, we have seen an encouraging increase in the sharing of more strategic information. While operational performance data, demand and forecast information are still the most frequently shared, we have seen a 14% increase in the proportion of companies that are sharing their company strategy. Sharing of product and technology road maps has increased from 31% in 2013 to 36% this year and relationship strategies are being shared by 45% compared to 36% last year. The following feedback from respondents illustrates the inconsistency with which information is shared with suppliers.
We don’t have a formalised process for exchanging information with suppliers. This is done on an ad-hoc basis currently.
Managing Director – UK-based US financial services company
What we share and how we share it varies across the group.
Managing Director – UK professional services company
We share our own company view and discuss external press releases concerning the supplier.
Global Strategic Relationship Manager – UK mobile telecoms company
Safety statistics and lessons learnt. Category Manager, Services and Capital – Australian plastics manufacturer
We share information on an ad-hoc basis but certainly not frequently enough. General Manager, SRM – Australian telecom company
We seem to provide a lot of information, just not controlled or consistent. SRM Project Manager – healthcare company
Can be all of the above, or none. Information is not systematically shared. Senior Programme Manager – US technology company
Mostly operational and project information. Senior Supplier Relationship Manager – UK financial services company
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