Procurement Isn’t About the Cheapest Option—It’s About the Smartest One
" Your purchase team works only on L1, that’s why I don’t disturb you." These were the words of a young sales officer, sitting in my office years ago. He was fresh in the industry but had already helped me solve a major problem in the plant. After that meeting, he walked out with confidence. And later? He became a major supplier for our plant. His solutions helped us reduce costs in his product range—not by simply being the cheapest but by being the smartest choice. Because procurement isn’t about finding the cheapest option. It’s about finding the SMART option: S – Specification M – Material Quality A – After-Sales Support R – Return on Investment T – Timely Delivery Sales, Procurement & The Bigger Picture Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with sales professionals from different companies. Some of them met me early in their careers—just like the one in this story. I shared insights on the cement industry, discussed their sales strategies, and taught ...