Show your value, grow your business:

Transcription

1 Show your value, grow your business: A SUPPLIER GUIDE TO MOVE FROM A TRANSACTIONAL PROVIDER TO A STRATEGIC PARTNER KAREN A. CALINSKI

2 INTRODUCTION /02 At KellyOCG we take a holistic approach to talent sourcing and management. Known as Talent Supply Chain Management, this strategy allows clients to focus on having the right talent to achieve their business goals while KellyOCG ensures the right processes and suppliers are in place to provide the needed talent. Unique to the workforce solutions industry, KellyOCG has a Supplier Development team dedicated to supplier growth, mentorship and advocacy with the objective of identifying qualified suppliers and matching them to our client s needs. The team has representation in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions as well as, representatives that focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives. This Talent Supply Chain team keeps abreast of the growing industry trends; including, but not limited to: Online Staffing Communities, Independent Contractors, Statement of Work Providers and boutique search firms. The intent of this guide is to offers suppliers a few tips on how to break through the clutter and become a trusted business partner. It includes recommendations on how to establish yourself, get on-boarded to a program, and then further expand your relationship from a transactional supplier to a strategic partner and thereby grow your business.

3 INTRODUCTION /03 Staffing Suppliers: businesses that source and supply talent either directly to an end client or through a third-party service provider that acts on behalf of the end client. End Client: the buyer organization to which talent (staff) or the work product is ultimately delivered. Third-party service provider: a workforce solutions company that acts on behalf of an end client to manage their supply chain of staffing suppliers. This is the connection through which staffing suppliers gain access to client-driven opportunities.

4 01 /04 Where should you start?

5 WHERE SHOULD YOU START? /05 A valuable conversation or series of conversations this is the key to a successful relationship. But how do you define value for someone you have never even met? How do you determine what a potential client wants and needs from you before you even get a foot in the door? Leading a valuable conversation requires a little research up front, but it is well worth the effort. Among many other benefits, this will help you determine where the genuine opportunities lie; it will save your time and theirs. The most important piece of advice for beginning a positive sales interaction with a target client is to ask the right questions upfront. This will ensure you re having the right conversation with the right person at each stage of the sales process. Clearly, you re unlikely to land a big new contract in a single phone call, and you will probably need to speak with many different people over a period of time to achieve your outcomes. However, careful consideration of who you re speaking with, and what they need to know at that particular point in time, will help to lay the foundation for a successful relationship. Connect through the established processes: Find out if the third-party service provider has a team responsible for managing their supplier network. For example, KellyOCG has a dedicated supplier advocate team responsible for developing mutually beneficial supplier relationships.

6 WHERE SHOULD YOU START? /06 Do s: Find an advocate: Well-organized businesses that take their supplier relationships seriously will have people whose role it is to advocate for, and work alongside their suppliers. Seek this role out first. Ask them directly about what they expect and need from you. You can do this through LinkedIn, online through the company s website or by calling the organization and asking them to help you find the right contact. Adhere to established processes and protocol. Ask them directly about what they expect and need from you. Ask how you can help: when you find your advocate, consider how you might help them first. What information could you help them gather? How might you supply information on a specific solution that they are unsure about? Sharing your knowledge and information about an industry, client or trend is a way to provide value to any relationship.

7 WHERE SHOULD YOU START? /07 Don ts: Don t rely solely on an existing contact to open doors: If you know someone already inside your target organization it is natural to start out by contacting that person. However, it is important not to rely solely on that relationship to get your entire sales message through to the right people. This can put pressure on the wrong individuals and you may not get the direct feedback you need about targeting future messages. Ask for information to help you target your communications. Don t make assumptions: ask for information to help you target your communications and help solve the end-client s problems. Don t assume you have the right solution already. If there is third-party service provider (MSP) in place, don t go around the system. This will be viewed negatively by the client.

8 02 /08 Know your customer(s)

9 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER(S) /09 Lead every conversation with knowledge and understanding of the big picture. Clearly, as a supplier you will have two customers: the third-party service provider partner as well as the end client. Understanding how the third-party service provider operates, what they look for, how programs are built, and what their key objectives are is as important as knowing your end client s business inside and out. Being well-researched on both gives you the best possible opportunity to develop a strong relationship. When you know your customers you are in a better position to help them solve any problems. What are the key challenges each of them faces right now? How can you help them without creating more work or asking for large-scale changes in a current program that may already be underway? How can you add value and prove yourself first? When you know your customers, you know their pain points, their preferred ways of operating and their competitive landscape. When you know your customers you are in a better position to help them solve any problems they might have (and land the account).

10 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER(S) /10 Do s: Research before you talk: most organizations provide information and guides to assist you with your initial conversations. Showing that you took the time to research this information demonstrates that you are interested in building a relationship that goes beyond the transactional. It is critical to understand the complexity of supplier network relationships. Be patient for results: if you re having the right conversations with the right people and you have solutions to offer, the opportunities are likely to follow. However, it s critical to understand the complexity of supplier network relationships and lead-times in different programs. Manage your expectations and those of your own organization realistically. Ask for feedback: when things don t go your way, find out why.

11 KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER(S) /11 Don ts: Don t assume you know how the third-party service provider or the end client feel about other suppliers: It s one thing to understand your differentiating features and why you might be able to offer a better service or product than your competitors. However, your target customers may want to get to know you first before hearing about the weaknesses of their other suppliers. They want and need proof of the benefits of working with you, so work on this first. Your target customers may want to get to know you first. Don t look for different answers from different people: Even when you do have multiple contacts inside an organization, ensure transparency in your conversations and make sure you understand how decisions apply and when they are final.

12 03 /12 Find the right tone

13 FIND THE RIGHT TONE /13 Being a great sales and client relationship manager takes tact and tenacity, in the right measures. You need to know when to push a little harder, and when to back off and that s not always easy. Most end clients and third-party provider partners will accept that it is part of your role as a sales or account manager to create new opportunities for your organization. However, doing this with a tone that respects those company cultures, and the person you re building a relationship with, is crucial. When you know you ve built some genuine trust and interest in your capabilities, ask for a short meeting to give you the opportunity to prove yourself. Once you have it, make it count.

14 FIND THE RIGHT TONE /14 Do s: Ask them what kind of meeting suits them: you may want to present face-to-face every time, but if they would prefer a conference call, be receptive to their needs. Talk about your value (not just why you think you re great). Keep it brief: short, effective meetings are what potential partners want. If they want more information, make it available and keep the conversation going. Send a short, professional information pack before your meeting: pique their interest and give them key background statistics or details so you can spend more time during the meeting focusing on the information that matters. Create a quick value proposition: be clear, convincing and succinct about how you differentiate yourself from your competitors. Talk about your value (not just why you think you re great). Consider issues such as broader strategic relationships or technology you have access to that might make their lives easier. Focus on metrics: Speak about the numbers that matter to both your third-party service provider partner and the end client. Name the top 10 skills you filled this quarter; which locations are your strongest; what is your average cycle time.

15 FIND THE RIGHT TONE /15 Dont s: Don t forget your audience: Focus on the issues that matter to them. Long presentations with a detailed history of your company, or where all your teams are located may not be what they want to hear most. Put yourself in their shoes and tailor each presentation to suit. Don t promise the world: Be honest and upfront about what skills/specialties you can provide, rather than attempting to fill all roles. Value is often created when there was a need and a business partner responded with a solution. By pinpointing your specialty and applying your expertise to a client need you will be seen as strategic and trusted. Value is often created when there was a need and a business partner responded with a solution. Don t ignore errors: Be professional in your communications. Make sure they are spell-checked, accurate and addressed appropriately. Don t use gimmicks: Understand that your may not have the same importance to your client as it may have to you, so don t use fear tactics or misleading subject headings just to get your opened. Your may end up being marked as spam without you realizing.

16 04 /16 Be different, act different

17 BE DIFFERENT, ACT DIFFERENT /17 What differentiates you from your competitors? Have you developed specific high-quality capabilities in Asia-Pacific or do you have experience in developing economies within South America or Eastern Europe? Do you have one thing you can talk about that you know your competitors will find difficult to replicate? When you know what your differentiating points are, focus on them in your conversations so that your service provider partner can make an informed decision about whether or not you are what the end client needs. Help them compare your product and value quickly and easily so they can advocate on your behalf.

18 BE DIFFERENT, ACT DIFFERENT /18 Do s: Be factual: back up your differentiation with metrics and communicate them clearly. Be specific: Statements such as we are a leading... or we are a top provider... are statements you should be able to substantiate with specific proof points. Stick to what s relevant: you may have differentiating features that are less relevant to some end clients than others. Focus on what matters most and provide more information if asked.

19 BE DIFFERENT, ACT DIFFERENT /19 Don ts: Don t try to be everything to everyone: the whole point of being different is that you offer something no one else does. Being clear about this ensures you align with the service provider partners and end clients that really need you. Don t use out-of-date information: When you secure a sales meeting, deliver accurate, up-to-date responses that enable a quick decision. Stay in touch with how the market is evolving so you are seen as a valued industry thought leader. The whole point of being different is that you offer something no one else does.

20 05 /020 Expanding on your success

21 EXPANDING ON YOUR SUCCESS /21 If you do become a supplier to a third-party service provider, remember why you were brought on when you re planning ways to grow accounts. Usually, you re there because: you communicated effectively about your offering Every client relationship is based on demand (and performance). you managed the right relationship in a respectful and helpful way you offered a solution the end client needed you delivered consistently Being added to a new program is not just about your capabilities, but also the maturity of the end clients supplier optimization efforts. Every client relationship is based on demand (and performance). You were successful in responding to demand by supplying a solution, and this is the key to keeping and growing every account.

22 EXPANDING ON YOUR SUCCESS /22 If you do want to grow an account, think of your opportunities in the following ways: Succeed in your offerings meet client demand; perform well during the evaluation (scorecard process) and do so consistently. By having documented, repeated success you have proven your capabilities and become dependable to the third-party service provider Be proactive and help come up with solutions: determine what you can do to improve the service your third-party partner delivers to the end client. How can you support their business objectives in order to secure your own? Your focus should be on marketing the talent you have access to that helps meet the end client s needs. Be flexible and innovate: think of new ways or solutions to partner with a thirdparty service provider. MSP and Master Vendor/Staffing relationships are no longer the only ways to partner or obtain access to new clients. As part of a talent supply chain approach, your focus should be on marketing the talent you have access to that helps meet the end client s needs. If you can alter your own processes to suit these different needs, you will be valuable. Stay on top of trends: what are you seeing in your engagements that is relevant elsewhere? Where do you see new opportunities that both you, your third-party service provider partner and the end client might benefit from? Share information and help your service provider partner to innovate too.

23 /23 Conclusion Every interaction matters when you are looking to evolve your relationship from a transactional supplier to a strategic partner. When you consistently demonstrate a clear understanding of the big picture, and of your distinct capabilities within the solution delivery process, you will provide the kind of value that end clients and third-party service providers want and need more of. Regardless of which third-party solutions provider you work with (or want to work with in the future), here are some recommended best practices: know your customer(s) speak from a position of real knowledge and true capability differentiate your service offering be proactive and flexible

24 /24 Definitions TALENT SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (TSCM): is a proactive approach to securing and optimizing talent supply and services through all input channels. It integrates the management of both the permanent and contingent workforces to determine the optimal mix and strategic value of all human capital within the organization. PROGRAM OFFICE (FOR TALENT MANAGEMENT): this is the people, processes and technology set up by an MSP, MV or BPO/RPO provider to manage talent sourcing and management. It is the structure through which all HR/recruitment suppliers are managed. MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER (MSP): A company that takes on primary responsibility for managing an organization s contingent workforce program and the various sourcing models within it. Typical responsibilities of an MSP include overall program management, reporting and tracking, supplier selection and management, order distribution, and consolidated billing. DIRECT TALENT SUPPLY: this is when individual recruitment and HR companies work directly with an employer to provide talent sourcing and management services. MASTER VENDOR: A staffing supplier that takes overall responsibility for providing clients with temporary staff. All orders will usually go first to the master supplier to either be filled or distributed to secondary suppliers. Sometimes a master supplier will not only provide a significant portion of the temporary staff working at the employer s site but also manage an organization s contingent workforce program.

25 For more thought leadership go to talentproject.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR KAREN A. CALINSKI is a lead consultant in the KellyOCG Talent Supply Chain Management Practice, providing expertise across the Americas. She is integral in developing supply base relationships that support the success of Kelly workforce solutions. In her role she serves as an advocate for the suppliers by providing them guidance in new opportunities and mentorship in existing relationships. Karen joined the KellyOCG Contingent Workforce Outsourcing practice in 2001 and has held progressively more responsible positions in MSP program operations and strategic account development. In her roles she has consulted with clients on their supply strategy and how best to respond to changes in labor demands. Additionally, she has advised clients and suppliers on data analytics and supplier scorecarding. Under her guidance, suppliers have ranked KellyOCG as a Top Provider for MSP services. Karen received her Bachelor s in Science degree from the University of Maryland in She holds the Certified Outsourcing Professional designation from the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals. ABOUT KELLYOCG KellyOCG, the Outsourcing and Consulting Group of workforce solutions provider, Kelly Services, Inc., is a global leader in integrated workforce solution delivery for clients worldwide, utilizing proven talent supply chain strategies. In addition to integrated solutions, KellyOCG specializes in Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Contingent Workforce Outsourcing (CWO), Human Resources Consulting, Career Transition and Executive Coaching & Development, and Executive Search. Further information about KellyOCG may be found at kellyocg.com. KellyOCG was named in the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals 2014 Global Outsourcing 100 list, an annual ranking of the world s best outsourcing service providers and advisors. EXIT