Robert Wiseman Dairies knows that low-cost supplies are not the be all and end all. As today’s story shows, it has decided to raise the price it pays dairy farmers for milk to reflect a rise in bulk cream prices. Good relationships with suppliers are one thing, but voluntarily raising the price of milk by [...]
This week a reader has asked: “Suppliers to my company, a major UK airport, usually use third party couriers for deliveries. Despite spelling out our specific delivery requirements, which often require prior notification and identification, we often find deliveries problematic due to a ‘can’t do’ attitude from the carrier. What action can we take with [...]
This issue’s guest opinion writer, Andy Davies, deputy chief executive at FireBuy, explains his unease at explaining his profession to strangers: “It’s worst when I’m at a dinner party with people I don’t know,” he says. “They’ll be in medicine, marketing or merchant banking and I know that sooner or later they’re going to ask [...]
A Deloitte report published today warns the cost of dairy, bread and meat will have to increase as British farmers pass on the burden of rising wheat costs. Floods, the recent foot-and-mouth scare and the desire for biofuels which has increased demand, and therefore prices, for grain have all hit the industry hard. Now analysts [...]
It’s no secret that some companies will stoop to very cheesy marketing tactics to win customers. And it’s surprising how generic the tactics can be. Advertising trade journal Campaign has published a list of top clichés employed on TV, featuring adverts with bathrooms that sparkle, fathers who are constantly outwitted by their kids and nasty, [...]
This week SM’s adviser panel was asked: We are doing a lot of work with local SMEs and are identifying how we can use social/community benefit clauses in contracts. Do you have examples of the exact wording we can use in public sector contracts? SME development officer, Caerphilly Our advisers said – * These clauses [...]
In the next issue of Supply Management, out tomorrow – Featured Articles Top flight purchasing – Most of us use airlines for business or holidays, but how do they keep us on the move – what do they buy and what are the challenges? Improve your mileage – A look at how most organisations could [...]
It seems financial confusion is currently widespread in UK companies. Communications consultancy Radley Yeldar says firms are failing to meet the EU Transparency Directive, introduced last January, which requires companies to issue interim management statements (IMS) midway between the half-year and full-year results. It says 14 per cent of UK companies have not met the [...]
Back in August 2002, we reported on London Fire Brigade’s search for breathing apparatus that would allow orthodox Sikhs to join the service. Standard face-masks could not be used by anyone with a lot of facial hair and there were no suppliers able to meet the challenge of providing a suitable alternative. Terry Brewer, then [...]
Lists of crazy laws from around the world are always amusing as this one from today’s Times proves. Who knew it was illegal to hail down a black cab if you had the plague, or that Welshmen are banned from Chester at night? But it got me thinking about procurement regulations. There are always complaints [...]
