Keeping up with the technology of how we buy and sell is the challenge of today. The feedback we received from numerous supplier coordinators in response to our mention of the cooperative Internet purchasing ventures being put together in a number of industries is that it came as a surprise to them. Few, if any, were consulted or even informed. Web auctions, he fears, will reduce everything down to price per unit. Not only that, when you're in a bidding war, everybody knows everybody else's price.
Service has to mean more than simply delivering the goods at the lowest possible cost.
However, there is some good news. Our editor had the opportunity to speak with some key people about just these issues. According to Ray Jensen, director, minority supplier development, Ford Motor Company, minority suppliers can and should use the same strategy and techniques when sourcing raw materials, and make their purchases via the Internet. And when asked if all these changes will be damaging to Ford's supplier diversity program, he assured us they would not. We track minority spending now and will continue to do so.