What We Do

Negotiation & Mentoring

Calibri offers a fresh input and perspective of the challenges and opportunities your business is facing. We have the experience & insight to coach and mentor your buying team and provide them with the tools and approach to make immediate impact on the overall business.

Buying is often first associated with strong Negotiation Skills, but this is built on a wider set of skills such as of Information Analysis, Communication, Prioritisation, Relationship Management and strong Process Execution. All play a vital role in effective buying.

We have found the implementation of a simple set of tools have released the buyer to focus where they can make the biggest impact to the bottom line. To often, we find the buying function so caught up in fire fighting that they haven't the bandwidth to addressing the business critical issues impacting the business. This is even more the case now as companies grapple with replenishment levels not seen in most peoples life time.

Brexit Risk & Supply Audit

Calibri can assist you with a Supply Review or Brexit Audit to identify and prioritise the risks and opportunities in your supply chain.

Supply disruption has been witnessed everywhere as everything from manufacturing shutdowns, changing consumption patterns, supplier rationalisations and logistical issues all impact supply lines normally expecting replenishment levels in the high 90's.

However Covid-19's chaos may only be a taste of the supply disruption faced by the UK's departure from the EU trade block. Companies need to brace for potentially drastic upheaval of their supply base. Traditionally reliable supply partners have already been seen to prioritise home market to the detriment of their customers remaining in the EU.

As yet, it is not clear what administration requirements will impact supply from & through the United Kingdom. Even your local supplier could be effected if its supply is slowed or blocked with the changes of the UK's trading relationship with the EU. We fully expect to see a frantic last minute move to de-risk supply chains by developing new partnerships with EU suppliers. However many companies plans to prepare for Brexit have been postponed by Covid-19, leaving them less chance to prepare.

Companies with a predominately UK-reliant supply chain will face two issues particularly risky to cash flow; supply gaps impacting their sales and better prepared competitors stealing their customers while they try to catch up finalising new relationships and suppliers.

Supply Disruption and the Opportunity to Win Market Share

Calibri provides the support to undertake a structured Suppler Review and Assortment / Range Reviews in light of the various influences impacting business today from Covid-19 disruption, trade (dis)agreements and recessionary pressures.

Gaps and changes in product assortment have become commonplace. Many suppliers have rationalised their ranges, formats and SKU's with immediate effect without a plan to reintroduce for a number of years. Customers have accepted reduced choice given the circumstances, but the company that can best align their customer's needs with a consistently available assortment will be the winners in this economic cycle.

The buying function has an opportunity to position your company for success if a systematic approach to range review and supplier audit is undertaken. This will impact the immediate cash flow position positively through correction of inventory exposure and removal of slow moving lines.

Equally, a suppliers review will position your company to win through the projected prolonged out of stocks, supply disruption and demand changes driven by the economic and logistical upheavals.

Vendor Management & Supplier Communication

Your relationship with your suppliers is vital to the future of your business. A structured system to the ebb and flo of the buying calendar will give you the scope to manage when the inevitable surprise comes your way.

The supply base is also a crucial tool to staying on top of consumer and industry trends as they often have a wider perspective.

In times of change, as is currently the norm, a communication plan across multiple points in the organisation can help you be better prepared for the new and approaching challenges. Forewarned is forearmed, awareness of an issue effecting your suppliers allows you prepare and even plan for an opportunity to gain market share.

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