When people think of "negotiation," they often assume that all it involves is parties figuring out specific terms and conditions of a potential agreement. However, negotiation involves much more in the conduct of business, and it starts right from the moment a procurement leader communicates with an internal stakeholder or a vendor. While there is no one correct way to do business, there are established methods that procurement leaders can employ to make securing the optimal deal easier. Here are some of those methods:

When people hear the words product supply chain, they often picture trucks, warehouses, and products moving from one place to another. And yes, that is part of it. But supply chain is much more than that — especially in today’s retail and CPG environment. It affects inventory, forecasting, availability, cash flow, service levels, and ultimately the shopper experience. And that shopper experience now stretches well beyond the shelf. It includes eCommerce, buy online/pick up in store, ship-to-home, store fulfillment, and returns that may happen through multiple channels. So if we still think about supply chain as “just moving product,” we are missing a big part of the picture.