Strategic Program Director
Supplier - Program Partnership
Let me tell you
about this project
Challenge
Our preferred industry suppliers are, generally speaking, very enthusiastic to partner closely with you on program business- for the same reason I’ve always loved them:
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Opportunity to know the brand on a deeper level
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The stability of consistent re-orders
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Greater ability to proactively partner with the brand
Unfortunately, many sales teams do not have the bandwidth to focus on how they can be providing the best partnership to the suppliers on these programs- in other words, how to get the most out of our relationships to boost everyone’s productivity and profitability.
Supplier’s proactive sales flyers, product mock ups, and general “if you have any projects I can help with, let me know” outreach attempts were often falling through the cracks in the sales teams full inboxes if they didn't hit an immediate client need.
Supplier meetings and lunch-and-learns were becoming more and more empty or not resulting in sales as they used to. Only to be met with the sales team feeling they were a waste of time in many cases. Refreshed approaches to our partnership was needed to establish accountability and clear direction for growth.
Key Results
Enhanced Program Performance
Increased Sales Team Efficiency
Clear Accountability and Growth
Strengthened Supplier Partnerships
Highlights
Accurate Cataloging
+ Registering Programs
Scheduled
Product Refresh
Scheduled bi-annual product refreshes with supplier support, focusing on client-specific suggestions and growth areas like departments or end-user needs.
Proactive Initiatives
Enabled suppliers to proactively meet the brand’s specific needs year-round. Improved our follow-up + sales of the supplier’s concepts.
Merchandise Branding Standards
Created 1-page "cheat-sheets" for suppliers to get to know key clients' merchandise needs and prefrences
Social Spotlights
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Approach
I implemented a collaborative and systematic approach to strengthen relationships with our preferred suppliers and optimize program performance:
Regularly met with account managers from our preferred suppliers to review our performance, key metrics, and discuss mutual benefits. These meetings fostered open communication about how we could enhance the partnership and ensure we became one of their preferred clients.
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Accurately cataloged all existing program products across the agency, allowing us to negotiate better net costs. We registered all programs with suppliers and provided the sales team with detailed information on program benefits and purchase order requirements to maximize value.
Scheduled bi-annual product refreshes for key programs, receiving ideation and mock-up support from suppliers. This process involved client-specific product suggestions, with a focus on areas needing growth such as specific departments, end-user needs, or product categories.
Developed one-sheet branding standards for key clients, outlining product preferences, budgets, logos, decoration methods, colors, and the product approval process. These guides empowered suppliers to proactively suggest new products year-round, reducing the need for frequent follow-ups by the sales or program teams.
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The implementation of client branding standards and structured supplier engagement ensured clear expectations for both parties. This created an environment of accountability and drove growth by encouraging suppliers to proactively meet the brand’s specific needs year-round, an additional layer of accountability for our follow-up and ultimately closing the sale of the supplier’s concepts.
By refining the approach to supplier meetings and lunch-and-learns, we increased attendance and engagement. The meetings became more focused on delivering actionable insights and opportunities, making them more valuable for the sales team and contributing directly to program growth.