Recommendations
Market Definition Supply chain strategy and planning consulting is a subset of the corporate strategy market. Gartner defines corporate strategy as “strategic advisory services that analyze risks and opportunities for clients.” Supply chain operations consulting is a specialized form of business operations consulting, which Gartner defines as “transformation advisory services that improve quality and efficiency for business operations in an organization.” These services focus on improving operations in functions that have physical assets (i.e., manufacturing, warehousing and logistics). Supply chain strategy and planning consulting is a subset of corporate strategy consulting. Gartner defines the latter as “strategic advisory services that analyze risks and opportunities for clients, working with them to develop a detailed strategic roadmap.” Supply chain operations consulting is a specialized form of business operations consulting, which Gartner defines as “transformation advisory services that improve quality and efficiency for business operations in an organization.” These services focus on improving operations in functions that have physical assets, such as manufacturing, warehousing and logistics. Ensure that key experts and leaders, such as project managers and solution architects presented during the proposal process, will be on the project by specifying in the contract that you must interview and have approval authority. This is important for key roles and any backfills or replacements that might be needed if a consultant transitions off the project. ■ Modernize the service provider sourcing and procurement to explicitly include assets as part of the evaluation process. Rate-card-based, time-and-expenses-focused sourcing can lead to lower cost engagements but miss the goal of the initiative. ■ Broaden the range of possible providers and define a more competitively priced longlist by including, on the longlist, IT and business process outsourcing providers that your company uses. ■ Keep the fundamentals when selecting a consulting firm. General descriptions of what you want to do or, worse, simply calling a few firms too often results in spending more than is necessary or getting insufficient deliverables. Instead, use a structured process that includes weighted selection criteria, client references and an evaluation model. ■
Gartner, Inc. | G00806330
Page 2 of 30
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs