As the Manager of a purchasing cooperative I get to see firsthand how many different printing companies manage their purchasing decisions. Companies that don’t manage this critical area don’t stay in business. Although some companies do a good job, I find that old habits die hard.

The people who are responsible for making purchasing decisions, Department Supervisors, Plant Managers, Purchasing Managers, etc. have developed relationships over the years that they use to guide them in their decisions. This in itself is not a bad thing. Good relationships are a key component of any vendor connection.  However, sometimes these relationships get in the way of good business decisions.

Here are a few observations I’ve had over the years: