Supply Chain Manager - Negotiation Seminar

SMT-Negotiations Seminar

Final Assignment

Student: Janelle Hébert

October 25, 2018

October 25, 2018

Jeremy Fisette

Supply Chain Manager

Titan Environmental

RE: Negotiation Seminar

Dear Jeremy,

Thank you for the time given and support you have shown me towards completing my Supply Management Training. I would like to take this time to address my negotiating skills and weaknesses, how they have changed after this seminar and how I have planned to further address my negotiating weaknesses.

Negotiations have always been a challenge for me due to my lack of experience and lack of knowing how to prepare, overestimating my own weaknesses/self-doubt and also setting my standards low. Although my list of weaknesses was long prior to this seminar, I managed to get by with my communication skills, my willingness to develop long-term relationships which aligns with our company goals and also by being a team player and never being afraid to ask for help when needed.

The seminar has thought me how to overcome some of my weaknesses such as learning how to prepare and knowing which questions to ask to get helpful information, what tactics are best for different situations, etc. Although I’ve learned a lot, I still have weaknesses to address such as lack of experience, learning how to strengthen my BATNA and also being able to make a final decision. My plan of action requires your help by including me in real day-to-day negotiations and allowing me to participate in the negotiations to develop experience. I would also like for us to discuss how you can help me feel comfortable with making a final decision by setting standards/procedures on purchasing approvals so I can determine when I have the authority to make decisions and/when I need approval from management.

Please let me know when would be a good time to further discuss the details I have outlined in the report that follows.

Thank you,

Janelle Hébert

Procurement & Logistics Coordinator

Strengths & Weaknesses Prior to Seminar

As the Procurement & Logistics Coordinator at Titan, I have been in situations where I’ve had to negotiate over price, delivery terms, payment terms, etc. which has mostly been done over email. While this has allowed me to develop great digital communication skills with international or distant suppliers, I lack strengths with in-person/face-to-face communication & negotiating due to lack of experience. As I am a shy person, I struggle when meeting face-to-face with strangers. Being able to negotiate over email has been a strength of mine as it takes away the personal aspect and I can take all the time I need to process my thoughts and prepare a response. It also allows me to ask others for advice and help as needed which I require due to my lack of experience and self-doubt. I believe being a good digital communicator is a strength because at some point in the negotiation, different agreed upon terms should be put in writing. I believe I am very good at formulating clear and organized emails and/or letters stating the agreed terms and conditions. It’s also a strength in our industry as most suppliers are overseas and digital communication is the only option. While being a good communicator over digital methods is important, I have a weakness when it comes to verbal communication. This is a very problematic weakness as a lot of important negotiations are done face-to-face and many things can be learnt by “small talk” and from reactions/facial expressions. I must learn to adapt to this as I will surely be faced with this situation frequently in the future with a career in Supply Chain Management and face-to-face meetings are a great way to develop strong relationships.