Teach, Teach, Teach for Even More Supply Chain Savings!
I like to tell my students at our Certified Value Analysis Leadership™ Course* that education (at all levels of the supply chain) is the “magic bullet” for their supply chain success. In fact, I believe that 80% of a supply chain professional’s job should be to teach, teach, teach their bosses, peers, staff and suppliers how to save money and improve quality for their healthcare organization.
I just read an article that states that “teach, teach, teach” is Costco’s corporate philosophy too. Judith Logan, a Costco Assistant GMM, says in this article that it is Costco’s goal “to have buyers who are better educated in their products than their suppliers who sell them, to see through the marketing speak and offer the best value possible.” Costco even has Costco University to train their 130,000 employees in all aspects of their jobs, from food safety to buying Bordeaux wine. This speaks volumes about Costco’s never ending commitment to educating anyone and everyone who touches their members in any way.
That’s not all! At Costco’s “laundry college” their employees “work with laundry manufacturers to understand the science behind what makes a better laundry detergent. They spend time in the labs and touring the production facility” to make them experts in their respective disciplines.
Costco even has stringent certification and licensing programs for their gas station, hearing center, optical store, pharmacy, photo center and tire center employees. Costco invests this money in training because they want their employees to be held to the highest standards of professional competencies. “This translates to better service and value for their members” says Tammy Clark, Director of Training for their Hearing Centers.
What’s this all mean to you? If you aren’t creating a “a culture of wisdom”, as Costco calls it, with your internal and external supply chain community in every aspect of your supply chain management then you aren’t building the future of your supply chain on a sound foundation. Only through never ending training and education at all levels of your supply chain can you sustain, maintain and hold everyone that touches your products, services and technologies to the highest standards possible.
* Our next Certified Value Analysis Leadership™ Course will be held on November 4-6, 2008. Book now to save $200 before September 4th!
