FAQ’s

How much time/resource will be required to review our purchasing costs and processes?

Your investment of time and resource is kept to an absolute minimum. A brief meeting or conversation with The Purchasing Agency is all the commitment required from you. Given some easy-to-provide financial information together with details of your required specification and service levels, the agency will be able to progress a review on your behalf and return with proposals for your consideration.

How does The Purchasing Agency derive its income?

The service is provided at no cost to clients. The Purchasing Agency receives payment from its recommended supply partners for introducing new clients and new business turnover.

How are contractual relationships formed?

All resultant supply arrangements are contracted directly between you, the client, and the selected supply partner. The Purchasing Agency has no formal contractual involvement. You have complete control because the supply partner is contractually accountable to you for service delivery, quality and price.

Can I have any specification I require?

The Purchasing Agency negotiate seach supply contract to meet the specific requirements of its client organisation. Your bespoke needs will be met or exceeded. Rather than risk compromising existing standards to achieve cost reductions, negotiated contracts often secure improved service levels as well as cost savings.

Will there be a Service Level Agreement?

Yes. All supply partners introduced by The Purchasing Agency are experts in their sector and a Service Level Agreement that reflects your specific requirements from the supply arrangement will be prepared and readily signed by the supply partner.

How do I know that the suppliers introduced by The Purchasing Agency will remain price-competitive in the future?

The supply partners recommended by The Purchasing Agency want to remain long-term partners and are completely committed to providing highly competitive deals for clients. All have demonstrable track records in client retention which is a good indication that they remain competitive even in later years. When your first contract with a supply partner is due for renewal, The Purchasing Agency will be on hand to ensure that you are comfortable with all aspects of the new contract and that terms remain competitive. 

Can The Purchasing Agency conduct a review of several areas of expenditure on our behalf?

Yes. The Purchasing Agency would be happy to offer advice on the potential for cost savings in any area of your current operations. Often it is the case that a broader understanding of a client’s business activities leads to greater benefits.

Can The Purchasing Agency help me to review the potential benefits and pitfalls of outsourcing certain business functions?

The Purchasing Agency has an excellent pedigree in exploring outsourced solutions for client organisations of all sizes. It offers an objective framework and consultation on the merits or otherwise of outsourcing business functions and help you to understand how they are best managed. Too often organisations see outsourcing as a ‘decision of necessity’ in times of difficulty, whereas the more enlightened businesses see it as a positive ‘decision of choice’ and an acceptance that no organisation can be expert in all areas, particularly where those areas are non-core functions for their business.

Do I have to use the supply partners recommended by The Purchasing Agency?

The Purchasing Agency has put a lot of time and effort into selecting best-of-breed supply partners to recommend to its clients. However, if you have a long-standing trading relationship or a reciprocal trading agreement with a supply source, then The Purchasing Agency will work with you to ensure that such an arrangement is beneficial to your organisation. If permitted, The Purchasing Agency will conduct due diligence on your preferred supply source and provide you with a benchmark report which will show whether your preferred deal is comparable with market-leading supply arrangements. If not, you can engage The Purchasing Agency to renegotiate improved terms and, if necessary, service levels from your preferred source. Almost inevitably, such an arrangement results in compromise by the client.