Choosing the right purchase request form

An internal customer sends you a request describing an item that they urgently need.

You quickly qualify and negotiate excellent conditions and collaborate with the internal client on a selection of proposals.

The order leaves and, at the last moment, your internal customer refuses the product!

Does this situation sound familiar to you? The problem is clear: the specifications were inadequate.

Is the internal customer at fault? Not completely.

Internal customers have their areas of specialty, and specification writing is usually not one of them.

Tenders are your daily routine. It is not your job to write the specifications but you should definitely help the requesting services to do so.

‍

This questionnaire consists of several questions which are for example:

• Does the product have a minimum, exact, or maximum size?
• Does the product have a minimum, exact, or maximum weight?
• Does the product have to be compatible with any other product?
• Does the product require a certain level of production per period of time?

The answers collected through this questionnaire should be integrated into the specifications given to suppliers.

This extra step will reduce the risk of internal customer dissatisfaction, and you won't have to worry about finding another supplier to solve a problem. On the other hand, the additional time spent writing the details for the customer and compiling them for the buyer is largely covered by the time it would take to manage non-compliance or non-satisfaction of the internal customer.

This always involves a very significant and unnecessary outlay of energy.

Here is a list of questions that can contribute to the successful development of effective specifications:

• Does the product have to be a specific color?
• Does the product have a minimum, exact, or maximum size?
• Does the product have a minimum, exact, or maximum weight?
• Does the product have to be compatible with any other product?
• Does the product have to fit in a specific space?
• Does the product have to be produced in a minimum number per time period?
• Does the product have to last a minimum of time?
• Is there a reason why you might use the product differently than “traditional use”?
• Does the product have to be attached to something?
• Will you need to change/redesign the product in the future?
• Does the non-delivery of the product cause a break in production for the company?
• Are you ready to pay for a sample before the first order?
• Are you going to test the product upon delivery?
• Why could you refuse the product? Write down as many reasons as you can. This helps us to make sure we get the right product for you from the first time you buy!

For these questions, if the answer is “yes”, as much information as possible should be detailed by the internal customer.
All these questions, adapted to your purchasing category, will help the internal customer to specify their needs and you to understand them in detail.

Objective : no refusal of goods!

‍

‍