Supply Chain Expert

How do you assess the risk exposure of relying on a single supplier for a critical component?

I look at the supplier's financial stability, geographic concentration, and how easily an alternative could be qualified if something went wrong, rather than judging risk purely on how reliable the relationship has been historically. A supplier that's been reliable for years can still represent significant concentrated risk if there's no viable backup.

What's your approach to identifying where in a supply chain process the most waste or delay is occurring?

I map the process end to end and measure actual cycle time at each step, rather than relying on where people assume the bottleneck is, since the step that feels slowest isn't always the one contributing the most delay. Data usually points to a different priority than intuition.

How do you build and maintain a strong working relationship with a key supplier over time?

I keep communication consistent even when there's no active issue, not just when a problem comes up, since a relationship built only around problem solving tends to feel transactional. I also try to understand the supplier's own constraints so requests I make are realistic rather than purely one sided.

What's your process for deciding whether to consolidate purchasing with fewer suppliers or diversify across more?

I weigh the cost benefits of consolidation, like volume pricing, against the risk concentration it creates, since depending heavily on one supplier increases exposure if that relationship has a disruption. The right balance depends on how critical and how substitutable the category actually is.