Can You Predict Vendor Performance?  "The key to superior vendor performance is measuring vendor performance."  Let me unequivocally say that this statement is a myth. Yes, it"s true that measuring vendor performance is very critical for improving vendor performance.  However, the most important element in achieving superior vendor performance is sourcing and selecting the right vendor. There is no foolproof way of selecting a vendor whose performance will never disappoint you.  However, there are three questions you can ask about a vendor that will help you better predict that vendor"s future performance: 1.  Is this category the vendor"s core competency?  Some     vendors do only one thing and do it well. Others do a     multitude of things but specialize in one.  That area of     specialization is called a core competency.  An office     supply vendor may also provide printing services.  A     computer manufacturer may also make printers.  You need to     identify what the vendor"s core competency is.  If you     purchase products or services outside of a vendor"s core     competency, the risk of poor performance is greater. 2.  Does the vendor have experience with requirements like     mine?  Find out if the vendor has provided products or     services of similar specifications, with similar lead     times, to similarly-sized customers in similar industries.      The more similar the vendor"s successful experience is to     your requirements, the more likely that the vendor will     perform well for you. 3.  How will my contract impact the vendor"s capacity?  Some     purchasing professionals will research the answers to     questions 1 and 2.  Those are important questions, but     there is still a significant probability that the vendor     will fail unless you confirm the vendor"s capacity.      Capacity represents the available people, equipment,     and/or facility space required to fulfill your orders.      Just because a vendor is successful with a customer similar     to your organization doesn"t mean that they have the     resources to duplicate that success simultaneously.  For     critical contracts, you need the vendor to thoroughly     explain how they are going to allocate people, equipment,     and/or facility space to your orders.  Are those resources     in use today?  Will they be freed up by a project coming     to completion?  Will the vendor have to add resources? If     not, how challenging will it be for the vendor to squeeze     your requirements into the current resources" capacity?  

作者：李震  MBA、 PMP
    香港科技大学工商管理硕士（MBA），国内最早的PMP之一，资深项目管理专家，采购专家，学院派+ 实战派的典型代表。原华为公司拉美地区部项目分包业务负责人，曾任华为数据中心项目副经理、印尼、委内瑞拉、巴西Turnkey业务部总监，公司采购专家团成员，流程优化小组成员，内部培训讲师。作为项目核心团队成员，李老师迄今参与完成国内项目超过80亿人民币, 海外项目2亿美元，足迹遍及亚太、中东、欧洲及拉美。李老师曾参加过多个国内大型项目的项目咨询， 并参与众多海外大型电信项目的招投标策略，项目管理策略，采购策略的制定审核工作．
    李老师的课程不但传授脚踏实地具体管理工具、运作流程方法，还具有高度的战略视野，把项目管理、采购管理i放在企业环境、行业环境、乃至宏观经济以及全球化的大背景下进行评述。
    李老师在PMP考前培训的辅导方面具有独到的方法，讲解过程中穿插大量实战案例，声情并茂，将学员带入一个个具体的场景，并与学员模拟演练项目运作，以强化学员对项目管理的理解。
    李老师之前曾在华为公司内部（包括对中国籍及外籍员工的培训）主讲PMP考前培训和考前模拟辅导。07年离开华为后李老师先后为深圳高科集团、福瑞博德软件公司、豪利士电线装配（深圳）有限公司进行过多期PMP考前培训， 平均通过率90%以上。