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Project Manager Advantage Compared with Procurement Manager
POSTED ON August 23, 2021
When producing products in China or any other country, many importers struggle with project management. They often have to struggle with issues such as delays and quality problems due to language barrier and not having an on-ground team. To make matters worse, you may end up with a supplier who over-commits or is unreliable. The only way you can prevent these problems is by hiring services of a project manager advantage, and not just a sourcing agent or a procurement manager.
Having a project manager working for you is even more important in case of new product development or when you are sourcing a large number of products from many different vendors. Let’s find out why you need a project manager and not just a procurement manager when sourcing from China. A project manager can take care of all management issues pertaining to your sourcing needs. These professionals are not only adept at handling all import-related issues, but they are also fluent in language which makes it easy for them to communicate with the local suppliers. They can work directly with you and the suppliers to ensure smooth running of the project. Unless you have a local office in China, you will have to frequently fly to China to coordinate things. This is both practically and economically a non-viable solution. The most practical way to take care of your China sourcing needs is to have an on-the-ground team to manage things for you. It is good to have a sourcing agent working for you, but you need more than just a sourcing agent when you have a complex supply chain that needs to be managed. A local team will have processes and networks in place to manage your project efficiently. When someone chooses to get new product development done in another country, they have to set up an entire supply chain to ensure smooth operations. You need a dedicated local project manager to take care of the supply chain management so that issues such as delays and quality issues do not occur. When you are sourcing from China or any other country and you choose to work directly with a supplier, there are chances that you will make some mistakes. These mistakes can cost you dearly. So, it is essential that you choose your supplier wisely and then have a local project manager take care of the entire supply chain. Once you have had a bad experience, seek professional help and find yourself a qualified manufacturer. Leave no scope for mistakes this time. It becomes essential to have a local project manager working for you if need coordination between a number of parties such as different suppliers, quality control agencies, testing laboratories and shipping companies. The project manager will ensure seamless communication with all the parties involved for smooth running of the project. Better planning: A professional project manager can plan your supply chain much better than anyone else. They are well aware of all the planning techniques and can ensure seamless end-to-end planning.
Efficient organizing: A good project manager will have access to cutting-edge processes to organize your supply chain effectively. They also have the requisite networks in place to organize everything efficiently.
Good communication: The biggest benefit of having a local project manager run your project is good communication. When your manufacturing is taking place in China and you are located in a Western country, language barriers and time zone differences can greatly hamper communication. This can be overcome by having a project manager who knows the language, culture and local markets well.
Regular follow-up and reporting: Sitting in another country, you may find it very difficult to regularly follow-up on the progress of your project. The inability to follow-up can cause delays and other issues. A project manager can regularly follow-up with all parties involved and report the progress to you.
The ultimate benefit is timely project completion at the expected cost and quality. There are no last-minute surprises that can put your entire project at risk.
If you too are planning new product development in China and you need an on-the-ground team to handle your project, please get in touch with us. We are a team of sourcing experts headed by a PMP-certified project management expert. With industry experience spanning years, we can help you with all your sourcing and new product development needs in China. Call us now to discuss your project.
