Q – What range of expertise does Erv Lewis Associates, LLC offer?
A – ELA focuses on optimizing value through business and industrial supply chains. Our expertise ranges from basic purchasing skills all the way through high level purchasing and supply management optimization strategies. A large percentage of our work deals with helping client companies transition from traditional to strategic purchasing and supply management, and training client employees in advanced techniques that facilitate optimized value delivery. We firmly believe your Purchasing and Supply Management function can be an effective competitive weapon.
Q - Why should I choose a CPSM or CPSD program from Dr. Ferguson and ELA?
A - With an ELA CPSM Review Class you get:
Q – On what do you base your belief in the value of Purchasing and Supply Management as a competitive weapon?
A – There are three broad activity areas in which a company’s profitability can be influenced. They are (1) the acquisition of goods and services, (2) conversion of those goods and services into a marketable product or service, and (3) marketing and sale of that product or service. Corporate America spends an average of 60% of revenue in the acquisition of required goods, materials, and services, and Purchasing/Supply Management manages that outflow. Each dollar of cost “takeout” from the acquisition process goes directly to the pre-tax bottom line. Neither conversion nor sales offers this kind of leverage. While the fastest route to organizational cost “takeout” is through developing Purchasing and Supply Management to deliver value of strategic importance to the company, we believe that a strategically focused supply chain can and must contribute in all three activity areas.
Q – Are your services limited to private business and industry?
A – No. In addition to business and industry, our services are utilized by ISM ® Affiliates and Chapters, agencies of the federal government, state and local government, and non-profit institutions. While the goals of these organizations may appear different, they are, in fact, similar. Achieving acceptable return on investment, providing services to taxpayers, or reaching the objectives of a non-profit institution all require revenue. And, whether that revenue takes the form of profit, tax, or contribution dollars, Purchasing and Supply Management’s objective is to support organizational goals by optimizing value from each level of the supply chain.
Q – What is the usual scope of programs managed by ELA?
A – Since the ELA training staff consists of both full and part-time trainers, with extensive experience in all aspects of Supply Chain Management, any training project scope, large or small, from hours to weeks, domestic or international, are all within our capabilities. Ask us, and let’s talk!
Q – How long are already established training programs?
A – Many training programs are currently designed for delivery over 2 days, as that seems to be the preference of most clients.
However, any existing training program can be condensed or expanded in accordance with the needs of the client.
Q – Can training programs be customized to more closely “fit” client organizational needs?
A – Definitely! Any course outline may be modified to provide broader coverage of topics of greater interest, while topics of lesser interest may be deleted. Such modification is typically in accordance with client suggestions, after client review of a program outline. In addition, we are not limited to the list of existing training programs. Contact us, share your needs, and let’s have a conversation.
Q – How do I initiate a project with Erv Lewis Associates, LLC?
A – Click on the “Contact” tab and send us an email, call or write to us. We will get back to you as quickly as possible to discuss your goals and expectations. Let’s talk and together plan for immediate value-added improvement for your procurement/supply chain organization.
A – ELA focuses on optimizing value through business and industrial supply chains. Our expertise ranges from basic purchasing skills all the way through high level purchasing and supply management optimization strategies. A large percentage of our work deals with helping client companies transition from traditional to strategic purchasing and supply management, and training client employees in advanced techniques that facilitate optimized value delivery. We firmly believe your Purchasing and Supply Management function can be an effective competitive weapon.
Q - Why should I choose a CPSM or CPSD program from Dr. Ferguson and ELA?
A - With an ELA CPSM Review Class you get:
- An instructor with 12 years of experience teaching the CPSM Exam and years of experience teaching the C.P.M. before that.
- An instructor with extensive teaching and practical supply chain experience
- An instructor who understands ISM. An instructor with over 30 years of ISM association at all levels including the national board of directors. An instructor who currently serves on CPSM exam-related working groups.
- An instructor who holds C.P.M. and CPSM, certifications and who has taken the ISM Train the Trainer class.
- A company founded by one of two key individuals (Erv Lewis) who actually created the CPSM Instructor materials.
- A program solidly grounded in the ISM philosophy. We use ISM copyrighted materials by permission.
- A program that provides an ISM copyrighted (by permission) Participant Answer Key at the end of each session. This includes all of the questions and answers covered in the class, including rationale for both correct and incorrect answers. It also includes additional study aids such as mini cases.
- A program that provides an ELA copyrighted summary of important issues for each task along with summary responses, keyed to the latest edition of the ISM Study Guide.
- A program with consistently and substantially higher pass rates than the national average.
Q – On what do you base your belief in the value of Purchasing and Supply Management as a competitive weapon?
A – There are three broad activity areas in which a company’s profitability can be influenced. They are (1) the acquisition of goods and services, (2) conversion of those goods and services into a marketable product or service, and (3) marketing and sale of that product or service. Corporate America spends an average of 60% of revenue in the acquisition of required goods, materials, and services, and Purchasing/Supply Management manages that outflow. Each dollar of cost “takeout” from the acquisition process goes directly to the pre-tax bottom line. Neither conversion nor sales offers this kind of leverage. While the fastest route to organizational cost “takeout” is through developing Purchasing and Supply Management to deliver value of strategic importance to the company, we believe that a strategically focused supply chain can and must contribute in all three activity areas.
Q – Are your services limited to private business and industry?
A – No. In addition to business and industry, our services are utilized by ISM ® Affiliates and Chapters, agencies of the federal government, state and local government, and non-profit institutions. While the goals of these organizations may appear different, they are, in fact, similar. Achieving acceptable return on investment, providing services to taxpayers, or reaching the objectives of a non-profit institution all require revenue. And, whether that revenue takes the form of profit, tax, or contribution dollars, Purchasing and Supply Management’s objective is to support organizational goals by optimizing value from each level of the supply chain.
Q – What is the usual scope of programs managed by ELA?
A – Since the ELA training staff consists of both full and part-time trainers, with extensive experience in all aspects of Supply Chain Management, any training project scope, large or small, from hours to weeks, domestic or international, are all within our capabilities. Ask us, and let’s talk!
Q – How long are already established training programs?
A – Many training programs are currently designed for delivery over 2 days, as that seems to be the preference of most clients.
However, any existing training program can be condensed or expanded in accordance with the needs of the client.
Q – Can training programs be customized to more closely “fit” client organizational needs?
A – Definitely! Any course outline may be modified to provide broader coverage of topics of greater interest, while topics of lesser interest may be deleted. Such modification is typically in accordance with client suggestions, after client review of a program outline. In addition, we are not limited to the list of existing training programs. Contact us, share your needs, and let’s have a conversation.
Q – How do I initiate a project with Erv Lewis Associates, LLC?
A – Click on the “Contact” tab and send us an email, call or write to us. We will get back to you as quickly as possible to discuss your goals and expectations. Let’s talk and together plan for immediate value-added improvement for your procurement/supply chain organization.