Intentional Relationships for Value Added Procurement with Tim Jenkins | Ep. 2

Tim Jenkins has spent 22 years in sales leadership, including time at the Guardian, before moving into the unusual position of advising procurement teams on how they are sold to. As Commercial Head of Strategy at Everwise and a global sales leader, he has spent years lifting the lid on the tactics suppliers use long before a tender ever exists, and teaching procurement professionals how to recognise and respond to them. We discussed why the sales playing field is structurally unequal, with sales organisations investing ten times more in training than their procurement counterparts, how suppliers build relationships with stakeholders months before a tender is even scoped, and why procurement teams who rely solely on a locked-down process are leaving themselves exposed. Tim also shared his thinking on the SPIN questioning technique, why trust exists between individuals rather than organisations, and why he believes the only way procurement teams and suppliers will differentiate themselves in an AI-driven future is through the strength of their human relationships. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (00:36) From sales leadership to advising procurement teams (02:12) Why the sales and procurement playing field isn't equal (02:46) How suppliers build relationships before the tender exists (04:02) Selling with each other, not to each other (05:30) The SPIN questioning technique explained (08:28) Tactics procurement teams can use in negotiation (11:00) What separates a good procurement leader from an influential one (13:49) Reconciling authenticity with commercial outcomes (15:48) Why trust exists between people, not organisations (18:38) Why AI can free up time but can't build relationships (20:45) Preparing for high-stakes stakeholder negotiations (23:32) The skills procurement professionals need going forward (35:53) Handling hostile or stalled negotiations (41:24) Why procurement teams should shadow their sales departments (45:49) How procurement will evolve in the next few years (48:59) Closing thoughts Links: Website https://everwise.co.uk Instagram   / everwiseteam   X https://x.com/everwiseteam Facebook   / everwiseteam   TikTok   / everwisepod   LinkedIn   / everwiseteam