Supplier consolidation is often positioned as an easy win: fewer vendors, more leverage, better discounts, and less administrative work. In many cases, there is real value in simplifying a supplier program, especially when too many vendors are receiving opportunities without producing results. But I also think there is a point where consolidation stops creating efficiency […]

One of the biggest mistakes I see in contingent workforce programs is measuring supplier activity instead of supplier performance. It is easy to track how many candidates a vendor submitted, how quickly they responded to a requisition, or how many roles they touched in a quarter. Those numbers are useful, but on their own, they […]

I have spent a lot of time in and around contingent workforce programs, and one conversation continues to come up: how many vendors should we really have? It sounds like a simple question, but in my view, it is often the wrong one. There is absolutely such a thing as having too many suppliers in […]

RFPs are designed to bring structure and clarity to an important decision. On paper, the process makes sense. Define the requirements, evaluate multiple providers, compare responses, and select the best partner.  But in the contingent workforce space, the outcome does not always reflect the intention.  Many organizations go through a detailed RFP process and still end up with […]

Most organizations think about attracting talent as an internal effort. Employer brand, job descriptions, and recruiting teams all play a role. But in a contingent workforce program, there is another layer that is often overlooked. Your vendors are your front line.  They are the ones speaking to candidates every day. They shape how your company is positioned in the […]

There is no shortage of great presentations in the contingent workforce space. Every MSP and supplier can walk into a room with a polished deck, strong messaging, and a sales team that knows how to tell a compelling story. On paper, it all makes sense. The strategy sounds right. The model looks proven. The results […]

Flexibility has become one of the most common words used in the contingent workforce. It shows up in nearly every conversation, every proposal, and every strategy discussion. Flexible workforce. Flexible staffing. Flexible solutions. It sounds right and it sounds necessary. But when you look closer, many programs that claim to be flexible are still operating in very rigid ways.  Most contingent workforce […]

Most contingent workforce conversations start with speed. How quickly can we find the right talent, how fast can we fill the role, how do we keep things moving. Those are important questions. But what happens after the contractor starts is where the real outcome is determined.  The first 90 days of a contractor often set the tone for the entire engagement. Yet it is […]

Over the years, I have heard the term strategic partner used in countless conversations. It appears in contracts, quarterly business reviews, supplier presentations, and executive meetings. Clients use it to describe suppliers, and suppliers use it to describe clients.  The question I continue to come back to is simple: What does it actually mean?  Too often, […]

As EVP at Koncert IT Solutions, I spend a lot of time talking with clients about their contingent workforce programs. Most of the conversations start in the same place. They are trying to move faster, control costs, and improve quality. But as we get deeper into it, two things almost always come up. Lack of visibility and a vendor […]