After a decade at Suncorp, Rob Bartlett has recently started a new venture – SupplySide.
SupplySide will be a specialist supplier consultancy, focusing on end to end supplier strategy, planning and development, for
- companies looking to build on and improve their supplier relationships and performance, and
- potential or current suppliers looking to increase their work, secure new contracts, or create new products.
Bartlett says he’s excited to get started: “Suppliers are so important for business success. There’s a very diverse range of suppliers found at every point of the insurance value chain and targeted improvements can have very significant returns, for both a company’s P&L and the policy holder’s experiences.
“Over the years I have heard dozens of pitches from potential suppliers and some were incredible, but others unfortunately lacked clear stories, or misunderstand the insurer’s problem and objectives. And to be fair sometimes the insurer or company being pitched to just doesn’t get it, or is too attached to how they already do it.
“Having been on both sides of the supplier fence in my career, I have an insider’s perspective on what makes a good supplier relationship tick. And I talk ‘Insurancese’, which can help either side of the supplier world navigate towards better outcomes.”
Before going into insurance Rob Bartlett managed the 34 year, $8bn CityLink tollway public private partnership contract relationships with government for Transurban - achieving some enhancements, including new products, higher pricing in volume segments, major contract revisions and increased toll compliance.
Bartlett reprised his work at Suncorp: "Rebuilding the motor supplier relationship and network; supporting volume growth, contract development and sale of Capital SMART and the joint venture program; leading in the roll out of the early phase of AudaNet. I have extensive regulatory and industry involvement; was involved in the unique Synergy Auto Repairs social venture; and, developed a new generation of supply team leaders."
Bartlett says SupplySide wants to take a long term perspective with clients, and build on each businesses strengths and opportunities.
Services include;
- Supply opportunity mapping, and business operations realignment and redesign;
- Supplier co-development workshops, to develop joint innovations in service and supply;
- Coaching and mentoring managers and teams to analyse performance and achieve supply targets;
- Systems and process reviews for tender response or project alignment;
- Benchmarking and performance monitoring.
“Every supplier relationship is important and filled with opportunity, while the world still faces COVID challenges and will for a while as we know, with growing customer expectations, commercial drivers and increased regulation in the financial services and insurance industries, I think great suppliers are actually more important to financial services than ever before.
“I’m looking forward to helping companies and their suppliers build capacity, resilience and new opportunities. The response so far has been fantastic.”
Rob Bartlett can be contacted directly at rob.bartlett@supplysidegroup.com.au or on 0467717438 - www.supplysidegroup.com.au