Talking Stick - May/June 2008 - (Page 28)

Business respectfully and professionally and to be sensitive to the cost of the meal. “The thing to remember is that most vendors have limits to how much they can afford to spend for dinner out with customers, or perhaps the restaurant has limited seating based on the reservations made in advance by the vendor,” Smith says. “If space and budget limitations allow, I think most vendors will be happy to have the CHO include an extra staff member.” One advantage to attending these social functions is the opportunity for networking. “There is always a beneﬁt to meeting new people at client/conference dinners,” Thompson says. “Relationship building is so critical, and social settings like dinners generally foster that.” Kathy Daley, associate director of housing at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, agrees, saying that many times there are several other professionals there, which provides opportunities for good discussions about product experiences and needs. “Some of the best networking I have been involved with has happened at such dinners,” she says. involving staff when it’s time to test products or to write up a purchase order and showing them what purchase limits the department must work with. For example, he says, “When does a bid process have to be used, at what level/amount does the department need outside approval, etc.?” Communicate to your staff that learning how to buy products before they have the power to do so is a sign to the higher-ups that they are looking to move up in the ranks. Robinson offers this advice to young professionals: “Don’t wait until you’re a director to begin to be interested in being knowledgeable about products and services because if you do, you may not ever be a director.” ts Camille Perlman is the Talking Stick managing editor. E-mail: camille@acuho-i.org. Back on Campus What else is there for staff to learn about procurement once they have returned from their exhibit hall experience? Again, it’s about shadowing. Invite that new or young professional to a purchasing meeting or to listen in on a sales call. “Make sure they hear in your conversations open and honest feedback about the product(s). They need to hear you saying that you are not interested in certain aspects of a product and why and things you like about the products and why,” Daley says. She also recommends sharing previous requests for proposals and quotes so that staff gain an understanding of these purchasing tools. Gonzalez also recommends C R E AT I V E DESIGN F E O X R T E N ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS, INC 2939 E. Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona 85716-5311 520.881.4546 Fax 795.1822 www.glhn.com D I N G T H E U S E F U L L I F E O F YO U R R E S I D E N C E H A L L S University of Arizona Residence Life Bldg Renewal http://www.glhn.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - May/June 2008

Talking Stick - May/June 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Calendar Managing Move-In Madness Strike Up the Brand 44 for the Future There Goes the Neighborhood Academic Communities Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members On the Spot

Talking Stick - May/June 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.