Getting to Know Your Operation

• Tell me about the site we’ll focus on: plant type, shift pattern, and who owns day-to-day maintenance?
• Which of these best describes your facility’s primary risks and production profile? Options: Continuous process (24/7), Batch production (multiple shifts), Intermittent/seasonal, Commercial building (facility ops)
• Which equipment families cause the most reactive work for your team? Options: Motors & drives, Bearings & power transmission, Hydraulics & pneumatics, Electrical components, Plumbing/valves, Fasteners & consumables, Other
• What is the size of the teams that respond to breakdowns (maintenance, engineering, procurement)? Options: Maintenance: 1–5 / Procurement: 1–2, Maintenance: 6–15 / Procurement: 1–3, Maintenance: 16–50 / Procurement: 2–6, Maintenance: 50+ / Procurement: 4+
• Do you currently have any on-site inventory programs (storeroom, vending, Kanban) or do you rely on DC deliveries? Options: On-site vending with automated replenishment, Managed storeroom with periodic replenishment, Ad-hoc storeroom kept by site, Rely on regional DC deliveries only, Mixed model
• Can you share a recent example of an unplanned repair where parts availability determined the outcome? What happened?

What Keeps You Up at 2 AM?

• If one small part failing can stop production, why does that part so often go missing when you need it most?
• How frequently do critical stockouts occur at this site (events that stop production or require overtime)? Options: Multiple times per month, Monthly, Quarterly, Rarely (few times/year), Never tracked
• When those stockouts happen, what are the tangible consequences your team faces? Options: Lost production hours, Overtime labor costs, Expedited freight fees, Missed customer commitments, Warranty or safety incidents, Other
• Roughly how much does a single hour of unplanned downtime cost your operation (choose the range closest to reality)? Options: <$1,000, $1,000–$5,000, $5,000–$25,000, >$25,000, Unknown/not measured
• How long has this rate of stockouts or urgent downtime been affecting you? Options: Under 6 months, 6–12 months, 1–3 years, 3+ years
• Describe how it feels on the floor during these incidents—who’s stressed, what decisions get rushed?

Who Really Owns This Problem?

• When a critical part is missing, who is expected to solve it—and are they empowered to make the tradeoffs required?
• Which roles generally get involved in a supply disruption at your site? Options: Maintenance supervisor, Plant engineer, Procurement manager, Operations manager, Safety/HSSE, Site leadership
• How are decisions made about emergency purchases—who signs off and what approval steps slow things down? Options: Maintenance can purchase up to a limit, Procurement approval required for all POs, Operations director approval needed, Expedite process exists but rarely used, Ad-hoc depending on who’s on shift
• Which stakeholder’s priorities tend to block faster resolution (e.g., cost control, vendor qualification, safety)? Please give an example.
• Has ownership of MRO strategy changed recently or been debated at leadership levels? If yes, what changed or why is it a debate? Options: Yes – recently centralized, Yes – being decentralized, No change, Under discussion

How You Really Buy — The Hidden Friction

• Why do so many routine parts still go through separate POs and invoices instead of a consolidated approach?
• Approximately how many MRO purchase orders does this site issue per month? Options: Under 25, 25–75, 76–200, 200–500, 500+
• How many unique suppliers do you typically use for the MRO categories we’ve discussed? Options: 1–5, 6–15, 16–40, 40+
• Which parts of your procurement process create the most administrative burden? Options: PO creation, Invoice reconciliation, Multiple delivery confirmations, Warranty/returns handling, Manual reorder triggers, Other
• When lead time is the issue, what workarounds does your team use (e.g., local vendor, overnight freight, cannibalization)? Which of those cause regret later?
• How open is procurement to consolidating MRO spend with a single distributor if it proves better on service and price? Options: Very open, Somewhat open, Conditionally open (needs trial/benchmarks), Not open

If Stockouts Vanished Tomorrow — What Changes First?

• If you never scrambled for a part again, what would change in how your team spends its time?
• Which operational metrics would improve first if fill-rates and delivery SLAs were reliable? Options: Downtime hours, Maintenance backlog, Emergency freight costs, Inventory carrying costs, PO volume
• What fill-rate and on-time delivery targets would feel like a real transformation to you? Options: Fill-rate 98%+ / On-time 95%+, Fill-rate 95–98% / On-time 90–95%, Fill-rate 90–95% / On-time 85–90%, Unsure – need benchmarking
• How would improved spare availability change relationships with operations, safety, or customers? Share a likely scenario.
• What cultural or process barriers might prevent the team from adopting on-site vending or a managed inventory program? Options: None significant, Fear of losing control, Contracting/policy constraints, Data accuracy concerns, Union or labor issues, Other

Trial and Trust — What Would Make You Say Yes?

• What would a vendor need to prove in a 60–90 day trial to earn a long-term commitment from you?
• Which trial metrics would be non-negotiable for you? Options: Fill-rate, On-time delivery, Order accuracy, Cost savings vs baseline, Inventory turns, Response time for emergencies
• What scope do you prefer for an initial trial? Options: Top 50 SKUs by spend, Category-specific (e.g., bearings & belts), Single critical production line, Facility-wide pilot, Other
• Who must sign off on trial success and who will run day-to-day governance during the pilot? Options: Maintenance supervisor, Plant engineer, Procurement manager, Site operations director, Cross-functional committee
• What acceptance criteria would make you confident to expand after the pilot? Be specific (numbers, timelines, behaviors).
• What are your biggest concerns about running a pilot with a distributor (risk, data sharing, disruption)? Options: Quality of parts, Price transparency, Integration with ERP, Data security, Operational disruption, Other

Decision Signals and Next Steps — Prove It

• If you could pick one single metric that would force a decision at executive level, what would it be?
• From these options, which are the top three KPIs you would track during and after the pilot? Options: Fill-rate (%), On-time delivery (%), Downtime hours avoided, PO volume reduction, Total cost per repair, Inventory carrying cost
• What target numbers would you set for fill-rate and on-time delivery to call the pilot successful? Options: Fill-rate 99%+, On-time 98%+, Fill-rate 97–99%, On-time 95–98%, Fill-rate 95–97%, On-time 90–95%, Prefer to define jointly during scoping
• How quickly do you need to see results before making a longer-term commitment after the trial ends? Options: Immediately at trial end, Within 30 days after trial, Within 60 days after trial, Need quarterly review cycle
• What’s the best next step from your perspective—technical SKU mapping, spend data share, on-site visit, or an initial vending assessment? Options: Send spend/P.O. data for analysis, Schedule on-site readout with sales engineer, Agree SKU set for trial, Pilot vending machine assessment, Other
• Preferred point of contact and communication cadence for this project (name/role, email/phone, weekly/biweekly/monthly)?

• Pre-Experience Alignment (Pre-work)
• SKU & Failure Scenario Workshop (Customer Context Mapping)
• Live Solution Experience — Delivery, Vending & Integrated Supply
• Logistics & Trial Kickoff Planning (Integration, Install & Governance)
• Mutual Validation & Trial Acceptance

• Customer to complete site access forms, provide install windows, and grant necessary IT/API test credentials.
• Agree that the demonstrated mechanisms (delivery/vending/integrated supply) materially reduce downtime and PO volume.
• Identify any gaps or custom requirements for the trial (exceptions, SKUs needing special handling).
• Seller to produce SKU-specific proof decks showing DC allocation, expected lead-times, and replenishment cadence.
• Customer to confirm acceptance or flag exceptions for any demonstrated SKU or process.
• Schedule logistics/installation and trial dates based on validated scenarios.
• Trial Scope & Owners
• Operational runbook with owners, milestone dates, and install requirements agreed for trial kickoff.
• Technical integration scope and reporting method finalized to measure KPIs during the trial.
• Governance cadence and escalation path defined and accepted by both parties.
• Seller to deliver a trial runbook (install checklist, DC allocations, SLA table, reporting template).
• Introductions & Purpose
• Both parties to populate the governance calendar with weekly checkpoints and milestone owners.
• Present Trial SOW & Commercial Outline
• Both parties sign off on trial SOW, KPIs, and acceptance criteria.
• Reporting method and governance cadence accepted so performance can be measured objectively.
• Kickoff date and first-30-day responsibilities are committed with owners assigned.
• Execute and sign the trial SOW and SLA attachments.
• Seller to provision reporting dashboard access and deliver baseline performance report prior to kickoff.
• Customer and Seller to confirm the kickoff checklist is complete and confirm the kickoff calendar invite.
• Customer provides a crystal-clear one-sentence current state.
• A quantified consequence statement is documented for use in the Experience.
• Future-state outcome agreed in operational terms and pre-work data list confirmed.
• Customer to deliver SKU list (top 200 SKUs by spend/usage), recent failure logs, and 60–90 day PO/spend extract.
• Customer to nominate 3–5 on-site SME attendees for the Experience (maintenance, procurement, engineering).
• Seller to confirm Experience agenda, required demo SKUs, and baseline metric capture method.
• Review Submitted Data
• A validated set of representative SKUs and failure scenarios to use in demonstrations and the trial.
• Documented per-SKU consequence metrics and baseline performance measures.
• Agreement on success thresholds (e.g., target fill-rate, OTIF, PO reduction %) for trial measurement.
• Finalize and publish the prioritized SKU/failure test set for the Experience and trial.
• Capture baseline metrics (current fill-rate, avg lead-time, PO count) for each test SKU and share with stakeholders.
• Seller to prepare SKU-specific proof artifacts (stock location, DC ETA, vending parity) for the live Experience.
• One-line Recap of Current State & Consequence
• Customer confirms the demonstrated flows directly address their stated problems and consequence.
• DC Allocation & Delivery Routing
• Delivery Flow Proof — Customer SKU Example
• Select Representative Failure Scenarios
• One-sentence Current State
• Acceptance Criteria & KPI Definitions
• Quantify Consequence
• Reporting & Dashboard Walkthrough
• On-site Vending Proof — Real SKU Replenishment
• Vending Install & Site Requirements
• Map Criticality & Consequence Per SKU
• Baseline Metrics & Acceptance Inputs
• Governance & Escalation Confirmation
• Data & Systems Integration
• Integrated Supply Proof — PO Consolidation & Technical Support
• Define Future-State Outcome
• Kickoff Date & Immediate Next Steps
• Pre-work & Data Checklist
• Validation Loop
• Governance, KPIs & Escalation

• Same-Day Emergency Parts Delivery
• Next-Day Regional Distribution Delivery
• Install and Stock On-Site Vending Machine
• Automated Vending Replenishment
• Consignment Stock Placement and Replenishment
• Kanban Bin Refill and Replenishment
• Managed Storeroom Stocking
• On-Site Distributor Procurement Team
• Consolidated Invoicing and Single Purchase Order
• Kitting and Labeling of Maintenance Kits
• Product Cross-Reference and Drop-In Replacement Supply
• Technical Application Support (On-Site or Remote)
• Critical Bearing and Seal Rapid-Response Supply

Same-Day Emergency Parts Delivery

• Do you require same-day emergency parts delivery services for any of your sites? Options: Yes, No
• Which facility(ies) or zones must be covered by same-day emergency delivery (list site names or plant areas)?
• Which SKU categories should be eligible for same-day emergency fulfillment? Options: Bearings & power transmission, Electrical components, Hydraulics & pneumatics, Seals & gaskets, Fasteners, Safety & consumables, Other
• What is your target delivery time window for same-day emergencies? Options: Within 2 hours, Within 4 hours, Within 8 hours, End of business day, Custom
• What are the typical request hours or outage windows when same-day service will be needed (e.g., nights, weekends, 24/7)? Options: Business hours only, Extended hours (early morning/late evening), Nights & weekends, 24/7
• Who will be the primary emergency contact and escalation path for same-day requests (role and preferred contact method)? Options: Maintenance Supervisor, Plant Engineer, Procurement Manager, Facility Manager, Other

Next-Day Regional Distribution Delivery

• Do you require guaranteed next-day delivery from regional distribution centers? Options: Yes, No
• Which facilities or addresses should be included for next-day distribution?
• Which SKU groups should be eligible for next-day delivery? Options: High-turn consumables, Critical spares, Large/bulky items, Engineered parts, All stocked SKUs, Other
• What is the preferred daily order cutoff time to qualify for next-day fulfillment? Options: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, Custom
• What average weekly order volume and typical order lines should we plan for next-day delivery? Options: Less than 10 order lines, 10-50 order lines, 51-200 order lines, 200+ order lines
• Are there special handling or delivery constraints (hazmat, temperature control, forklift/pallet delivery, restricted site access)? If yes, please describe. Options: Yes, No

Install and Stock On-Site Vending Machine

• Do you want distributor installation and ongoing stocking of on-site vending machines? Options: Yes, No
• Which plant locations or storerooms are candidates for vending machine installs?
• Which SKUs (list top-turn items or categories) should be prioritized for vending stocking?
• What target on-shelf fill rate and minimum per-SKU quantity do you expect for vending stock? Options: 95%+ fill, 90-95% fill, 85-90% fill, Custom
• Are there site requirements for installation (power outlet, floor space, network/Wi‑Fi, security clearance)? Please specify. Options: Yes, No
• Who will manage physical access and keys for vending machines (customer, distributor, other)? Options: Customer, Distributor, Third-party security, Other

Automated Vending Replenishment

• Do you want automated replenishment driven by vending telemetry and usage data? Options: Yes, No
• Which replenishment triggers do you prefer for vending (select all that apply)? Options: Min/max levels, Usage rate forecast, Automatic reorder on empty, Manual approval before reorder, PO-based triggers
• How often should replenishment runs occur or be evaluated? Options: Real-time/as-used, Daily, Weekly, Bi-weekly, Custom cadence
• Who should approve replenishment quantity adjustments or emergency restocks? Options: Customer maintenance, Customer procurement, Distributor, Joint approval workflow
• What target lead time from reorder trigger to restock is acceptable (for planning SLAs)? Options: Same-day, 1 business day, 2-3 business days, Custom
• What integrations are required between vending telemetry and your systems (ERP, CMMS, spare parts database)? Please list.

Consignment Stock Placement and Replenishment

• Do you prefer consignment inventory (distributor-owned until consumed) for selected SKUs? Options: Yes, No
• Which SKU families or specific parts are candidates for consignment?
• How will consumption be captured for consignment items? Options: Vending telemetry, Scan-on-issue, ERP posting / consumption document, Manual bin counts, Other
• What billing model and reconciliation cadence do you require for consignment (invoice on consumption, monthly reconciliation, etc.)? Options: Invoice on consumption, Monthly reconciliation, Quarterly reconciliation, Custom
• Who will assume responsibility for shrinkage, obsolescence, or expired parts under consignment? Options: Customer, Distributor, Shared / case-by-case
• What minimum stock depth or days-of-cover do you expect for consignment SKUs? Options: 1-2 days, 3-7 days, More than 7 days, Custom / need distributor recommendation

Kanban Bin Refill and Replenishment

• Do you want kanban bin refills and replenishment included in the scope? Options: Yes, No
• Approximately how many kanban locations or SKUs will be part of the program? Options: Less than 10, 10-50, 51-200, 200+
• Which trigger method should be used for kanban refills? Options: Physical kanban card, Barcode/scan on pick, Min/max level, IoT sensor trigger, ERP consumption trigger
• Who will own bin labeling, placement, and physical organization? Options: Customer, Distributor, Joint responsibility
• What is the preferred replenishment frequency for kanban items? Options: Daily, Weekly, On-demand as triggered, Custom cadence
• Do kanban items require special kitting, labeling, or packaging on refill? If yes, please describe. Options: Yes, No

Managed Storeroom Stocking

• Do you want a fully distributor-managed storeroom stocking service? Options: Yes, No
• Which storerooms, buildings, or sites are in scope and how many locations?
• What target inventory accuracy and fill-rate SLAs do you require for managed storerooms? Options: 95%+ accuracy / 98% fill, 90-95% accuracy / 95% fill, Custom targets
• Who should perform cycle counts and how frequently should they occur? Options: Distributor monthly, Customer weekly, Joint monthly, Other
• Will distributor staff be on-site to manage storeroom operations (storeroom attendant) or is remote management preferred? Options: On-site distributor staff, Remote management with periodic visits, Hybrid
• What systems must integrate (ERP, CMMS, WMS) to support managed storeroom workflows? Please list system names and integration needs.

On-Site Distributor Procurement Team

• Do you want a distributor-managed procurement team on-site to handle MRO purchasing? Options: Yes, No
• What scope should the on-site procurement team handle? Options: All MRO categories, Selected categories only, Emergency procurement only, Back-office procurement support only
• What purchasing authority and PO limits should the on-site team have? Options: Low (under $1,000), Medium ($1,000-$10,000), High (over $10,000), Custom limits and approval workflow
• What hours of coverage or shift model is required for the on-site procurement team? Options: Business hours, Extended hours, 24/7, Shift coverage
• How should the on-site team coordinate approvals, pricing, and contract compliance with your procurement function?
• What KPIs or performance targets should the on-site procurement team be measured against (PO volume reduction, cost savings, cycle time)? Options: Reduce PO volume, Consolidate suppliers, Cost savings %, Order cycle time reduction, Custom

Consolidated Invoicing and Single Purchase Order

• Do you require consolidated invoicing and the ability to present a single purchase order for multi-vendor consolidation? Options: Yes, No
• What consolidation frequency do you prefer for invoices and statements? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Per shipment/invoice
• What invoice detail level do your AP processes require? Options: Line-level detail (SKU & qty), SKU-level summary, PO-level summary, Custom format
• Do you need automated AP/ERP integration for invoice posting and reconciliation? Options: Yes, No
• Who is the accounts payable contact and what special approval or compliance workflows must be supported?
• Are there site-specific billing, tax, or regulatory requirements that affect consolidated invoicing? Options: Yes, No

Kitting and Labeling of Maintenance Kits

• Do you require build-to-order kitting and labeling of maintenance or PM kits? Options: Yes, No
• Which maintenance activities, PMs, or repair jobs should be supported with pre-built kits? Please list.
• How many unique kit BOMs and what average kit build volumes should we plan for? Options: Less than 10 kit types, 10-50 kit types, 50-200 kit types, 200+ kit types
• What labeling data is required on kits (barcode, part number, bin location, step-by-step instructions, safety info)? Options: Barcode, QR code with instructions, Part number and description, Bin location label, Custom
• Who will own kit inventory and define restock triggers (customer, distributor, automated based on usage)? Options: Customer, Distributor, Automated triggers, Manual reorder
• Do kits require lot control, expiry dates, or warranty/traceability documentation? Options: Yes, No

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Pricing Schedule / Addendum
• Trial Success Metrics & Acceptance Criteria
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• On-site Vending Installation & Acceptance
• Inventory Coverage & SKU Schedule
• Roles & Responsibilities (RACI)
• Governance Cadence & Escalation Plan
• Data Integration & Ordering Agreement (EDI/API)
• Payment Terms & Invoicing
• Performance Remedies & Service Credits
• Trial Termination, Extension & Renewal Terms
• Change Order & Scope Management
• Insurance, Indemnity & Compliance
• Transition & Exit Plan

• Trial Outcomes Review — KPI Validation
• Product Standardization Workshop (SKU Rationalization)
• Continuous Improvement & Shared Channel Setup
• Trial Acceptance, Commercial Close & Handoff
• Improvement Sprint Planning — 60–90 Day Rollout

• Complete operational handoff checklist and assign steady-state owners.
• Assign root-cause owners and schedule technical follow-up(s) for each identified issue.
• If remediation required, produce remediation plan with milestones and acceptance criteria.
• Objective & one-line current state
• Obtain technical validation for the prioritized standard SKU list for pilot.
• Quantify expected operational and cost improvements from the pilot (SKU reduction, PO reduction, fill-rate improvement).
• Define pilot scope, acceptance criteria, and rollout timeline.
• Assign owners for execution steps (engineering sign-off, inventory changes, DC updates).
• Share prioritized SKU workbook with mappings, technical notes, and justification.
• Prepare pilot implementation checklist (pack sizes, DC allocations, vending re-stocking thresholds).
• Schedule site-level verification visits for critical SKUs that require physical fit checks.
• Meeting objective & desired future state (one sentence)
• Stand up a shared channel with the agreed platform and participant roster.
• Agree and document the issue triage workflow and SLAs for response/resolution.
• Establish reporting cadence and schedule recurring meetings (weekly ops, monthly KPI, quarterly review).
• Document escalation path and governance RACI for unresolved issues or contract changes.
• Create the shared channel, invite stakeholders, and publish channel usage guidelines.
• Publish the triage workflow, severity definitions, and SLA commitments to the channel.
• Schedule recurring ops and KPI review meetings and share calendar invites.
• Objective & acceptance criteria recap (one sentence)
• Obtain formal trial acceptance or an approved remediation plan with dates.
• Agree and document any commercial amendments tied to the trial outcome and standardization actions.
• Introductions & Objective
• Circulate signed acceptance or remediation agreement and store in shared channel.
• Prepare and send contract amendment(s) reflecting commercial decisions.
• Deliver operational handoff pack (SOPs, inventory lists, DC allocations, contact RACI).
• Prioritize backlog items with clear acceptance criteria for each sprint.
• Objective & desired future state (one sentence)
• Produce 2–3 time-boxed improvement sprints with owners and measurable outcomes.
• Define measurement cadence and go/no-go checkpoints for sprint reviews.
• Publish sprint plan, timeline, owners, and acceptance criteria to the shared channel.
• Kick off Sprint 1 with assigned resources and first-week tasks documented.
• Prepare a weekly sprint status template and distribute to stakeholders.
• Agree on measured performance vs. agreed KPIs (fill-rate, OTD) with both parties' sign-off.
• Identify and document root causes for any KPI shortfalls with owners assigned.
• Decide and document acceptance, remediation plan, or trial extension with dates.
• Capture operational wins and examples to build confidence for next phase.
• Deliver final KPI packet with raw data, calculations, and incident log within 48 hours.
• Backlog review (trial learnings)
• SKU landscape & frequency analysis
• Current state snapshot (one sentence)
• Choose shared channel and access list
• Recap trial results vs acceptance criteria
• Issue triage workflow
• KPI dashboard review (data-driven)
• Consequence: cost & operational friction
• Prioritization (impact vs effort)
• Acceptance decision or remediation approval
• Sprint definition and owners
• Consequence analysis
• Commercial implications & contract amendments
• Proposed standardization mappings
• Enhancement request process & prioritization
• Proof by scenario — real failure cases
• Measurement & checkpoints
• Operational handoff & onboarding to steady-state
• Root-cause deep-dive for misses
• SLA & response commitments
• Risks, dependencies & mitigation
• Final Q&A and sign-offs