Vendor Management Team
The Vendor Management team is led by Craig Vest (third right), our Vendor Management Leader. His team consists of David Irish, Daren Playle and Kevin Swindley.
The team is responsible for TIP's external maintenance supplier network. Daily responsibilities for the team include: managing service level agreements, maintaining insurance compliance, investigating MOT failures and the conducting of audits.
Meet Craig
Name: Craig Vest
Job Title: Vendor Management Leader – UK & Ireland
TIP Base Location: TIP Nelson
Start month at TIP: July 2016
How long have you been in the industry and how did you get into it?
After leaving University, I became a trainee sales manager in the commercial vehicle sector and haven’t left the industry since. The industry is really infectious and I can’t see myself working in another.
What are the main responsibilities of your role?
Most recently, TIP’s trailer ‘refurbishment’ function has taken up a lot of my time, due to high demand levels for it from our customers who have been looking creatively for ways to extend the life of their assets.
However, the core responsibilities of my role remain to ensure that our suppliers have appropriate service level agreements, contracts and other documentation in place, to negotiate rates and to ensure they work to industry recognised standards. I also take the lead on organising audits for those suppliers year-on-year, holding responsibility for ensuring that any issues found are rectified. More recently, I have incorporated these functions to include our truck-specific suppliers.
What does a typical day for you involve?
No day is ever the same for me, my week being shaped by activities occurring within the field and by our customers’ requirements. Sometimes there isn’t enough hours in the day and I’m glad I don’t pay the phone bill!
What do you like about working for TIP?
Everyone is made to feel like they are a part of the family and people go out of their way to support each other when needed. You are trusted to get the job done without being micro-managed and by being given the responsibility to deliver. That gets me out of bed every morning firing on all cylinders!
What are the biggest challenges you face in your current role?
A shortage of the right kind of skilled labour ensures added pressure, not only for my role, but for my team and across the branch and supplier networks.
How do you like to start your day?
Nothing beats a cup of coffee and Sam Fender in the car when travelling.
What’s one thing you’re learning now or learned recently?
You can’t please everyone!
What’s your ideal way to spend your weekends?
Spending time with my fiancée and two children. I have also been known to frequent the golf course and Turf Moor!
What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?
I’ve never been afraid of hard work, long hours when needed, mucking in and doing whatever has been required to get the job done.
What’s a mistake you made early on in your career, and what did you learn from it?
Opening my mouth before taking the time to think about what I wanted to say. I learnt that not taking the time to think about what you are saying can put you on the back foot. It happened once, but never again!
What’s the best advice you were ever given and who was it from?
My grandad was my hero and he always said “good things come to those who wait, but you get back what you put in”. I have always trusted that and it hasn’t let me down so far.
What makes a good co-worker?
Someone who can have the banter and still get the work done.
What/who inspires you?
My children inspire me to be the best version of myself every day!
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Bill Withers – Ain’t no sunshine
Meet Craig's team
Could you tell us a little bit about your team and its function?
The function of the team is to essentially resolve issues that arise within our network, often dealing with technical matters, and often acting as the ‘go-to’ for both our suppliers and our branch network.
Other than myself, my team has three members, Daren Playle, David Irish and Kevin Swindley, all of whom are very knowledgeable and will do anything that is needed to help get the job done. Daren and Dave have been in the industry longer than I have been alive and it’s good for me sometimes to bounce off all their experience.
How has your team evolved since it was formed?
We have got to know each other! Daren, Dave & Kev were part of a team previously at Ryder, but when I came in, we had to get to know how each other worked in the new setup and I like to think we are making a stark difference. Still being only 18 months old I’m confident there is a lot more we can do to streamline how we do things.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a team and how did you overcome it?
When we first took on Vendor Management as a function, as it was a new department, we had to develop an understanding of how the business wanted us to make an impact and we did this by prioritising certain tasks. We took guidance from the senior leadership team and had regular reviews to keep on task.
What is your favourite team memory so far?
Dressing as the ‘Inbetweeners’ for TIP’s ‘Kick-off’ event recently. Despite having the outfits, we must have been asked what we were dressed as about 50 times; that’s how good it was, ha-ha!
