el área de atención a compras

English translation: the purchase management department

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:el área de atención a compras
English translation:the purchase management department
Entered by: Charles Davis

13:21 Sep 21, 2011
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Retail
Spanish term or phrase: el área de atención a compras
This is part of a manual for a distribution center. They are explaining how different depts within it should work together. Thank you!
tangotrans
Local time: 16:53
the purchase management department
Explanation:
"Atención a compras" can mean customer service in the context of retailing, where it really means "atención a compradores" (that is, "a clientes").

However, in a distribution centre "compras" refers to what is coming in, not what is going out: what they are buying, not what they are selling. In other words, it is responsible for goods bought from suppliers.

For example, Walmart's Mexican/Central American division has a web page for its suppliers ("Socios comerciales"), which says: "Cualquier duda o comentario por favor comuníquese al área de Atención a Compras".
http://www.adacosta.com.mx/demowm/socios_mercancia_guadalaja...

The extra context provided shows that this distribution centre has an "área de atención a compras" and an "área de compras": "teniendo por medio, el área de atención a compras, un contacto constante con el área de compras". So we need two different terms. The "área de compras" must be the purchasing department which actually makes the purchases from suppliers, and the "área de atención a compras" is the purchasing management department, which administers incoming goods.

"Usually the purchasing department has its own system of procurement activity metrics that are used on a regular basis. [...]
The purchase management department can use the values of the metrics to create vendors rating tables and build a past-performance database in order to get a foundation for selecting vendors for future procurement activities."
http://www.mymanagementguide.com/guidelines/project-manageme...
Selected response from:

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2procurement/purchasing department
FVS (X)
4 +2the purchase management department
Charles Davis
4client attention department
Marta Moreno Lobera
4customer service department
Lisa McCarthy
Summary of reference entries provided
procurement/purchasing department
Yvonne Gallagher

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
client attention department


Explanation:
:) Saludos, Marta.

Marta Moreno Lobera
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Native speaker of: Spanish
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
customer service department


Explanation:
-

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Note added at 10 mins (2011-09-21 13:31:45 GMT)
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Customer Service or Customer Care? Boost Profits
www.customerservicemanager.com/customer-service-or-customer... -
After a few such orders the customer will accept this scheduled purchase and ... A ***distributor who fails to recognize that his customer service department** is not ...

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Note added at 37 mins (2011-09-21 13:59:13 GMT)
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Given the further context I would now say it may be the

** GOODS DEPARTMENT**

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
procurement/purchasing department


Explanation:
Is what it is.

FVS (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, it is! I went looking for material and came back to discover you'd posted! So will just put as ref
10 mins
  -> Thanks Gallagy.

agree  EirTranslations
6 hrs
  -> Thanks Beatriz.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
the purchase management department


Explanation:
"Atención a compras" can mean customer service in the context of retailing, where it really means "atención a compradores" (that is, "a clientes").

However, in a distribution centre "compras" refers to what is coming in, not what is going out: what they are buying, not what they are selling. In other words, it is responsible for goods bought from suppliers.

For example, Walmart's Mexican/Central American division has a web page for its suppliers ("Socios comerciales"), which says: "Cualquier duda o comentario por favor comuníquese al área de Atención a Compras".
http://www.adacosta.com.mx/demowm/socios_mercancia_guadalaja...

The extra context provided shows that this distribution centre has an "área de atención a compras" and an "área de compras": "teniendo por medio, el área de atención a compras, un contacto constante con el área de compras". So we need two different terms. The "área de compras" must be the purchasing department which actually makes the purchases from suppliers, and the "área de atención a compras" is the purchasing management department, which administers incoming goods.

"Usually the purchasing department has its own system of procurement activity metrics that are used on a regular basis. [...]
The purchase management department can use the values of the metrics to create vendors rating tables and build a past-performance database in order to get a foundation for selecting vendors for future procurement activities."
http://www.mymanagementguide.com/guidelines/project-manageme...

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 17:53
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Hill: given the further context "área de compras" (procurement" would be one thing and your answer fits well for "área de atención a compras", being "different depts" that "should work together"
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Rich! That was my conclusion too.

agree  anademahomar
8 hrs
  -> Thanks, Ana!
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Reference comments


1 hr
Reference: procurement/purchasing department

Reference information:
PDF] PURCHASE DEPARTMENT MANUAL 2009kioclltd.com/downloads/PURCHASE%20DEPT.%20MANUAL.pdfSimilar
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File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
Functions of Purchase Department are classified into following broad groups on .... Vendor Management group in Purchase Department shall maintain list and ...

Purchasing Department - Next Level Purchasingwww.nextlevelpurchasing.com/articles/purchasing-department.htmlCached - Similar
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22 Feb 2005 – Leading a purchasing department? Check out these creative ideas For purchasing department leaders.

What Are the Duties of a Purchase Department? | eHow.comwww.ehow.com › CareersCached - Similar- Block all www.ehow.com results
Not helpful? You can block www.ehow.com results when you're signed in to search.www.ehow.com
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What Are the Duties of a Purchase Department?. A purchasing department is found in most businesses. Large companies create this department in order to save ...


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Note added at 1 hr (2011-09-21 14:28:55 GMT)
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links not working so this is from Ehow.com

The main duty of the purchasing department is to supply every other department with the material needed to perform the tasks required. Even the human resources department requires goods to complete its job, such as pencils, pens, computers and other goods. Every piece of material that a company uses to either produce a product it sells or document the sale of that product has to go through the purchasing department to first receive the required material.

Documentation

The purchasing department has a lot of documentation to maintain and file as a part of its job requirements. Those documents include paperwork from other departments asking for material or products needed to operate. Most purchasing departments utilize what is called a purchase order when ordering products and services. This order is used by the accounting department so the company that supplied the material can get paid.
Advisory Duties

Most companies utilize the purchasing department to advice them on an expansion or planned projects. The department is a valuable tool when this process begins. It can advise on the cost of materials along with supplying a projected cost to complete the projects. The department will contact multiple suppliers and then determine what products are best and what is a good price for each item

Read more: What Are the Duties of a Purchase Department? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6496926_duties-purchase-department_...

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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