Are Manual Processes Sabotaging Your Efforts to Reach Procurement Savings Goals?

How much easier would it be to reach your procurement savings goals if your systems worked for you instead of holding you back?

Last week I provided some food for thought on this same subject.

I offered 12 benefits your company could realize for your consideration.

Today I will offer you some additional ideas for evaluation and maybe one will motivate you to take the next step.

Are you aware that tools are available to automate any internal process?

The tools are configurable. You will be able to build your own processes efficiently.

The tools have virtually any option you need already built in. This is like using Excel to build financial analysis models – everything you need is included to create and then modify your workflow.

The most important benefit is that you can modify or update your process flow without outside assistance.

Sound too good to be true? It isn’t.

This is a much better option than customization which typically carries huge costs to develop – many times requiring a seven-figure investment. Plus, there will be more costs down the road when you need to make changes.

Here are some examples of processes that you could automate in the next 30 to 45 days:

New supplier registration – Imagine a secure environment where suppliers can register and update their information. Naturally the process can be interactive with gates that allow you to control the steps based on the information provided. The time saved by allowing them to update their information is enormous and will virtually eliminate input errors.

Procurement at your service portal – How much easier would your life be if all stakeholders and business owners could use an online portal to start the purchasing process? Many clients have a basic request template and based on the information provided the purchase can be set up for RFX or PO. For more complicated purchase requests, additional clarifying requirements can be requested with a few clicks. Having all the information in a searchable database minimizes errors and provides a convenient audit trail.

Operational risk surveys – Automating the collection and analysis of this type of request will increase participation from employees. Making it faster and easier to respond will elevate the quality of the responses. The speed that the analysis can be completed will be dramatically enhanced.

Internal facility audits – This is like the operational risk survey I just covered. Whenever you make the process easier, the quality of the information is demonstrably better.

Contract approval routing – How cool would it be to view on a dashboard the status of every contract that is in process? Providing the same dashboard to stakeholders and business owners will eliminate the annoying calls and emails for status updates. Mobile approvals are a big benefit for employees that travel or work remotely. Employees in multiple locations across the globe can access and complete steps seamlessly.

I hope that these examples have sparked your imagination.

If you aren’t sure whether a tool like this can work in your situation, simply reach out to me – I can normally let you know if this will work in a 30-minute call.

If a process you are using now is causing pain, take the first step.

Six months from now you will wonder how you managed without this tool.

Ask better questions, make changes and 2019 will be your best year ever.

Action Step: If you are uncertain where to start the process of change, a procurement professional like myself can provide guidance and expertise to help your organization achieve the results you want.

If you want to go explore this topic in greater detail, please contact me. I invite you to request 30-minute discovery conversation. In my experience the next step will be apparent at the end of the call. I never assume that what I have to offer will be right for everyone, so don’t expect a sales pitch. You can reach me at 973-936-9672.

If you would like to know more ways to reduce costs without changing the way you do business, simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact information and the best time to reach you.

You Won’t Drift to Success©

Commit to taking the next step.

Until Next Time, I Wish You Great Success in Your Business and in Your Life

Mike Jeffries