Everything You Need To know About E- Procurement
In a time when the world lives
online, people have begun to utilize virtual communication in both their
personal and professional lives. Communication isn’t limited to video
conference calls or emails with family and friends though. In fact,
communication between suppliers and customers is a topic more businesses are
showing interest in. This online communication between suppliers and customers
is known as e-procurement. E-procurement improves efficiency, accuracy, and
overall customer satisfaction while saving both parties money along the way,
but it’s a topic that still leaves many people scratching their heads.
What is E-Procurement?
Before we dig deeper into the
benefits of e-procurement for businesses, let’s take a look at what exactly it
is. E-procurement involves taking the traditional procurement process and
digitally enhancing it for both the supplier and customer. That means that all
parts of the procurement process, from order placement to checking invoices,
are performed digitally.
How
Does E-Procurement Benefit the Customer and Supplier?
One of the most notable
benefits of e-procurement is the improved relationship between supplier and
customer. That improved relationship can be credited to a few things,
including:
- Easier communication from supplier to customer
- Online data sharing to improve accuracy of order information
- Cost saving for both the supplier and customer
- Online options for quotation requests, order changes, and online bidding
- Clear view of the procurement process for the customer allows them to see where their money is going
Utilizing
E-Procurement
If the benefits found in
e-procurement sound like something that would work well for your company, the
next step is choosing an e-procurement software. There are many different
options on the market when choosing an e-procurement software. Some are packed
with features that would be best utilized by a large corporation, while others
are simpler and a better fit for small to medium-sized businesses. Before
trying to choose which software is right for your company, speak with your team
to agree on these key points:
- Determine what your business needs realistically are
- Define what your key procurement and business processes include
- Create a list of what security features are the most important to your company
Once you’ve answered those
questions, it’s time to look at different e-procurement software available on
the market. Some software will allow you mobile access from a phone or tablet,
some may track travel expenses, and others will offer real-time analytics for
you to view. After viewing multiple software options you can determine which
software best meets your budget while offering all of the services needed to
improve your procurement experience.
What is
the Future of E-Procurement?
Since e-procurement began in
the 1980’s the technology has come a very long way – but where is it going from
here? As with any technology, there’s always room for improving the
e-procurement process for both suppliers and customers. The focus is expected
to be placed on making the software more mobile and accessible for users on
both ends of the process. Ultimately, the software will become more
user-friendly and require less training time for employees. Cloud-based
e-procurement software will be the key to improving both accessibility and ease
of use for suppliers and customers alike.
As this software develops and
improves with time, we’ll likely see many more companies taking their
procurement and reporting processes online. Small businesses and huge
corporations alike have the ability to save time and money, allowing them to
better utilize the resources and staff they currently have, through the help of
e-procurement. This definitely hasn’t been an overnight online phenomenon but
the rapidly growing popularity of e-procurement software shows no sign of
slowing down anytime soon – now is your time to become part of the procurement
revolution or be left behind with outdated processes!
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