INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY
STATE OF FLUX
2014 GLOBAL SRM RESEARCH REPORT
160
Analysis
Organisations have a unique opportunity to create a new experience which is supplier centric and brought to life for both parties through sharing of data. By mapping the supplier experience lifecycle, you can connect company goals to suppliers to achieve that digital alignment. These elements, e.g. supplier performance information, risk information and people, are points of integration. Technology can help this to become seamless and visible, with less friction and more value. Both digital strategy and SRM transformations will be pushed further as mobile and social technologies continue to develop at pace. Importantly, each organisation should be clear on their own goals and their own context, as without that the transformation will only be words and not results.
Investment in technology presents an opportunity when we allow ourselves to look beyond the barriers, drawbacks and the status quo. In the first instance, for some organisations, this may be with just a single strategic supplier, or in one discrete area of supplier management, or to help solve one challenge. Our research shows that applying SRM technology to the right business priorities can make a sustainable contribution to organisational goals. Our experience and that of the case studies shared in this research have demonstrated this, however, execution is imperative, e.g. deployment of the correct technology to all of the relevant suppliers and business users.
Essentials
ö ö Use technology as a change agent to help people change their behaviours. ö ö Investigate the use of SaaS to build a scalable and flexible solution (both functional and commercial). ö ö Develop an environment where suppliers, the business and subject matter experts including procurement can connect, collaborate and create value. ö ö Be clear on the business case and this will help you deliver clear business benefits and outcomes. ö ö Think about your audience – usually it is the operational business, the executives and suppliers. Procurement may own the technology but they are not usually the key audience for it. ö ö Use technology to monitor / 'police' SRM activities leaving you to be the business coach between buyer / supplier. Business collaboration networks are developing and are being built to deliver genuine business benefits.
Build your technology solution on solid principles: ö ö Build capability not just technology.
ö ö Create an integrated digital platform – the business objective should be the first need addressed by technology. ö ö The user experience is everything – for customer and supplier. ö ö Make SRM accessible – anytime, anywhere, anyone. ö ö Keep it relevant – content should be prioritised – then think about social collaboration. ö ö Use technology for 'compliance' to ensure operational and supplier users are completing tasks – leaving the core SRM team to assume a coaching role. ö ö Ensure it meets safety and security requirements. ö ö One-stop SRM shop – provide one place to go for all your supplier management information, activities and relationships; which is personalised for each user.
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