Archive for June, 2016

What does a procurement department do?

Friday, June 24th, 2016

 

 

Today post was written by Ryan Melowic, Vice President of Customer Services at SafeSourcing.

According to Wikipedia, Procurement is the act of acquiring, buying goods, services or works from an external source. It is favorable that the goods, services or works are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the acquirer in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location.

wiseGeek defines a procurement department as being responsible for managing the purchasing activity for the organization. There are two types of purchasing or procurement departments: centralized and decentralized. In a centralized model, all requests for materials or goods are center to this department. In a decentralized model, individual departments can process their own purchases.

SafeSourcing is an e-procurement company offering a complete procure-to-pay suite of applications under the SafeSourceIt™ banner which reduces costs, improves efficiency and extends the reach of your current procurement organization. The heart of our family of products is our eSourcing tools which includes our popular reverse auction technology. Our historic ROI is greater than 10x and in many cases companies receive an ROI on their subsequent roll-out during the pilot stage.

For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

 

 

Do Your Thing Well

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016

 

 

Today’s post is by Dave Wenig, Regional Sales Manager at SafeSourcing

Ralph Waldo Emerson has a point. While nothing in life is ever so cut and dry, this author can definitely relate. There certainly is satisfaction in a job well done. Personally, I know that every time our team does a thing well, our customers reap the reward which means they did well too.

So, how do you measure whether or not you’ve done a thing well? Perhaps, you measure the savings from a successfully negotiated decrease in the cost of a contract. Maybe you prefer the reward of hitting your goals.

We can all use a little help along the way to do a thing well. Our customers appreciate that they can leverage our e-Procurement solutions to improve the outcomes of their negotiations and or that they can rely on our Customer Services teams as a partner to help deliver against their goals. We know the importance of getting a job done right and have the experience to step in at any point in the Source-to-Pay process.

Dave Wenig is a Regional Sales Manager at SafeSourcing and is a devoted champion of saving money. Dave or any member of the experienced team at SafeSourcing would be happy to discuss how SafeSourcing can help you do your thing well. For more information, please contact a SafeSourcing representative. 

 

We look forward to your comments.

 

Are you on the fence about procurement?

Tuesday, June 21st, 2016

 

Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant at SafeSourcing.

Whether you have been involved in the business world for just a short time or for decades, despite whether you are at the top or bottom of a company, you probably have heard about procurement, but might not really know too much about it. A common misconception is that procurement is just for big companies or retailers, or that a procurement company just couldn’t help you. Procurement is, in fact, for everyone.

First, if you aren’t familiar with what exactly procurement is, it is defined as the “acquisition of goods and/or services at the best possible total cost of ownership, in the right quantity and quality, at the right time, in the right place for the direct benefit or use of governments, corporations, or individuals, generally via a contract.” In other words, it can help anyone get the goods or services they need.

But procurement is more than that. It can help to lower the costs of those goods and services, realizing immediate up-front savings, as well as back-end savings on things like warranties and discounts. It also allows for a better purchasing process, providing better visibility into an organization’s spending patterns and allowing for better forecasting of future spending.

If those reasons aren’t enough, e-procurement, like SafeSourcing’s suite of tools, can help with a multitude of other aspects. First, through their electronic database, vendors are hand selected for their ability to deliver quality goods and services and are researched to ensure the specifications match exactly what is needed. The electronic platform makes the procurement process easy, understandable, and smooth to run, which can free up the time of your employees, allowing for better utilization of your workforce. On top of that, it can help with contract management, document management, and overall supply chain management.

For more information on e-procurement and how SafeSourcing can help, or information about our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

When should you consider a generic product?

Friday, June 17th, 2016

 

Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing.

Comparing alike products and deciding which is best can be a very daunting task. Should you buy a name brand or will the generic option meet my needs?  These are a few questions that can enter in your mind during the decision making process.  Some people feel more comfortable purchasing name brands.  If this is the case, you may be able to get the name brand item cheaper than the generic by watching sales, using coupons or utilizing price matching.

Some items purchased may not make a difference in cost because of the frequency purchased. For example, choosing a generic food item; it may be a little cheaper but you only purchase it once or twice a year.  In this case you may want to settle for the brand that you enjoy.

When it comes to more expensive items you may want to purchase a generic over the name brand if it’s something that you may only use a few times a year. If it is something that will be used more frequently then you may want to stick with a reputable brand that is known for its durability and warranties.

When purchasing over the counter medications, you may want to purchase the generic form. These generic medications are regulated by the FDA and must contain the same active ingredients, strength, dosage form, route of administration and label.  This ensures that the generics will have the same benefits as the brand name equivalents.

Keep in mind that buying a generic product doesn’t always mean that it is an inferior product. Some generic products are often made by the same name brand companies but are packaged differently.

Interested in learning how SafeSourcing can help your company run more efficiently? Like to try a risk free trial?  Please don’t hesitate to contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. Our team is ready and available to assist you!

 

HVAC System Efficiency.

Thursday, June 16th, 2016

 

You do not want trouble with your air conditioner in the summer

Today’s post is by Gayl Southard, Administrative Consultant for SafeSourcing.

In today’s blog, Gayl discusses the economics of air conditioner filters.

Recently one of our air conditioners began making loud noises each time it cycled on and off. It was so loud in fact, that it would wake me up.  In addition to the loud noise, it wasn’t cooling the house.  Living in a hot climate such as Arizona, you do not want trouble with your air conditioner in the summer.  I made a call to my service company on Saturday and explained the problem.  Luckily, I was able to line up a repair person to be at my home on Monday morning.  After some investigation, the repairman said my unit was frozen.  In order to remedy the situation, he had to turn the heat on in the house to melt the ice in the system.  Initially the repair person said he thought I had dirty AC filters, but I knew that the filters were clean and are changed out regularly.  It turned out the air conditioner was working overtime with the heavy-duty, pleated filters I have been using and strained to pull the air to cool the house.  I was advised to use a fiberglass filter that needs to be changed out every 30 days.  Although I change my air conditioner filters on a regular basis, I learned about the damage a dirty filter can have on your system.

  • A dirty filter in your HVAC system will raise energy bills. A dirty filter restricts the air flow into your HVAC system air handler, causing it to work harder to cool or heat your home.
  • A dirty clogged filter can restrict HVAC airflow and potentially cause problems with the system. They also cease to filter allergens and other particulates out of your air.
  • Dirty filters can make your HVAC system fail completely. Repairing a HVAC system can end up costing you a pretty penny.

The air in your home is up to five times more polluted than the outside air and in businesses it can be even worse. Impurities in the air such as pet dander, mold, bacteria, dust and dirt, and pollen build up in your air conditioner and ventilation system which can cause allergies, asthma triggers, and other respiratory problems.  Thus, it is very important to keep up with changing air conditioner filters regularly.

An AC filter uses special, densely woven, electrostatically charged material to trap pollutants in the air before they pass into your air conditioner or HVAC unit. Over time as the AC air filter gathers more pollutants, it becomes clogged, making it more difficult for the air conditioner to pull air through it.  If you live in an environment where you are doing remodeling, if its allergy season, or if you have pets, you should consider changing the filter more often.

SafeSourcing has a wealth of knowledge on sourcing HVAC units, filters, and maintenance agreements. Please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative or ask about our Risk Free trial program. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

 

 

It’s nice to see companies take steps to protect the earth.

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

 

 

Today post was written by Ryan Melowic, Vice President of Customer Services at SafeSourcing.

Through my readings, I uncovered a company in Delray Beach, Florida named Saltwater Brewery who has developed six-pack rings which are 100 percent biodegradable and edible. The rings are constructed of barley and wheat ribbons which can be safely eaten by animals who come into contact with the refuge.

According to an article on craftbeer.com: Besides being biodegradable and edible, this innovative technology is still as resistant and efficient as the plastic packaging it replaces. It is, understandably, more expensive to produce, but many customers are willing to pay the difference knowing that it’s better for the environment and animal life. However, if more breweries would implement this technology, the production cost would lower and be competitive with the current plastic options, saving hundreds of thousands of marine lives.

Head of Brand at Saltwater Brewery, Peter Agardy says, “It’s a big investment for a small brewery created by fisherman, surfers and people that love the sea,” but as President Chris Gove notes, “We hope to influence the big guys and hopefully inspire them to get on board.”

SafeSourcing has a wealth of knowledge on environmentally safe sourcing. For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

 

We look forward to your comments.

Are you looking forward to the outdoor cooking season?

Thursday, June 2nd, 2016

 

Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing.

With spring upon us, many of us will be cooking out on the grill. It’s great to be able to relax in the warm sun with a cold beverage and a spatula in your hand.  It also helps knowing that cooking your meals will be a little cheaper this season than last.  According to the USDA, supermarket prices should only rise 1 to 2 percent this year which is lower than the 20 year average of 2.5 percent.  Although the supermarket prices have risen overall, the good news is that the price of beef is about 5 percent lower and poultry is down about 4 percent.  Eating healthy will cost us a little more due to the fact of fresh vegetables being about 9 percent higher.  Overall we should be spending a little less this season which eases the stress and makes grilling out that much more enjoyable.  Below are some other notable price changes between March 2015 and March 2016.

  • Pork – Down 5.6%
  • Eggs – Up 0.7%
  • Dairy Products – Down 2.8%
  • Milk – Down 6%

Interested in learning how SafeSourcing can help your company reduce your costs and run more efficiently? Like to try a risk free trial? Please don’t hesitate to contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. Our team is ready and available to assist you!