Archive for the ‘Business Sourcing’ Category

How do you collect disparate information across your organization

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

At SafeSourcing we are often faced with customers not having accurate information. Often the best place to get it is from the end user. If a company has dozens to hundreds if not thousands of locations, there is often no company product designed to do this. SafeSourcing created SafeSurvey™ for just that purpose.

SafeSurvey™ is a user-friendly tool that allows users to create online questionnaires internally or externally to collect data within their organization as well as throughout the entire supply chain area of interest. SafeSurvey™ makes it easy to create a survey, track responses, as well as view and report the results.

Questions can be created to allow answers to be input through a Checkbox, Drop-Down List, Label Only, Radio Button or Text Area. With capability for both named and anonymous users to submit their responses, this tool is a perfect fit for quickly gathering a large variety of information from a small, medium, or large group of participants.

SafeSourcing is a Procure to Pay SaaS based provider of a number of e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services that are part of our SaaS offered SafeSourceIt™ eSourcing suite. These include but are not limited to SafeContract™, SafePO™, SafeDocument™ and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers. To learn more, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services associate.

 

 

FOMO Blockchain and Bitcoin

Thursday, January 19th, 2023

 

Today’s blog is our Archives at SafeSourcing.

Don’t miss out! This post is from a few years back and it was spot on, so it might be time to invest again.

If you had invested $1,000 dollars in Bitcoin back in 2008, you’d have a WOW amount today. Bitcoin is based on the blockchain protocol. What is blockchain you ask? Blockchain is a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly “we can actually have a look at the blockchain and see evidence of what’s going on.” Blockchain originated in the technology space, which explains slow adoption rooted in its techno-babble jargon.

Marketing and business strategist, Clay Hebert (founder of Crowdfunding Hack), sees a familiar story playing out differently this time compared to how many companies were late to the party when social media emerged. People were very apprehensive about social media, putting your business or yourself out there for the world to see. But it worked, businesses were booming after starting a Facebook or Twitter page. People new about you and everything went viral. “In the mid-to-late 2000’s, big companies missed the social media train. They couldn’t see how Twitter or Facebook would immediately impact their business, so they were slow to adopt these technologies. They don’t want to play catch-up again.” Quoted by CEO of Bitcoin.

This is the same about Bitcoin. People all over are talking about how bad it is or what a scam it is. As Hebert (founder of Crowdfunding Hack) suggests too, we’re already starting to see wider understanding and adoption in blockchain technology from companies big and small. For example:

  • Large consulting firms like Accenture and Deloitte are building out entire blockchain practice areas and developing key alliances in the space.
  • IBM recently forged blockchain collaboration with Nestlé, Walmart, Costco and others to improve global food supply chain safety.
  • Some realtors have begun to differentiate themselves by accepting Bitcoin for real estate transactions (CNBC).
  • The hurdles won’t be overcome overnight. Similar to the Internet itself and social media, blockchain will enable new digital transactions that will disrupt traditional businesses like document authentication and title searches.

Smart companies will build skills around blockchain technology to ensure they are the ones doing the disrupting rather than the ones being disrupted.

Bitcoin is becoming bigger by the day and I say we all get on board fast. The Companies are drastically starting to use it around the world. And it’s a matter of time before its being used everywhere and in every aspect of our financial world.

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

 

 

 

 

Car Care and Fleet Care can save you a lot of money.

Wednesday, January 18th, 2023

 

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

With winter here, the days getting shorter and temperatures dropping you may think that it is a good idea to start your car and let it idle for a while before you get in and drive to your destination.  If you are like me this is something that we did all of the time when the temperatures were extremely cold.  This was common practice back in the day when most cars had carburetors.  The carburetors regulated the fuel/air mixture within the engine and were not very accurate when adjusting the air to fuel ratio in the cold weather.  In colder temperatures the carburetors could not vaporize all of the fuel that it let into the engine and some of that fuel was not vaporized would cause the vehicle to stall out.  For this reason it was common for people to start their cars and let them sit for about 5 minutes before getting in and driving.  According to the manufacturers this is no longer necessary because the cars now days have electric fuel injection systems that help maintain the correct fuel/air mixture needed for combustion despite the outside temperatures.  With this type of fuel injection system, vehicles can be driven immediately after being started and no longer need to be warmed up.  It is recommended by the EPA and DOE that you not let your car idle more than 30 seconds before you start your driving during the winter.  Letting it run any longer is just a waste of fuel and emissions.  Not only is idling your car not needed it can also cause damage to your vehicle by stripping oil from parts of the engine that help the engine run smoothly.   Below are some other reasons not to let your car idle this winter.

  • Engine Takes Longer to Warm Up
  • Fumes are Very Unhealthy
  • Prohibited by Law in Areas
  • Theft
  • Wastes Fuel
  • Bad for the Environment

Interested in learning how SafeSourcing can help your company save money maintaining your fleet. If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help you, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

What Goes Up Must Come Down….

Tuesday, January 17th, 2023

 

Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Director of HR, and Administration at SafeSourcing

Prices are going up and have been for some time. Supply shortages and no shortage of demand have triggered companies to increase prices to cover their costs. While this is inflation hits every one of us, there are some things to keep in mind. Prices always fluctuate and will eventually level. Just like the say, what goes up must come down.

In all reality, prices can go up and stay up for a long time, but eventually they will hit a point where the price is too high and demand will dwindle, spurring that eventual price drop. While some things may have a high price all the time, like gold or diamonds, the prices there can fluctuate a great deal. This is when having an agreement in place can help your organization maintain a steady supply and a steady price.

A procurement partner, like SafeSourcing, can help you find the goods or services you need and help find the right supplier that can offer a competitive price and the stability that lets you carry on without concern over the day-to-day price changes. While we may not be able to control the price of gold or diamonds, we can help you source just about anything your organization needs at a competitive price and the reliability of a vendor you trust.

While this tactic may not work for every item, the general idea is the same – that there are ways to overcome shortages or at least make effective use of the time until the shortage is back in stock. SafeSourcing is a procurement partner that can help you find products that you already buy or even ones you have never bought.

For more information on what the SafeSourcing team can offer you, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

What Are Your Procurement Resolutions for 2023?

Tuesday, January 17th, 2023

 

What changes you will make so 2023 is a great year?

Today’s post is by Dave Wenig is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Services at SafeSourcing Inc.

“Good resolutions are like babies crying in church. They should be carried out immediately.” – Charles M. Sheldon

This might be one of my favorite quotes about New Year’s resolutions. Procurement professionals need to set their goals and set about executing them.

Here is the problem… something always seems to get in the way. The timing is not perfect, a new solution might be available next year, the costs are up right now, etc.

There is no time like the present to get started. Delaying will be costly. Here is an example to consider. A customer of ours recently sourced their plastic garbage can liners. The estimated savings is around 25%. That means if the product used to cost $1,000,000 annually, it will now be $250,000 less. If they waited and had not gotten around to sourcing that product for another month, they would have overpaid by another $20,000 for another month. Pretty simple.

What if they delayed sourcing that product and then something else came up that distracted them the next month? You get the idea.

If you need help setting and achieving your resolutions for 2023, give us a call. We are happy to help you make 2023 a great year for procurement. For more information, please contact SafeSourcing.

 

 

 

 

I heard that inflation dropped for December to 6.5%. That’s’ good news!

Friday, January 13th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

That’s not so good. However, it is avoidable if businesses hold their supplier accountable to what their prices should rightfully be and then pass those savings on to their customers or at least share them. That would be a win/win

So, how do you do that. It’s simple. Reach out to me. Tell me you have a category you would like to have alternative sources of supply for, improved service levels at a lower cost. If I can’t do that for you, don’t pay me. If I can let’s do some more work together and improve your margins, earnings, and shareholder value. I can prove it to you in less than three weeks start to finish.

So, give us a call.  And ask us about our e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers. We can get you better pricing on about any category of product or service.

To learn more, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services associate.

Has anyone ever asked you what a recession is?

Wednesday, January 11th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

According to BING, A recession is a prolonged period of economic decline, beginning when the economy peaks and ending when it bottoms out. Recessions are typically marked by an economy shrinking in back-to-back quarters, measured by gross domestic product (aka, how much are we collectively buying and producing as a society).

So now that you were able to answer the question, how would you respond to how we end it or get out of it. The answer is embedded in the definition. We need to produce more, and we need to sell more. To sell more there needs to be adequate demand along with a price that companies and consumers are willing to pay. I will not get into commodity prices etc. This is a 300-word blog.

If it were me, I would tell my team to look at every contract we have and to get us better pricing. I would then pass those price savings on to my customers to encourage more purchasing. I would take the margin hit in my financials.

While simplistic, this is exactly what SafeSourcing does for our customers. We do it through a lot of tools and processes. Tools that find sources of supply willing to bid on our customers business if incumbent suppliers will not share the burden in cost reduction. Tools that encourage supplier behavior that supports a mission of, if you reduce my price and I reduce my customers price, we both sell more.

So, give us a call.  And ask us about our e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers. We can get you better pricing on about any category of product or service.

To learn more, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services associate.

A Global Record for Food Prices?

Tuesday, January 10th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

According to the Associated Press, Global Food Prices broke records for 2022. That’s a damn shame because a lot of it is not necessary. The FAO Food Price Index dipped slightly in December, but for the entire year 14% above 2021 averages. These are the highest numbers since they began recording data in 1961.

JUST SAY NO to these types of price increases!

I do not want to cast aspersions, but when properly sourced using the right tools and the deeply knowledgeable sourcing professionals there is absolutely zero reason for 14% increases to base pricing. Understandably, commodities go up and down. There are times when prices have to go up. There are literally dozens of leverage points to the pricing. That is precisely why you need a white glove sourcing partner like SafeSourcing because the above numbers are unreasonable.

SafeSourcing is a Procure to Pay SaaS based provider of a number of e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services that are part of our SaaS offered SafeSourceIt™ eSourcing suite. These include but are not limited to SafeContract™, SafePO™, SafeDocument™ and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers.

For more information, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Services Associate.

Does your supply chain face the same issues it did in 2022.

Friday, January 6th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

According to industry sources, the supply chain issues we faced in 2022 were in the following six areas and that list could be expanded quite a bit based on individual industry dictates. All these areas ae addressed on our customers behalf each day that we source products and services for them. All can be mitigated, but you better have a sourcing partner that knows what they are doing. If you try to do it alone, best of luck.

  1. Workforce and labor shortages
  2. Capacity limits
  3. Increased use of technology
  4. Increased demand for local products
  5. Production delays
  6. Higher Costs and Prices

SafeSourcing is a Procure to Pay SaaS based provider of a number of e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services that are part of our SaaS offered SafeSourceIt™ eSourcing suite. These include but are not limited to SafeContract™, SafePO™, SafeDocument™ and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers.

To learn more, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services associate.

 

So, you work in the supply chain?

Thursday, January 5th, 2023

 

Today’s post is by Ronald D. Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc

According to Supply Chain Management companies there are eight specific areas that define the supply chain. Most people do not understand the complexity of this area or how it impacts their lives until they go to buy a new car or find an empty shelf when shopping. Each of these areas are complex with as many process areas of their own. In the procurement area, commonly referred to as Procure to Pay there are also very specific tools and processes that help to keep the supply chain moving. That is where SafeSourcing plays, and our associates are well versed in all other areas outside of procurement by necessity to do their job.

Below are the eight key areas.

  1. Strategic Planning Process
  2. Demand Planning Process
  3. Supply Planning Process
  4. Procurement Process
  5. Manufacturing Process
  6. Warehousing Process
  7. Order Fulfillment Process
  8. Transportation Process

SafeSourcing is a Procure to Pay SaaS based provider of a number of e-Procurement solutions and associated white glove services that are part of our SaaS offered SafeSourceIt™ eSourcing suite. These include but are not limited to SafeContract™, SafePO™, SafeDocument™ and our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database that includes over 557,000 vendor/suppliers.

To learn more, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services associate.