Today’s post is written by Ivy Ray, Senior Procurement Specialist at SafeSourcing Inc.

During this trying time of COVID-19, organizations are battling uncertainty with demand fluctuations, production changes, and security of supply. In an earlier blog, I discussed the importance of innovation and there is no greater time than now to be innovative.

Innovation is often viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs. Currently, there are some supplies that are in greater demand due to the need to meet the requirements that we are facing today. Solutions to meet these needs are coming from a multitude of sources and the world’s supply chain is being stretched to the limit. The National Association of Manufacturers was tapped to seek suppliers to provide or produce large-scale quantities within 2 weeks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SafeSourcing was able to successfully source label products for a client, in the midst of this crisis. The label suppliers were ready and able to come through with significant savings over 35%. Organizations are learning a valuable lesson, which is to have a plan and stay ready. In order to get through this situation today, and to be ready for the future, we need more effective practices, products, and processes, increased services, technologies, and business models that are readily available to markets, governments and society.

This calls for better financial management, cost control and less organizational waste. Many organizations are beginning to re-evaluate their purchasing processes, and identify new types of e-procurement tools that will meet their needs. Find out what SafeSourcing can do for you.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you in exploring your procurement solutions for your business 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.

We look forward to your comments.

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

In our personal lives, it’s difficult to focus on much more than COVID-19. The effects have sunk in for most of us here in North America and those effects have been severe. Students have been displaced to home-based learning, local governments are issuing varying orders to keep their citizens at home to enforce social distancing, so many have become unemployed, and businesses are reeling.

At SafeSourcing, we’re no different. We made the hard decision to temporarily switch from our offices to working virtual for all of our employees proactively before we were required to do so by government order. We did so out of an abundance of caution and in consideration of our safety and the safety of the community at large. At SafeSourcing, we fall into the non-essential category, but that does not mean that we must cease our operations. It simply means that we needed to adjust. For many of our customers, they are facing the dual challenge of adjusting to allow for the safety of their employees and keeping their doors open to the public. Our retail customers are mostly still open, and they are on the front lines by making sure our communities have access to the essential supplies that we all need to survive.

All businesses, whether they are officially deemed essential, are struggling. Many are facing challenges managing the operational expenses against challenges like changes in demand, temporary closures, and more. This can be seen in a variety of news sources. This can even be overheard on the street. Fortunately, COVID-19 hasn’t taken away the fact that it is spring. On one beautiful evening, I sat enjoying the weather at home and accidentally eavesdropped on one side of an interesting conversation. Well, it was interesting to me.

A father with his son was walking by my house while on the phone. His conversation was clearly related to COVID-19 and the challenges he is facing. He recounted the story of a large account that had recently asked all their vendors to reduce their costs by 10% and set that as the new price moving forward. He noted that this effort had found that account about five million in savings. On the surface, that might seem impressive, but it’s not. It’s just a small start.

If SafeSourcing saves customers almost 25% on average on the categories they source with us, then that means that particular account has left around 15% in savings on the table. Worse, many markets are down at the moment, so the savings they have captured might have been available had they asked for the corresponding price decrease anyway. Meanwhile, it’s probably safe to assume that based on this unknown account’s actions, they are in desperate need of as much cost reduction as they can achieve. It’s a safe assumption because most accounts are.

Yet, it’s all too easy to still look out and feel as though you are too busy dealing with the challenges caused by COVID-19 to take the time to work with SafeSourcing and do something to affect a positive change. It’s really not; working with SafeSourcing might just address a very critical cash challenge and would do so much more effectively than just asking for a discount.

Please stay safe and don’t be shy if you need assistance. We’re all in this together.

For more information, please contact SafeSourcing.

Today’s post is from our archives at SafeSourcing Inc.

In the blog, Salad from a Gas Station? Sushi from a Truck Stop? This author raised a couple of questions, in addition to the actual questions, both of the questions may seem odd to us in 2018. There are two parts to inquire about within these questions. The first was getting food typically not found within these establishments and second is the common name of the establishments. For today’s blog, I will focus on the common naming of these establishments.

In some rural areas of America today, there are places of business that just serve gasoline and maybe vehicle lubricants and these were the true gas stations found in every town; however, today the gas station you may visit will carry grocery items, health and beauty items, health and junk foods, even bakery items, some fresh baked on site and some brought in by local bakeries. These establishments are called convenience stores or C-stores. They offer the consumer a small variety of items that a grocery store, bakery, or even a retail store may offer at a convenience from going to multiple places to get items needed.

Convenience stores usually charge significantly higher prices than conventional grocery stores or supermarkets, as convenience stores order smaller quantities of inventory at higher per-unit prices from wholesalers. However, convenience stores make up for this loss by having longer open hours, serving more locations, and having shorter cashier lines.₁

Truck stops are similar in naming conventions. The traditional truck stop was a little more than a few diesel gas pumps and a large parking lot for truck drivers to stop and rest. Many years ago, the traditional truck stop might have had a locally owned diner attached or associated with it. Today, the word truck stop brings up a stereotype of large stations that are dirty and filled with truckers and a regular vehicle and its driver feel out of place. This is why the term Travel Center has replaced the term truck stop. Travel Centers are worded to make a place a business seem open, inviting, and clean for all drivers not matter what vehicle they come in with.  Travel Centers are often right off the highways and interstates and have lower fuel prices than conveniences stores that are usually miles off the freeway and in town.

• Author Mark Sedenqist said it best,” I like the gas prices, but what I really like about truck stops is the retail stores. I love to walk the aisles and marvel at the array of merchandise on the shelves. Some of the automotive tools may look familiar, but few stores offer the following items all within 20 feet of each other: an audio tape on New Age mediation, a Browning knife, a Garmin fish finder, an aromatherapy reed diffuser, a genuine wood-grain noise-canceling CB mike, a Joan of Arc VHS tape, a 250-channel preprogrammed police scanner, a die-cast collectible fuel tanker, a metal detector, the complete “Seinfeld” series on DVD, a rocking chair, a deep-fat fryer, an excellent selection of women’s watches, cameras, the world’s largest assortment of beef jerky and other salty snacks, a DISH satellite “finder meter,” a cordless drill, a 12-volt ionizer and air purifier, several styles of small refrigerators, coffee makers, mugs, T-shirts, flashlights, electric blankets and the little gizmos that truckers use to lock their trailer doors.”₂

As a consumer and a driver, you have a variety of choices available to you today when your parents, grandparents and even older generations of drivers did not have luxuries of buying anything other than fuel for their vehicles and had to go to another store to buy a meal before getting back on the road.  You now have a clearer understanding of the new names for establishments that have been around for decades.

Are you interested in more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you in exploring your procurement solutions for your business or on our “Risk Free” trial program for RFPs and RFQs, 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.

_References:

1. _{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convenience_store}
2. _{https://www.roadtripamerica.com/tips/Truck-Stops-Not-Just-For-Truckers.htm}

Today’s post is from our archives at SafeSourcing Inc.

Salad from a Gas Station? Sushi from a Truck Stop? Both of these questions may seem odd to us still even in 2020 and there are two parts to inquire about within these questions. First is getting food typically not found within these establishments and second is the common name of the establishments. For today’s blog, I will focus on the food selections found in today’s market.

Many consumers used to think that the only food you could purchase at a gas station or convenience store was a hot dog, nachos, chips, and candy. While many truck stops or travel centers offered the same as convenience store, they would typically have a diner attached or associated within them.

Today, pay at the pump options make it easier for drivers to fill up and go, but do not entice them to enter the store given the past food options available. The convenience stores have had to re-think how to get drivers in their doors and various things have changed over the years to do just that, from larger and cleaner restrooms to multiple food options.

Food especially has changed and is ever evolving within the convenience store business. Consumers and drivers want something fresh, quick, and yes, even healthy.

• Consumers care what’s in their food today – they want to know when it was made, how it was prepared and what ingredients they’re about to eat. Enter the fresh trend, fresh made, fresh ingredients, and fresh foods.₁ 
• It’s no secret that health has been a growing concern of consumers for the last decade. With folks becoming more aware of the effects certain foods have on their health, it’s becoming increasingly important to include healthy options in your food lineup.  Whether it’s a customer stopping in to grab a water before a gym session or someone just looking to lose a pound or two. Stores are looking at healthy side of things; don’t just think about obvious choices like salad and fruit. They are thinking about clean foods, snacks with fewer than four ingredients, and healthy alternatives as fan favorites. They can easily make a chicken sandwich healthier when switching from fried to baked, mayonnaise to avocado, and a white roll to a wrap.₁
• Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, consumers want things faster than ever. People don’t have time to wait for their pizza to cook, they want it ready NOW. With that in mind we have to put a focus on quickness. Convenience stores are taking advantage of this trend; think about the ways to reduce customer’s time spent getting food. From high speed ovens, fast cooking fryers, grab and go solutions, and easy check out kiosks, there are a multitude of ways to be perceived as a quick option for consumers.

Today a driver can choose from a salad and fresh made grilled chicken sandwich from a gas station/convenience store or sushi or fresh custom pizza from a truck stop/travel center. The options are starting to become endless giving drivers and consumers more options than just driving on down the road to find a suitable place to eat.

Are you interested in more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you in exploring your procurement solutions for your business or on our “Risk Free” trial program for RFPs and RFQs, 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.

_References:

1. _{https://blog.mtiproducts.com/convenience-store-foodservice-trends-2017}