SUPPLY CHAIN
“ A truly digital network is a compelling value proposition because sellers benefit every bit as much as buyers ”
CHRISTOPHE LEMAITRE TEAM LEAD , ONBOARDING STRATEGY , TRADESHIFT
sellers aren ’ t up to the task . Rather than making it easy for businesses to connect with one another , the majority of digitisation projects fail because they ’ re designed in islands . Every one-to-one connection is a project in itself , requiring significant time and effort from both the buyer and the seller . The user experience is terrible , and there is often a significant cost attached for the supplier .
It ’ s not that suppliers are digital laggards but that change almost inevitably means cost . They need to learn a new programme , build a new process , and integrate another system . All that takes time , money , expertise and effort . Many suppliers weigh up all that extra hassle and feel it ’ s simply not a price they ’ re willing to pay . MRM : Technology is not the main barrier today to a digitally connected supplier base . Companies have , by and large , embraced digital POs ( Purchase Orders ), contract management systems issue requisitions , manage negotiations , and , in the majority of industries , companies have adopted digital procurement practices .
Perhaps the key challenge is more about ways of working for some buyers and the addressing of their concerns related to data privacy , data security , data platforms and data lakes to exchange information in the digital supply network .
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