USA chain . We ’ ve also taken the best from each cluster team and created a new procurement organisation with them , and ensured that all the current agreements were in place before the Starwood merger . Now under a single format , as per the requirements of the brands , we work with and merge every line of procurement . This is almost complete for the North American market , so we ’ re now concentrating on delivering excellent service .”
Masson is quick to point out that this success is far from a one-man show : “ It ’ s not my work – it ’ s the work of the entire procurement structure and the people we have in the field . We ’ ve been extremely lucky to work with suppliers – partners , really – who have helped us to grow this process in a way that ’ s never been done before on this scale .
“ It really has been a team effort to get where we are today .”
Technology Technology has been the axis on which Marriott ’ s transformation pivots . Any alteration to technology in an organization of this size can be a mammoth task , and one which has to suit every segment throughout the world in order for it to work effectively .
For Marriott , Masson says , the changes required for our supply chain are just common sense .
“ The technology has changed the way we contract dramatically , and also the way that the hotels work . The deployment of Procurement 2020 , which is basically a sourcing-to-pay strategy , is not something revolutionary . We know what to contract and where to source products , but we were missing the critical information which needed to be added .”
Marriott ’ s latest two-pronged attack includes a single platform for accounts payable , as well as a single platform for e-procurement . These streams work together so that the company negotiates a contract , uploads the contracting terms on the e-procurement platform , and when the goods reach the hotel , the invoice is paid automatically through the accounts payable system . A simple , effective process that ensures data that can be analysed and be
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