One School District’s Purchasing Staff is Successfully Operating Virtually During Coronavirus

The purchasing group of one of the largest school districts in New Jersey is successfully navigating the Coronavirus pandemic without missing a beat.

This wouldn’t have been possible less than two years ago.

At that time, they were using a system straight out of the 1990s. All manual and all paper – tons of it.

This is an astonishing success story and a credit to the dedication of their staff and the training and mentoring provided by the procurement software’s account manager who guides them and also supports any Suppliers with system related question, ensuring supplier participation is a success.

The Director of Procurement for the District says the account manager “Is a rock star!”.

Each member works from home and can collaborate in real time with any other member or participate in group discussions as required.

Here are some of the key productivity features of the procurement tool:

• 100% secure cloud-based environment that ensures full productivity for both suppliers and buyers who are primarily working remotely from a home office during the pandemic
• Suppliers can upload completed, executed bid packages and any other attachments as specified by the procurement team
• System can accommodate pre-determined bid allowance amounts to ensure bids are within reasonable limits set by the team(Line item constraints ensure that extended bid values are within an acceptable range
• Flexible bid options accommodate various pricing formats, including advanced formulaic options
• Local municipal requirements can be attached at the item level
• Analysis reports are collated, ranked and available in the system making bid analysis viewable by team members and speeding up the awards process
• All or part of a prior bid can be saved as a template or copied into a new bid. This has dramatically sped up the creation and launching of all size events

 

There are many more performance features in the tool but I think you get the idea.

 

When it became apparent that each team member would be working remotely, they were confident that the transition would be smooth. 

They know that they are helping to maintain a high level of service and cost control for each school.

Under the old manual system they constantly felt overwhelmed and morale was low.

This success story could be yours.

The challenges the district faced are similar to those of most organizations using manual or offline tools.

If your company wants to dramatically enhance the efficiency of your procurement efforts, perhaps it is time for a chat.

Your team and suppliers will welcome the change.

We may have a long way left to run in this crisis.

Imagine how you would be managing during the pandemic if you had taken the same steps this school district did two years ago.

Action Step: Finding the right tools for your needs can be a challenging process but it doesn’t have to be. If you are uncertain where to start the process of change, a procurement professional like myself can provide guidance and expertise to help your organization achieve the results you want. If you want to go explore this topic in greater detail, please contact me. I invite you to request 30-minute discovery conversation. In my experience the next step will be apparent at the end of the call. I never assume that what I have to offer will be right for everyone, so don’t expect a sales pitch. You can reach me at 973-936-9672. 

If you would like to know more ways to reduce costs without changing the way you do business, simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact information and the best time to reach you.

You Won’t Drift to Success©

Commit to taking the next step.

Until Next Time, I Wish You Great Success in Your Business and in Your Life

Mike Jeffries