A B2B purchasing portal makes the procurement process faster and easier. Businesses today find it easier to work with major suppliers, and tend to overlook the advantages of purchasing from local small businesses. Local companies can provide better options for delivery – they’re more flexible in case of market changes, and can help to diversify the range of products your company offers.
For big companies with representation in multiple cities, regions and countries, “local” can mean thousands of individual locations. The portal helps to engage small and medium-sized businesses and navigate quickly among them. It also enables continuous communication of your needs and requirements.
The result is smarter inventory management, allowing companies to save significant amounts of money, minimize storage time, and reduce liquidation costs, which is central to the concept of just-in-time manufacturing.
A purchasing portal allows you to exchange messages and participate in live chats in a matter of minutes, versus the delays that often accompany the sending of emails. Purchasing managers can quickly identify the most profitable option on the portal. And vendors get valuable information about what’s expected from them, and what can be improved.
A B2B vendor portal helps to improve the purchasing process in multiple ways. It contributes to effective communication with vendors, keeps inventories smartly managed, provides competitive access for small local suppliers, streamlines centralized purchasing, and ensures supply-chain coherence.
Vadzim Belski is head of web development at ScienceSoft.