Procurement often involves multiple disparate stakeholders, systems and protocol. This complexity results in increased reliance on inefficient sourcing processes and only partially takes advantage of all the benefits available from supplier competition. Consequently, organizations lose out on all but the easiest to reach savings. To add structure and oversight to complex procurement needs, companies must take advantage of new technologies and implement end-to-end e-Procurement systems. Yet, the question remains:

Which e-Procurement system best fits the need of a given organization, and how can this system be identified?

An unbiased set of eyes can turbocharge this process.

A highly structured approach is required to investigate, draw insights and implement the transition to an e-procurement solution. The investigation must untangle the current web of procurement tools, processes, and personnel, and clearly describe the the current state so that that the recommended tool is sufficiently capable in spend visibility, e-sourcing, P2P, and supplier risk management.

We often start our investigation by utilizing a Spend Analytics and Reporting Dashboard along with contracts review and interviews to judge the appropriateness of current procurement tools. This process identifies the range of suppliers, spend levels, organizational structure, sourcing methodologies, etc., and provides Kepler experts and internal stakeholders with new insights into process alignment for automation. We map your current and suggested processes as the first step toward the creation of a comprehensive set of requirements. Using this we go-to-market on your behalf and determine the best solution by fit, TCO and overall value.

However, our process does not end here. To complete the transition to a more efficient procurement organization that leverages best-in-class technology, we develop “center of excellence” processes and templates.

For many companies, organizational inertia can prevent a deep, bottoms-up assessment of complex and disparate procurement systems. The truth is that most e-Procurement solutions are underutilized resulting in inefficiency and lost savings.  It is only through an integrated approach to system selection and implementation can the full benefit of automation be realized.