overcoming procurement challenges
Accessibility
- Vendor catalogues are not always
up-to-date or available in “real-time”
- Product availability and lead-time
information not always available
- Need for all vendors to be accessible
via internal procurement/ ERP systems
- Order status and history reports not
always available
Flexibility
- Unable to look-up “real-time” pricing
information when it’s convenient for you
- Want to choose how and when you interact
with the vendor
Control
- Need to enforce internal purchasing
workflow approval rules
- Want to reduce vendors and leverage
transaction volume
Cost
- Too much overhead associated with
procurement process
- Negotiated or “on-contract” rates not
always being utilized across entire organization
- Looking to recover VAT, duties and
taxes
- Need to obtain accurate logistics
charges
- Want to leverage cost of internal
procurement/ERP systems
Time
- Manual quote process can take up to
several days
- Complex IT purchases and configuration
result in lengthy quote or PO process
- Reconciliation of mismatched Quotes and
POs
Global operations
- Need to accommodate local currency and
language
- Managing local legal and trade
restrictions for cross-border transactions
How
does Dimension Data Direct help?
Dimension
Data Direct helps overcome these common procurement challenges by offering
clients a way to connect with preferred vendors, source technology and
services, manage the IT procurement process, and analyze spend via a
collaborative relationship with Dimension Data.
Helping
clients connect
Dimension
Data Direct is a gateway to preferred IT vendors. We help our clients connect
with top vendors such as Cisco, EMC and Microsoft by providing real-time
product and service pricing at their negotiated rates.
In
addition to the technology products offered through our system clients can
access our award-winning services, which include Managed Services, such as IT
support (maintenance and monitoring), Professional Services, such as
installation and integration, training and many more complex IT solutions.
What’s
more, we give clients access to these top products and services 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They can look up pricing, create quotes,
track purchase status and reconcile invoices at their convenience.
For
the ultimate in connectivity we can integrate with our client’s existing ERP
or procurement systems, allowing for a faster, more accurate and seamless
quote to invoice process.
Helping
clients source
At
its foundation Dimension Data Direct is a method for sourcing technology
products and services. Additionally, we let the client decide how they want
to do business with us. They are able to create quotes and submit purchase
orders via the self-service portal, or they can work directly with an account
manager in a full service fashion.
By
utilizing our eProcurement system clients are able to create accurate quotes
based on their negotiated pricing and Service Level Agreements, with an
improved turnaround time from traditional, paper-based processes. And because
we connect directly with the vendor they can configure all of their quotes
and purchase orders in real time. What’s more, the client is provided with
accurate lead time and availability, empowering them to make informed buying
decisions
Dimension
Data Direct also allows clients to procure using their local currency and one
of five different languages. Another advantage of being a global system is
that we apply local business rules, such as taxes, surcharges, etc.
Helping
clients manage
Spend
management and visibility continue to be key goals for procurement
executives. Dimension Data Direct can help our clients manage their IT spend
by streamlining the purchase process and applying their own internal workflow
procedures. This helps eliminate rogue purchasing and enforce “on contract”
purchasing.
What’s
more, they are able to create pre-configured bundles and templates that allow
for a simplified purchasing process and standardized common technology
purchases.
Together
these features, along with the added convenience and availability of an
online system, give our clients greater control over the entire procurement
process.
Helping
clients analyze
The
second part to spend management is visibility. If our clients know what their
organization is purchasing they are empowered to make business decisions and
armed for effective vendor negotiations. Dimension Data Direct allows for
ad-hoc reporting 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Clients can view
historical purchasing patterns and monitor purchasing to ensure it stays on
contract and within corporate policy.
Because
quotes, purchase orders and invoices can all be done electronically, clients
are able to reconcile payments much faster by looking up the electronic POs
to make sure they match the invoice received.
The
collaborative relationship
Although
Dimension Data Direct offers the convenience and accessibility of an online,
self service tool, it’s important to remember that it also fits into a
collaborative relationship with Dimension Data. Our full service sales
engagement offers the efficiencies of an eProcurement system, but also the
benefits of working with one of our sale professionals who can help our
clients assess their technology needs, make recommendations and answer
questions.
Dimension
Data Direct is integrated with our global
procurement and logistics services so that clients can collaborate with
our team of international shipping and delivery experts to determine the best
options for purchasing, staging and delivering on a global scale.
