A new report in The Daily Telegraph says that Government procurement processes are 'alien' to some small businesses.Apparently, an employers’ group claims that small creative firms are struggling to win design business, including contracts associated with the Olympics, because of the complex and lengthy procurement procedures.
Of course, design companies are a specialist breed. You cannot catalogue what they offer in quite the same way as Wellington boots or minibuses.
But the story highlights a problem that can be faced by all small companies attempting to sell goods and services to larger organisations.
They often speak different languages and share different business cultures. And, in particular, their processes and IT systems can be vastly different species. Worlds apart.
So, what can be done to make ‘first contact’?
The best purchase-to-pay (P2P) systems provide flexibility that suits everyone. Put simply, if large organisations take a few small steps … this can represent a giant leap for their suppliers.
- Firstly, organisations can commit to creating a level playing field, fair to everyone. So, it doesn’t matter if your supplier is the world’s biggest furniture store, or the corner cake shop.
- You can enable tiny suppliers to trade electronically, even if they don’t have a web site or even a computer – but just a mobile phone.
- You can allow their goods and services to become visible online to your buyers – just as conveniently as those of the world’s biggest stores.
- It’s possible to enable the small suppliers to receive orders instantly and electronically – with all the purchase order information they need.
- You can make it easy for them to invoice electronically in moments – and also to check on the progress of their payments.
