Supplier participation can make an eProcurement implementation more successful and cost-effective.  You may be wondering why a supplier would choose to help you in this effort as they fully know it will increase your negotiating leverage against them.  The answer is competition.  Suppliers want your business and if they don’t participate, one of their competitors will. With an eProcurement system in place you have taken back control and are setting the ground rules for suppliers looking to earn your business.  In most cases, they are ready and willing to jump in.  However, the eProcurement solution must make participation a straight-forward and cost effective proposition for your suppliers.  This means providing a variety of tools for a supplier to hook up to the system to update catalog content and receive orders. 

Whether your organization is just getting started or has been honing the practice for years, an eProcurement system can help you take it to the next level.  Generally we see three steps in the process of building an effective spend management program. 

They are:
          1. Understanding Your Spend
          2. Rationalizing Your Spend
          3. Optimizing Your Spend

1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5