I have to agree with a recent article in the Supply Chain Digest on why SMBs should invest in Supply Chain Technology now because it echos what I’ve been trying to say for over a year now … it could save your company a lot of cash. As Dr. Norek notes, on-demand supply chain solutions change the financial dynamics and may help improve cash flow right away. e-Sourcing helps you negotiate more savings. e-Procurement cuts your transaction costs and, integrated with e-Contract Management, helps you realize your negotiated savings by preventing maverick buying and flagging invoices not at contracted rates. e-Supply Chain Finance Solutions streamline invoice processing and help you get paid on time, especially if they support dynamic discounting. And so on.
You need to spend a little to save a lot and make a move while others stand pat and, right now, I can think of no better investment than supply chain technology which can deliver ROIs of 3:1, 5:1, 7:1, 10:1, and more (especially if you invest in the right spend analysis and decision optimization solutions). And if you can find a True SaaS solution that meets your needs, the up-front costs are minimal, and the continuing costs extremely affordable, especially compared to the continuing ROI that accompanies some of these modern supply chain technology solutions.
During these difficult times, well-planned and executed supply chain technology investments can allow SMBs to grow and save costs while many of their bigger counterparts are shrinking. So make a move … the market is yours for the taking!