Category Archives: Vendor Review

HICX Solutions Wants To Buy You A Shiny New Pair of Shoes! Part III

In Part II of this series we not only noted that HICX, which stands for Harmonize, Integrate, Control, and eXchange, is a relatively new SIM offering on the market (even though it has been in development since 2004), addresses the classic SIM sweet-spots, but also hits a few new ones. Not only does it include on-boarding and an integrated supplier portal like classic SIM, and more than adequately address Performance and Compliance Management — mainstays of current SIM platforms, but also goes beyond to offer a complete Master Data Management (MDM) solution for your Supply Management operation.

But that isn’t the only trick it offers. As hinted at in Part I, it not only allows a user to define, and redefine, data models as necessary but define, and redefine, workflows as necessary to allow an organization to not only accommodate new product demands but adapt to new technologies and new business requirements as they arise. These new tricks are not to be underestimated. While a number of platforms allow you to extend and augment the data model, most do not allow the data model to be extended after the fact, and those that do require all existing elements to have the new property defined, or at least defaulted (to a default or a value that represents a not-yet-defined value).

In contrast, the HICX platform allows the data model for any element to be updated at any time by any user with authority, and since the HICX platform supports versioning with all data elements of the data model, no existing elements are impacted or need to be updated since the data (element) model is loaded with each data element and each data element is validated against the (element) model it was created with. (Once the data element is loaded, the user can add any additional elements required to update the associated data model, if desired.)

But that’s not the best trick that the HICX platform has to offer. The best trick is that the platform allows the workflow to be updated at any time by any user with the authority to do so, even if the workflow is being used in an initiative currently in progress — such as an on-boarding, compliance, or performance improvement initiative. This is because the platform not only versions data models, but workflows that drive the product and initiatives. If, during an event, the event administrator notices that that the workflow is causing problems for the suppliers and can be simplified, or notices that the information being collected is not what was expected, the administrator can simplify the workflow or add additional, mandatory, data requests. Suppliers who have already started the workflow will be able to finish the current workflow, and can then be sent a request for additional information by the administrator (who can limit the request to suppliers on the older version of the workflow) but suppliers who did not begin the initiative before the update will start on the new workflow.

But the real power of the workflow management capability is the ability to change registration, data collection, and performance measurement workflows (and associated data element models) when suppliers change, products change, and evaluation methods change. Traditional SIM platforms decline in usage because they can’t keep up with changing business requirements and user needs. But with the ability to update workflows to match the business needs at any time, using an integrated visual workflow designer, the HICX platform insures that SIM is always relevant and current. It’s the new trick that most SIM platforms have been missing.

Other tricks include:

  • Dynamic Dashboards

    like any good SIM product, the HICX platform supports user dashboards, but doesn’t stop at one dashboard per user — the user can create as many dashboards as he or she wants and customize them to specific purposes — compliance, performance improvement, on-boarding, insurance, etc.; the tool includes a sophisticated dashboard designer that allows a knowledgeable user to design a dashboard that is actually relevant to the initiative at hand (which can be focussed on non-compliance, non-performance etc. — since we all know that dashboards that report success are dangerous and dysfunctional)

  • Advanced Search

    that allows the user to search for any data element using any fields, and filter using any set of fixed values (lists) and related elements; these searches can be used to define supplier sets for initiatives, using as many dimensions as necessary to get it right

  • User Defined Escalations

    that allow the user to define multiple levels of automated escalation during initiatives, where each escalation can occur at a different interval and be targeted to a different group or individual

These aren’t all the tricks the platform has to offer, but they are most of the tricks of note that serve to distinguish the HICX platform from the other SIM products on the market. If you’re on the market for a SIM solution, you should definitely take a look. The name and website might be a bit non-descriptive, but the tool certainly isn’t.

HICX Solutions Wants To Buy You A Shiny New Pair of Shoes! Part II

In Part I we noted that, despite the fact that SIM (Supplier Information Management) was old news and a mature Supply Management solution offering (as the early leaders in this space were formed as early as 2000), it may still have a few tricks up its sleeves and the acquisition of the right technology platform might just get the acquirer a shiny new pair of shoes that are as coveted as Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. (Of course, the acquisition of the wrong technology might get the acquirer a pink slip.)

We also noted in Part I that HICX, which stands for Harmonize, Integrate, Control, and eXchange, a relatively new SIM offering on the market (even though it has been in development since 2004), not only addresses the classic SIM sweet-spots, but also hits a few new ones that can bring significant value to your organization if properly implemented and utilized as it brings with it a new bag of tricks. How does it do this?

Let’s start with the five major areas of SIM covered in Part I:

  • Onboarding

    The HICX platform not only allows the entire process to be automated, but allows the workflow to be customized to each supplier according to the supplier type (sub-contractor, one-off vendor, product, service, importer, government agency, etc.), the region the supplier is in, the business unit(s) the supplier deals with, the products or services the supplier offers, the languages the supplier uses, and the data that is required for performance, compliance, or other initiatives that involve the supplier. The customized process insures that the supplier is only asked for data that is needed, and that the supplier can designate the appropriate personnel to provide that data. The portal can be configured to include a significant number of data checks to not only make sure that the data is of the right type (numeric, alpha-numeric, attachment, etc.) but that the data provided makes sense (is in range, is from a pre-defined set of answers, etc.) — which prevents a lot of typos (which can result in bad scorecards and unnecessary alerts in an exception management setup, which the platform also supports). In addition, known supplier data can be pre-populated for review, and can even come from supplier directories (including the D&B directory). It’s very easy for the user doing the onboarding to customize this process as that user can customize the process by simply selecting the supplier type, region, business unit, products, services, languages, etc. of relevance to each supplier and the system does the rest. The user then has the option to add or remove additional requirements for individual suppliers, and override any and all defaults (that they have the authority to override as per the fine-grained permissions and securities models).

  • Master Data Management

    Not only does the MDM solution provide you with numerous “out-of-the-box” data models, standards, and validations that you can customize as needed, but it recognizes that MDM systems have to integrate with downstream ERP/MRP systems, upstream sourcing and procurement systems, and even overarching BI, Spend Analysis, and Reporting systems that cross and connect the streams. (Supply Management streams are not dematerializers — sometimes it is beneficial if the streams cross.) As a result, it has out-of-the-box integrations with a number of upstream, downstream, and mid-stream systems and can push, pull, and sync data as required according to any number of user-defined rules. Plus, it allows certain aspects of master data, including bank master data, to be handled separately (and stored in separate, heavily encrypted, and highly secure data sources).

  • Performance Management

    The performance management component, as expected, allows the user to build scorecards around business goals and use whatever information is required, whether it is supplier provided, internal or third-party and whether it comes from the SIM solution, upstream solutions, downstream solutions, or cross-stream solutions. It also supports a very dynamic and flexible scoring mechanism that can support whatever formulae the user feels is necessary to construct an adequate scorecard.

  • Compliance Management

    The compliance module allows the user to create and manage compliance initiatives across one or more suppliers for one or more projects. This can be as simple as collecting raw material data to insure that the products your suppliers are manufacturing do not contain any restricted substances under RoHS or other directives, or as complex as collecting all data relating to sustainability initiatives to directly and indirectly support your organization-wide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

  • Integrated Supplier Portal

    As per our coverage of the on-boarding solution, the portal is streamlined so that the supplier is only asked for data that is needed, all aspects of the portal provide the supplier with a consistent experience, and the supplier can designate the appropriate personnel to provide and maintain the data that is needed on a data type, product, or initiative basis.

But this is not all that the HICX solution has to offer. Come back for Part III.

HICX Solutions Wants To Buy You A Shiny New Pair of Shoes! Part I

Last week we asked if SIM was old news or a shiny new pair of shoes. We noted that SIM (Supplier Information Management) was a mature and stable technology with a large number of solution providers not only providing the tools and best practices to manage supplier life-cycles, but to manage risk, compliance, receivables and even spend repositories for spend management. It’s almost a commodity in the Supply Management space, and, thus, an acquisition thereof is not likely to get baby that new pair of shoes anytime soon. Unless, of course, the solution has some new tricks not found in most current solutions.

What tricks? Tricks that provide added value to your organization. What might these tricks look like? As per our last post on the issue, if the SIM product not only allowed a user to define, and redefine, data models as necessary but define, and redefine, workflows as necessary to allow an organization to not only accommodate new product demands but adapt to new technologies and new business requirements as they arise, then this would qualify as new tricks as many classic SIM products have rather fixed data models and inflexible workflows. It’s not the only new trick that would have value, but it is a new trick. And it’s a new trick that HICX Solutions brings to the table with their SIM solution. More on this later.

HICX, which stands for Harmonize, Integrate, Control, and eXchange, is a relatively new SIM offering (even though it has been in development since 2004) that not only addresses the classic SIM sweet-spots, but also hits a few new ones that can bring significant value to your organization if properly implemented and utilized. But let’s back up a bit.

In addition to classic SIM, the HICX SIM platform addresses each of the following areas, which, with the exception of MDM, are all addressed by most current SIM platforms:

  • OnboardingHICX is not the first SIM provider to have a comprehensive on-boarding solution, and won’t be the last, but they are one of the few that recognizes the absolute criticality of a good on-boarding process as effective SIM is 100% dependent on good, complete supplier data — which is dependent on the supplier providing that data to you on a timely basis. This is, of course, dependent on getting the supplier on-board not only with your efforts but the systems you use to collect the data. As a result, effective on-boarding is key.
  • Master Data ManagementWhile many SIM solutions manage data, most can’t serve as your MDM (Master Data Management) repository. However, the HICX solution can. This is important since most Supply Management solutions outside of the ERP space do not have MDM capabilities. But MDM is the key to good supplier and supply management initiatives as every initiative — analysis, modelling, payments, reporting — requires good data. And since the ERP is usually so tightly locked down, and such a mess, you rarely get the good data you need out of it.
  • Performance ManagementThe whole point of collecting good information is to help the organization effectively manage the supply base and improve both organization and supplier performance. As such, this was the first major piece of functionality offered by SIM providers and one of the staples that should be offered by every SIM provider.
  • Compliance ManagementA critical part of performance management is compliance management. It doesn’t matter if your supplier can produce the product 10% cheaper if they do so using a chemical that is banned under RoHS and your product would be confiscated if you tried to import it. Compliance is critical. Compliance with regulations and directives. Compliance with agreed to processes. Compliance with ethics. So you definitely need good compliance management capabilities.
  • Integrated Supplier PortalThe best way to get the data is directly from the supplier, and the supplier is only going to buy-in if the portal is easy to use and integrated. If the supplier has to go to a separate page for each request, with a different login, workflow and UI, the supplier is going to start boycotting your tools and your initiatives faster than the hammer drops.

Moreover, in a few of these areas, and MDM in particular, the HICX solution adds a few tricks of its own. What tricks? Come back for Part II.

Are You Ready to Leave the Procurement Dark Ages? ScoutRFP Has a Simple Tool For You. Part II

In our last post, we noted that many organizations are still in the Procurement Dark Ages, conducting procurement using the age-old three-bids-and-a-buy technique and the fax machine running over a 64 kbit digital ISDN circuit. And that, in the low end of the mid-market in particular, this was the norm and not the exception. Scary!

We also noted that there were a number of reasons for this dismal state of affairs including, but not limited to, a lack of foresight and faith in Procurement by the organizations, the high price tag that used to be associated with these products, and the complexity of the suite solutions that were often thrust upon the technologically illiterate organizations that, sadly, were just not ready for sophisticated solutions.

Some companies need to take it one-step at a time, and like a kid on the beach for the first time, dip their toe in the open ocean before getting comfortable enough to walk, and eventually, dive in. To this end, Scout RFP has decided to launch a new RFP solution to help those companies, and other companies who are using RFP solutions that are overpriced or too advanced for their needs.

Does this make sense given that they are not the first company to offer a stand-alone RFX product, or at least a stand-alone RFX module, and that there are a number of companies on the market that have, or started with, this strategy? For example, EC Sourcing, ThomasNet, and PurchasingNet all offer low-end stand-alone RFX solutions that can be obtained at low cost.

Unless they do something different, definitely not. But the founders recognize this, and might find a way to brighten up the space just a little. (Time will tell.)

So what’s different about ScoutRFP? Especially considering the maturity of RFX technology? Not much, but when you consider the market they are going after, it probably doesn’t take much to make a difference to have an impact. (With the majority of players chasing the same Global 2000, there is still a big unexplored blue ocean when you move further down the corporate food chain.)

Scout RFP is currently focussed on differentiating themselves in the following ways:

1. Ease of Use

The solution is 100% web-based and designed to work with minimal inputs. Like all other modern RFX products, it guides the user through a minimal workflow to create the RFX, select the suppliers to receive the RFX, and evaluate the responses, side-by-side, when they are returned.

2. Flexibility

Whereas many solutions force the user to create an RFX section by section, question by question, the ScoutRFP solution allows the user to create the RFX at their desired level of detail. They can cut and paste entire sections from a Word document into an entire section, break it up into individual questions, or go somewhere in between.

3. Control & Visibility

It allows for the definition of hierarchical visibility and control that allows a CPO to view the work being done by his or her directors who can see the work betting done by his or her buyers.

Like other modern tools, ScoutRFX also has a dashboard view, supplier response and status tracking, and side-by-side comparisons.

And it’s brand new. The company has not officially been around for a year, and has accomplished quite a bit of development in that timeframe as well as landing over a dozen customers in that time as well. So it’s very likely that the next year will see quite a bit of new development, the creation of a knowledge and template library, and other useful advancements to jump start your dark-age Procurement enterprise.

If you’re a mid-size company without an RFX solution, it’s worth checking out. It doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of some more established solutions, but it doesn’t have the price tag either. And the founders, who know what it’s like to be stuck without basic tools to do your job, won’t beat around the bush or try to shovel you a side of bullcrap with a modules, services, or license seats you don’t yet need. (After all, when you’re selling enterprise systems in the low five-figures, you can’t afford to!)

Are You Ready to Leave the Procurement Dark Ages? ScoutRFP Has a Simple Tool For You. Part I

In yesterday’s post we noted that even though the Procurement profession has went from zero to hero in those leading organizations that were forward looking enough to let Purchasers gain influence in both the inbound and outbound supply chain and raise the profile of the organization in the eyes of both customers and suppliers, it is still only a select group of leaders that have truly embraced Supply Management and leaped the pond.

The remaining organizations are still in the Procurement Dark Ages, conducting procurement using the age-old three-bids-and-a-buy technique and the fax machine running over a 64 kbit digital ISDN circuit. And, especially in the lower end of the mid-market, this is the norm and not the exception.

To this end, a new company has hit the Procurement Technology marketplace focussing only on RFX. That’s right, RFX. You’d think that the market would be saturated by now, given that RFX solutions have been on the market for a decade and a half, but it isn’t. There are a number of reasons for this:

1.As described above, a lack of foresight and faith in Procurement has held Procurement, and Procurement technology, back in a number of organizations.

2. The high price tag that was associated with such technology in the past. This technology used to be six figure technology. It’s far from that today, but when many companies first investigated this technology, they got such a sticker shock that they decided it would be out of their reach for years, if not decades, as used to be the case with MRP and ERP technology.

3. The complexity of the suite of products that were often forced upon them. A number of early Sourcing and Procurement Technology providers tried to sell entire suites, insisting that individual products were not valuable on their own, and most companies, still using phone and fax, were not ready for the breadth of technology being thrust upon them and so retreated to their dungeons.

The companies at the low-end of the technology and innovation spectrum need to take things one step at a time, and get comfortable with basic technology solutions, like RFX, before moving on to auction and spend analysis and even, if we’re lucky, optimization. And they want to be able to acquire these solutions one at a time.

That’s why Scout RFP has launched a new RFX solution that attempts to provide these companies with a simple, starting, technology solution that these companies can use to dip their toe in the modern age of Procurement at a low cost with little to no risk.

Is it needed? Is it worth it? Stay Tuned for Part II.