Almost 20 years’ experience benchmarking goods and services has taught Alan Low, CEO of Purchasing Index (PI), that improving efficiencies and generating savings often has nothing to do with an arrangement with a supplier. He spoke to SmartProcurement about other avenues that lead to great savings. SmartProcurement If savings can’t be made with the […]
Savings not always generated at the supplier. Look inside! Read More »
Organisations seeking to become leaner and more efficient can’t manage what they don’t measure. “Over the 15 years that I have been benchmarking SA organisations I have seen very little evidence that there is any direct relationship between how much organisations procure and the prices they pay. Rather, it is better-informed organisations that pay
Why your organisation should benchmark Read More »
Many organisations are seeking ways to fit more staff into less office space, while maintaining a conducive and more productive work environment. Disparate business unit requirements may also complicate central planning of the workspace – some divisions may require hot-desking and allow work-from-home, while others want all staff in the office permanently, working together
Call to participate in a SA workspace management benchmark service Read More »
Dramatic changes expected in the South African telephony market over the next few years mean buyers of telephony and IT services (fixed line and mobile) should avoid long-term agreements with their current service provider(s), keep on top of market offerings and understand the changing need of the businesses they serve, says Purchasing Index’s (PI)
Buying Telecommunications? Avoid long-term agreements Read More »
Building an organisational scorecard showing B-BBEE achievements against the relevant codes is useful in itself. However, for most organisations this exercise is manual, takes a long time to complete and is retrospective. What is required is a service that goes beyond a static scorecard to a fully integrated B-BBEE analysis service that tracks strategic
Real-time BEE transformation analysis – turning data into action Read More »
A performance assessment that helps supply chain management (SCM) organisations quantify their financial contributions to organisations was launched in January. Return on Supply Management Assets Performance Check (ROSMAPC) assesses SCM’s value to an enterprise and helps SCM executives demonstrate the function’s financial impact on the bottom line. In order to measure performance the tool
New tool helps SCM demonstrate its financial impact on the bottom line Read More »
2014 has ushered in another year of angst for most organisations in South Africa. However, while cost containment remains high on many Exco’s agendas, the costs associated with staff continue to increase relative to the wage bill, says Alan Low of Purchasing Index (PI), in this month’s SmartProcurement. In the 1970s office overheads as
Office overheads in the 21st Century – space management Read More »
As supply chain management becomes increasingly central to business strategy, so the need for visibility within the supply chain becomes paramount. Greater end-to-end visibility improves revenue and reduces costs, while allowing for better management of disruption, complexity, opposition and growing customer expectation, Tech-Pro tells SmartProcurement. Image: Erik Kriek, Supply Chain Movement 2013 Supply chain
Driving visibility within African supply chains Read More »
The accuracy and relevancy of data in organisations is becoming more important. With more spend being moved onto cards, data on card transactions is quickly becoming a necessity, finds Anita Carolus, Nedbank Corporate Card National Sales Manager, in her interactions with clients.
P-card transactions facilitate in-depth spend analysis Read More »
Although very basic when compared with the multi-functional devices (MFDs) sold today, many of the same sales techniques are still used to trap unwary photocopy machine procurers, says Alan Low of Purchasing Index (PI), who ran a London office equipment company in a past life. “It is recognised as an industry where the size
Multi Functional Devices – Why benchmark the procurement – running costs? Read More »
