Benchmarking Archives - Page 3 of 8

Failing to compare prices and services guarantees squandered expenditure

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Procurement Strategy, Risk Management, Spend Analysis, Tools / Editor

By not benchmarking the prices and services you receive from suppliers and the way you use those goods and services removes valuable insight into what other organisations are achieving in the market and increases unknown risks, says Alan Low of Purchasing Index (PI), in this month’s SmartProcurement. “Benchmarking is the process of identifying and […]

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Non-compliance with fraud and corruption prevention legislation a major risk

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Compliance / Legal, Risk Management / Editor

Whilst the word “risk” is fast becoming a cliché, it has increasingly important connotations for organisations owing to the plethora of legislation both here and internationally aimed at preventing fraud and corruption, says Alan Low of Purchasing Index (PI) in this month’s SmartProcurement. Local legislation includes: • Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) –

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Can credit cards limit procurement fraud-risk? Surprising answers…

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Procurement Cards, Risk Management, Spend Analysis, Technology / Editor

Clients share one major concern when they consider a procurement card programme: “Will we not expose the company to card fraud and abuse?” Fraud and abuse are a reality in business and procurement card controls, such as expenditure limits and only from specific suppliers, can help prevent card fraud. However, a procurement card does

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Are external benchmarking services still relevant?

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Spend Analysis / Editor

Most procurement functions will conduct their own benchmarking exercises on a regular basis (e.g. comparing suppliers, in terms of the prices they quote and what services they offer). Does this give the procurement function a good enough ‘view’ of the market, and ensure they have they source the ‘best products/services, at the right price’?

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How will your organization maintain its BBBEE position under the new Codes?

Leave a Comment / BEE, Benchmarking, Preferential Procurement, Spend Analysis / Editor

It has come as a shock to many companies that the DTi plans to have the new codes of good practise published any day now, under which organisations have a 12-month transitional period to align themselves and ensure compliance to these codes. Purchasing Index (PI) is concerned that many organisations are unaware of the impact

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Transport’s contribution to logistics costs reaches 9-year high

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Logistics, MRO, Smart Sourcing / Editor

The vulnerability of South Africa’s transport costs to a volatile cost driver – the price of crude oil – and South Africa’s entrenched dependence on road transport does not bode well for the economy, according to the 9th State of Logistics survey for South Africa 2012. The contribution of transport costs to overall logistics costs

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Total Travel and Expense Management is more than just online booking

1 Comment / Benchmarking, Spend Analysis, Tools, Travel / Editor

All too often a Travel and Expense (T&E) Management programme is considered completed and rolled-out if a company has successfully implemented an on-line booking tool that improves travel policy compliance and reduces overall transactions costs. Recent research indicates that global best practices for organisations is to embrace a total T&E Management technology solution, of which

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What are larger organisations really looking for in cell phone and data services?

Do Voyager Miles make commercial sense?

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Category Management, Technology, Travel / Editor

Within the context of Purchasing Index‘s (PI’s) Domestic Air Travel benchmark report, SAA continues to make up the bulk of domestic carrier usage (as indicated in the graph alongside for the five benchmark routes for the period Aug-Oct 2012). In this month’s SmartProcurement Alan Low wonders if this is justifiable? Surely there should be a

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Facilities management procurement: benchmarking key trends

Leave a Comment / Benchmarking, Facilities Management Services FMS / Editor

In this month’s SmartProcurement, Joshua Low of Purchasing Index (PI) explores some of the latest trends in facilities management. What changes are taking place in this space? And how are organisations, locally and internationally, adapting to incorporate these changes into their strategic plans for 2013? Catering A number of companies are beginning to see

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