10 Ideas for Buyers to Encourage Suppliers to go the Extra Mile.

Buyers rely on suppliers to perform numerous requests from the very beginning of their relationship. From the day they're invited to an RFX or participate in a sourcing event, to when supplier enablement gives them the laundry list of requests with tight timelines including providing an eCatalog or PunchOut website and integrate electronic POs and invoices.

What can supplier enablement do to encourage suppliers to meet their deadlines and even go the extra mile to do more than the bare minimum requirements?

Here are ten potential "carrots" to possibly offer suppliers:

1) Invite to Assist with eProcurement Pilots/UAT

Suppliers welcome getting as much exposure as possible. Particularly if they are a new supplier and/or you're rolling out a new eProcurement system. You may let suppliers know that if they can meet or even exceed your requirements that you'll highlight them during testing and UAT, e.g. include them in your test scripts, call them out during demos, etc.

2) Feature on eProcurement System's Home Page

Some modern eProcurement systems give admins the ability to display whatever you'd like on the homepage using business enabled CMS blocks. Offering this prime real estate to highlight suppliers who have excelled (e.g. provided an awesome catalog or offered heavy discounts) would be a huge inspiration for a supplier.

3) Float Sales Items to Top of Search Results

Modern eProcs allow admins to affect search results giving specific items more weight or even float to the top of search results. Similar to how suppliers promote sales items on their B2C sites, you can offer suppliers to boost items they agree to put on sale for at least a period of time.

4) Invite Onsite for Meet n Greet

Most suppliers will welcome the opportunity to come in and informally meet with their end customers, e.g. category buyers, admin assistants, etc. Maybe even allow them to setup their tradeshow booth or a table in the office lobby. I've seen some buyers even create some co-branded marketing material, e.g. booth signs or posters that say "Acme Supplier now on eBuy"

5) Visit Them Onsite

When suppliers have to come in to meet with you in your office, it's typically a nerve-racking experience for them. They're probably all dressed up and a little nervous as they enter your likely relatively lavish corporate office building. But offering to come to their office for an informal tour/meet-n-greet would likely be an enjoyable honor for them.

6) Promote in an Email Blast

Oh how every supplier wishes they had the ability and their buyer's blessing to send even one email to all your employees. Offer them the chance to promote their offerings in a company-wide email blast and every supplier will jump at the opportunity.

7) Display an Ad on your Intranet

It's in a buyer's best interest to entice more employees to use their eProcurement system to make purchases. The buyer's intranet is probably a popular place where employees go daily. You can display an ad on your intranet to let employees know they can procure that supplier's category via the eProcurement system, e.g. "The New iPhone 7 - Now on eBuy!"

8) Offer a Testimonial

Suppliers are very proud of their relationship with their customers. They're especially proud of being selected to tightly integrate with a customer's internal eProcurement system after all the effort both have put in. When a buyer gives a supplier a testimonial that they can use to grow their business, it'll be a very welcomed shot in the arm for the supplier's marketing efforts.

9) Blessing for a White Paper

A step up from a testimonial would be a buyer's blessing to allow the supplier to create a white paper on how they've helped you, e.g. "Buyer X was in the process of upgrading their eProcurement system and needed a PunchOut capable supplier for Y products/services - Supplier Z was able to exceed their requirements within their desired timeline."

10) Issue a Press Release

While I've never heard of it being done, what might be the absolute ultimate carrot (apart from a multi-million dollar contract) would be to give the supplier their blessing to issue a press release to let the world know about the partnership. Ideally the release could include a quote from the buyer. But admittedly, this would only make sense if it was a very strategic and unique arrangement and that a press release would make BOTH companies look good.

Some of these may be out of the question for your organization. But hopefully they'll at least give you a sense of what's often valuable to suppliers and some ideas on how you can help them, help you.

#suppliers #buyers