Are you currently on the lookout for a strategic approach to save money, minimize supply risks, and even streamline your purchasing process?

The answer – is strategic sourcing.

Strategic sourcing is absolutely an invaluable tool used by companies to acquire resources in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. Using strategic sourcing paired with digital business networks, companies are able to create seamless experiences from start to finish of their business operations.

In this resource, we are going to explore the definition of strategic sourcing, why it’s important, its benefits, and how your company can leverage it for your bottom line.

What Do You Mean By Strategic Sourcing?

You’re probably wondering what strategic sourcing efforts are.

Your strategic sourcing efforts refer to a holistic approach to evaluating and selecting suppliers through an in-depth analysis of the current market conditions.

This process requires the coordination of multiple departments which includes procurement, finance, and operations. The goal of this process is for your company to get the best possible terms and prices for goods and services, while you remain to achieve strong supplier relationships.

Most companies use this method to obtain a competitive edge by reducing competitive costs, improving quality, increasing efficiency, and building long-term relationships with trusted partners. The process of strategic capabilities also involves identifying innovative solutions to maximize value from your suppliers over time

The Importance Of Strategic Sourcing Strategy

Strategic sourcing is an important process for your business because it helps you identify and select the best suppliers for your goods and services.

Aside from that, strategic sourcing also aims to maximize the value you receive from your supply chain processes. while still building good relationships with your vendor partners.

The strategic sourcing process gives your company leverage and competitive advantage by allowing you to access new markets, increase your purchasing power, and even reduce your procurement costs. Strategic sourcing can also help your company manage its supply chain effectively by anticipating disruptions and identifying alternative suppliers.

By streamlining your buying process and creating long-term relationships with your key suppliers, your company can create a sustainable source of value for your business and achieve your desired results for your bottom line.

How Does Strategic Sourcing Work?

As you already know, a strategic sourcing strategy requires a comprehensive process. This requires you as a business owner to:

1. Analyze your business needs and historical spending

2. Outline a strategic plan

3. Conduct your data collection

4. Create a market analysis

Doing these things will help your company gain an understanding of your current business opportunities for cost savings and improved supplier relationships.

After doing your initial analysis, your company can then select a roster of product suppliers based on the data you have collected. Once your selections and negotiations have taken place, your business can measure your performance on an ongoing basis to ensure you get the best value from your suppliers.

Aside from that, your company can also use strategic capabilities to create effective supplier relationship management, resulting in an easier way to manage supply chain process disruptions more effectively.

When you take advantage of advanced payment terms and leverage your indirect spend, your business can further reduce competitive costs that are associated with procurement.

What Are The Steps To Strategic Sourcing?

One thing you should know about strategic sourcing is that it is an iterative, and multi-step process that starts with assessing your current spending and ends with your company selecting your optimal supplier having quite a few sourcing requirements.

The steps involved in your strategic sourcing are as follows:

1. Assessing your current needs

2. Identifying your historical spending

3. Creating a strategic plan

4. Conducting your data collection and market analysis

5. Identifying your potential product suppliers

6. Selecting and negotiating with your suppliers

7. Managing relationships with your suppliers

8. Assessing your core capabilities

9. Measuring supplier performance

10. Looking for cost savings opportunities

11. Identifying alternative suitable suppliers in case of supply chain disruptions or even payment term changes

12. Implementing your risk management strategy, preventing risk for error

By following these steps carefully and using the best practices throughout this whole process, your organization can ensure that you’re making informed decisions about your procurement process while increasing your market share.

What Are Some Examples of Companies Who Utilize The Power Of Strategic Sourcing?

Organizations across different industries are taking advantage of strategic capabilities to get the most out of the supply chain.

For instance, the company Apple Inc. has already been a key player in this area as its procurement professionals maintain relationships with suppliers and conduct market research to ensure their company gets the best possible prices and terms from vendor partners.

Aside from Apple, Walmart has also leveraged the power of technology (AI and ML) to gain a better insight into their supplier bids and alternative suppliers. Using strategic capabilities, these companies quickly obtain the best deal for their business while keeping their prices competitive.

There is no doubt that strategic sourcing is a powerful tool for your business, allowing you to gain a competitive edge and maximize your supply chain performance. An effective strategic sourcing plan can lead your company to cost savings and even improved customer satisfaction.

What Is The Impact Of Using Strategic Sourcing Software On Your Company?

Using strategic sourcing software that is paired with your digital business network is an effective way to increase your efficiencies, maximize your supply risks, and even achieve cost savings for your business.

Digitalization through a single sourcing platform provides visibility into your company’s entire strategic sourcing process, enabling your businesses to take advantage of market trends and opportunities quickly.

Additionally, automated workflows ensure that all the key stakeholders of your business have access to up-to-date information regarding supplier bids, payment terms, and alternative suitable suppliers. This helps your company make more informed decisions about its procurement strategies, leading to better supplier relationships and improved cost savings.

Furthermore, utilizing digitalized strategic sourcing software eliminates the risk of error associated with manually managing spreadsheets and documents. By leveraging these technologies your company can streamline its business processes while gaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.

The Bottomline

Having a strategic sourcing team with a great amount of experience is vital for your business, as it helps you stay competitive in today’s market and build strong supplier relationships.

When you leverage your digitalized platform, your company can ensure that your procurement process is efficient, cost-effective, and secure.

Through this platform, your business can access up-to-date information regarding supplier bids, payment terms, and alternative suppliers, enabling you to make more informed decisions about your sourcing strategies.

If you’re ready to create a seamless strategic sourcing experience for your business from start to finish, don’t hesitate to reach out to ProcureDesk and make us your strategic partner today!