As the economy continues to create significant challenges for today's businesses, a growing number of companies are taking advantage of Ariba Network Discovery. Using this unique, cost-free resource is simple. Buying organizations post their purchasing projects online, and the solution then identifies and notifies registered suppliers about opportunities that match their business capabilities.
While it's clear that more buying organizations are using Ariba Network Discovery to find new suppliers, the question is: what separates the suppliers that receive a new business opportunity from those that don't? And what can suppliers do to make themselves stand out?
Customer Insight on Ways to Get Business: Give Me Your Details!
Chris Uriarte, the sourcing manager for Stage Stores, Inc., explains what his company looks for when seeking suppliers on Ariba Network Discovery—and what suppliers can do to improve their odds of being found and winning a contract.
- Make sure your profile is complete and up to date. Since the results of customer searches are based on the profile data you provide, the more detail you include in your profile, the better your results will be. To effectively manage your profile, read "Will Buyers Find You? Make Sure They Do with Ariba Network Discovery."
- List all commodity codes that apply to your business. Because Ariba Network Discovery works partly by matching your commodity codes (i.e., what you sell) to the opportunities posted by buying organizations, the codes you list are crucial to the response you get. Besides listing the parent commodity, you can expand your categories to match other areas that buying organizations may search. "It's fine to select multiple commodities," Chris points out. For example, a customer might be sourcing a chemical that's used in baking and as a pool supply, so you could include yourself in both those categories. The commodity chooser feature on Ariba Network Discovery makes this task quick and easy.
- Communicate with potential customers online in real time. You can send questions, comments, and even suggestions about RFPs directly to buying organizations through Ariba Network Discovery, and they can respond to you directly as well. This is a great way to establish rapport with prospects and ensure that you understand project parameters. It also supports more open communication both before and during the bidding process, which can boost your chances of winning a contract.
- Supply comprehensive, professional responses to buyer postings. "We look closely at the way vendors respond to our new business opportunity postings, since that offers valuable information about the kind of company we're dealing with," says Chris. "Are they really professional, or do they just upload a few documents and that's it? That sort of thing tells us what we can expect when doing business with them as well."
- Provide detailed pricing information. Break down descriptions of your pricing on specific items and services and supply this information to prospects in an attachment. This makes it easier for them to accurately assess your pricing structure and prevent misunderstandings later on once the contract has been awarded.
- Don't focus your response on price alone. "We don't just look for numbers, we look for quality also," says Chris. If your company offers exceptional service, satisfaction guarantees, or other advantages that provide extra value to customers, be sure to point this out—and how it makes working with you more cost-effective in the long run.
- Supply solid references. Ariba Network Discovery includes a simple feature that makes it easy to obtain and post references from existing customers, which can greatly enhance your credibility. "It's important to us to check the references of vendors we're considering," notes Chris. "What they tell us definitely affects our decision."
"Since the results of customer searches are based on the profile data you provide, the more detail you include in your profile, the better your results will be. "
Chris Uriarte, Sourcing Manager, Stage Stores
Because the solution dramatically reduces the effort and expense required for sourcing—from as long as six weeks to just a few days—more buying organizations are using it to:
- Fill supply needs in new commodity areas recently brought under spend management
- Meet vendor diversity requirements for specific contracts such as being a minority-owned, woman-owned, or small disadvantaged business
- Discover new suppliers for rush projects that face stringent time constraints
- Replace key vendors who have gone out of business due to economic pressures or other problems
Questions?
To learn more about Ariba Network Discovery or to sign up, go to discovery.ariba.com or call Liz Cuniak at 412.297.8739
