These days business commerce is simpler than ever.
However, businesses first need to improve their networks to maximize the effectiveness of their organization. Companies thrive when they optimize relationships with peers and customers alike.
Beyond simply gathering new leads, your business can enable new digital processes. This will not only allow quicker responses to buyer requests, but also drive additional revenue.
Buyer requests typically begin with proposals. But first, a few basics on the differences between an RFI and an RFP:
Request for information- an RFI usually precedes requests for proposals or auctions. Rather, buyers will use an RFI to gather non-competitive data to qualify participants for a follow-up event, so they are not competitive.
Request for proposal – an RFP is the second step of a longer sourcing process. Here buyers let you know about their business needs and learn about your prices. They can then set up an auction and determine which lots they’d invite you to.
A Little Push from the Cloud
One way to receive new requests is to have them pushed to you, instead of searching for them on the Web. Leveraging cloud-based apps and a global network of partners, will allow your business to use the full range of collaboration options available for finding leads and building relationships with buyers that have active purchasing needs.
National Business Furniture (NBF) is a provider of office furniture and a great example of an organization that has utilized the cloud and benefited from simpler supplier-customer interactions via digital commerce.
“It has really streamlined the whole process for us,” said Brady Seiberlich, IT eProcurement Manager at NBF. “Through the Ariba Network we can quickly and easily acknowledge requests in a completely automated way, and this has led to faster payments.”
Doing business with NBF is also now simpler, and as a result Seiberlich noted a dramatic increase in sales, “We continue to see double-digit growth from year-to-year and more consistent spending from our customers on Ariba.”
More Benefits of Digital Commerce
- Get matched with buyers that want what you offer
- Automatically receive high quality leads
- Make your bidding process more efficient
- Comply with your customer’s purchasing processes
- Boost awareness among your target customers
- Engage with the world’s largest Web-based trading community through the cloud
Digital commerce is quickly becoming the most effective source for maintaining a real competitive advantage in the retail marketplace. Fortunately, now any business can connect to trading partners anywhere, anytime, from any device to buy, sell, and manage more efficiently.
A transactional platform continues to be the optimal way for innovative companies like NBF to respond to buyer requests.
Are you taking advantage of the world’s largest business network within your own organization?
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