Getting a major motoring organisation on the road to Intelligent Buying

Highlights

  • Rapid implementation of SAP Ariba P2P solution
  • Expert advice provided for out-of-scope processes
  • Re-engineered Supplier Sourcing and Contract Management delivered in parallel with P2P solution

About the Client

The client, a major motoring organisation traditionally provided breakdown services but has expanded into a broad range of financial products, including loans, insurance, mortgages, credit cards, travel currency cards and savings accounts including ISAs.


Challenges

The client needed to implement key controls and processes around its supplier management and Purchase-to-Pay activities. Top of the list was the ability to qualify suppliers with which the organisation shares customer data, to ensure the security of that data. For this reason, the implementation of a new Supplier and Contract Management system would be the first phase.

A third party was engaged to provide a solution for supplier and contract management, using SAP Ariba technology. Whilst a solution was supplied and installed in May 2018, the configuration of the solution and associated processes did not align with the current maturity of the business and was somewhat over-complicated.

At this stage the client pressed ahead with an invitation to tender for the development of the downstream Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) components. This would provide it with the ability to control and analyse its spend, whilst also providing a user-friendly buying experience.


The Solution

Owing to Xoomworks Procurement’s proven capability and its willingness to challenge the client’s stated requirements, together with a compelling partnership proposal, it was selected for the work.

Xoomworks Procurement delivered a comprehensive P2P solution to the client more closely tailored to their journey from unstructured and largely un-managed purchasing spend to a user-friendly but controlled environment. The Ariba-based solution allowed the client to provide a guided buying experience to its employees, incorporating rules to ensure spend was approved in advance of orders being raised. The buying portal created an ‘Amazonlike’ experience, which will ensure goods and services are purchased from approved suppliers at the right price.

Whilst working on this solution, Xoomworks Procurement was able to bring their experience and expertise to the problems of the Upstream Supplier and Contract Management system. Its advice prompted the client to request a costed statement of work to re-engineer the previously delivered solution


To learn more about Intelligent Buying download the client story.