In this blog I have articulated how my Cross Catalog search initiative project to connect disparate Catalogs resulted in adopting the Cloud Commerce Ariba Network catalogs.
In the past several weeks I have been doing a run-down exercise on Cross Catalog search for my Project that's supposed to be a reality with OCI 5.0 and suppliers providing the element for success which is the JSON based framework either a real time http feed or a JSON text file. The SRM UI Add-on along with OCI making it easier to realize.
To achieve this I created an analysis sheet of punch out suppliers v/s the Spend, no of PO's cut and if or not they support the platform.
Initially I thought that the exercise would be easy just to realize upon dialog that many folks are either yet getting aware of this trend or not Cognizant of the developments in this space
Coming to the heart of the issue- the litmus test. SAP SRM UI add -on with the OCI 5 together helps create the platform to enable Cross Catalog search, theoretically it's a giant step forward for customers to Adopt a search that is simple and can bring in the element of competitive parameters to the Shopping process. Well that can be a reality, only if all Suppliers can support it, to stress upon, even if one Supplier bails out, the syndicated approach fails.
Is Competition Political - for Who?
Competitive to the customer directly means a political situation to the suppliers that are now going to be .compared Apples to Apples.
Ex an iPad from Supplier A at x$ v/a from Supplier B at x- some $
Competition is good but does the sell side buy that competitive spirit
This would lead to some in agreement and some not. However even if one of them doesn't comply, it's a jeopardy to your Cross Catalog project as you need to have everyone under the radar to comply and participate.. Might sound weird but it's a practical situation
Economy of Scale
If you are extremely bigger compared to your supplier on Economies of scale you can somehow get them to agree and work toward the technical pieces to realize it
If you are a small fish (pun intended) and asking someone like a Office supplies Major to agree, consider mission failed
So my question is to the OCI 5 platform, SAP and the SUPPLIER
"Are you ready for this culture change" for a peer to peer Customer supplier point to point framework
Or
Are we answering the paradigm shift transformation question into Adopting a Commerce content Network based Marketplace approach like the Ariba /SAP procurement content where suppliers are already docked and hosting their content or can be asked to Dock-To , so asking the customer to indirectly move from Point to Point to a Network based approach to Operational Procurement = CLOUD
- If you've already been successful with your Cross Catalog Search program, I'd love to hear how this happened; you definitely need to rest on your Laurels for having done this J
Share some of those good / bad experiences with us, if you did this with SRM UI Add-on 1.0. and OCI or independently
On the other hand the follow-on is the Network based commerce catalog approach the Ariba Business Network catalogs
The simplest project steps would be
1) Fill out the Supplier Match Template that Ariba/SAP provides to check how many of your suppliers are already available on the Ariba Commerce Catalog Business Network
2) Get your catalog rules defined, keep then simple that can address the broader spectrum of your initiative
3) Give that Wild Card in your face fuzzy type google search experience to your internal shoppers
…am sure most of your spot buys will now be addressed with a Network based marketplace, rather than clicks over clicks frustrating the end-user, leading to poor Shopping experience and lost opportunities for PO’s that never got blessed by the concept of De-centralized procurement philosophy
Lets Keep the Network Approach discussion on
dont forget to follow our SAP Procurement social_media outreach channels
Engage with the SAP Procurement and Ariba via these channels and join the conversation
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