What does your current purchasing process look like?
Do you spend hours researching suppliers to try and find someone who has what you need in stock?
Are you always on the phone chasing up quotes you requested ages ago?
Do you simply use the suppliers you’ve always used even though you suspect their pricing is no longer competitive?
There’s a better way to find the materials and equipment your project requires. It requires a strategic and organised approach but the result is a buying team that is no longer stuck on manual and repetitive tasks and can move onto other important work.
Define Project Requirements
Back to basics: clearly outlining the specifications and requirements for materials and equipment based on a project’s design and scope is the cornerstone of a successful project.
Factors such as quality standards, quantities required, and specific technical requirements must be clarified as early as possible.
The procurement process should not begin without clearly defined requirements.
Research and Identify Suppliers
Conducting thorough research to identify potential suppliers is a key part of the procurement process. Reputation, reliability, and experience are all things that should be considered.
However, this research process can be time consuming. It’s often easier to simply fall back on suppliers you’ve used previously, even though they might not offer competitive pricing or they’re far away from your sites.
The Build Chain removes the need to rely on previous agreements or spend time searching for new suppliers. On our platform, you submit an enquiry for the materials you need and our network of suppliers will respond with quotes. It’s a great way to expand your supply chain with minimal effort.
Read more: How To Maintain Strong Buyer-Supplier Relationships in the Construction Industry
Receive & Compare Quotes
Waiting for quotes from suppliers can often slow down the procurement process. Time that could be spent on other useful tasks is often used up calling businesses to chase quotes. When quotes do arrive, more time needs to spent in negotiations and comparing the quotes.
Although price is often a high priority when comparing quotes, it’s also useful to consider quality, delivery times, and distance from site. It’s essential to adopt a solution that makes these factors visible and allows for easy comparison.
The Build Chain features an in-platform live chat function that can be used to carry out negotiations or clarify details alongside other features designed to speed up the process of materials procurement.
Introduce Sustainability Into The Procurement Process
More clients are now beginning to emphasise the need for sustainability and the UK government is starting to bring in more legal requirements for businesses to operate in an environmentally-friendly way.
This means it is essential for sustainability to be considered during the procurement process.
Distance of materials from site, reducing waste and unnecessary deliveries, and working with suppliers who prioritise greener materials all go a long way towards improving the sustainability construction procurement.
It’s essential to put systems in place that allow you to measure these things.
Read More: How To Align Construction Procurement With Sustainability Goals
Documentation & Record Keeping
Maintaining detailed records of all procurement activities, including contracts, invoices, and correspondence is crucial for future reference and auditing purposes.
Having appropriate systems in place to do this leads to an effective procurement process and overall successful project.
Adopting digital solutions and reducing the reliance on manually inputted data can go a long way to increasing transparency and easing the compliance process.
Read More: The Benefits of Data Driven Construction Procurement
Find The Materials You Need With The Build Chain
The Build Chain is a solution that speeds up the process of buying materials, introduces you to new supply chains, and allows you to compare pricing across new and existing suppliers to ensure you’re getting the best price.
By implementing strategic systems and adopting new ways of working, you can streamline the procurement process and ensure that your construction projects have the right materials and equipment for success. A smooth procurement process can be the difference between a successful and a failed construction project, so it’s essential to adapt your processes when necessary and embrace new technology.
