The need to provide a compelling customer experience should be at the heart of every organization.
“This is what motivated the creation of Amazon Business eight years ago,”
explains Nicolas Olague, head of private sector at Amazon Business, “
when it became apparent that many people were already using the website and the Amazon's reliable logistics infrastructure for professional purchases.
»
And continues:
“Our ambition was to simplify the processes.
We wanted our customers to focus on how to achieve their purchasing goals rather than how to mobilize Amazon Business.
The user experience isn't much different than what we have for consumers.
He
adds that Amazon Business offers a complete experience, from helping buyers research a product to purchasing and delivering, all done through a proven, trusted system. trust.
For European companies in particular, which typically cover many different countries and markets, the service also takes into account the need for customization and localization.
“An example would be flexibility in how and when items are delivered,”
explains Olague.
Some companies choose to consolidate them into a single weekly delivery, while others opt for deliveries on a specific day.
»
Particular attention is also paid to pricing.
“If we find that you have purchased the same product multiple times, we suggest using our personalized quote tool
,” he says.
Thanks to this system, buyers submit an offer for a bulk purchase specifying their conditions, which will then be sent to several potential suppliers.
“This generally allows for
savings of up to 10% ,
”
he adds.
However, it's worth noting that procurement professionals are no longer just about saving money.
European businesses now expect procurement staff to be able to support wider objectives, with responsible sourcing and green supply chain management seen as essential in the face of tougher legislation and pressure exerted by consumers.
According to the 2024
State of Procurement Report
, for which employees from nine industries and several countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain , were surveyed, 81% of buyers have internal or external purchasing mandates from different types of certified sellers.
Among those consulted – four out of ten – who do not have mandatory purchasing targets, many take into account the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors of their suppliers.
A vice president of global procurement working at a technology company in Germany illustrates their approach well:
“From an environmental point of view, we are striving to reduce our net carbon emissions by 50% by 2030,
announces -he.
We are therefore very strict in choosing our suppliers to ensure that they behave properly, i.e. comply with laws, dispose of waste correctly and have mitigation plans in place. risks in the event of a natural disaster.
»
The most important factor when purchasing from certain types of suppliers is sustainability, which is a mandatory requirement for more than half of buyers.
40% of buyers are instructed to favor small certified structures and 39% local companies.
This is no small feat, however, especially when it comes to indirect spend categories, which typically represent a large number of relatively low value transactions compared to direct spend.
In fact, 85% of respondents agree that difficulty finding suppliers who follow sustainable practices prevents their company from setting or achieving sustainability goals when it comes to purchasing.
Innovate to encourage responsible purchasing initiatives
Amazon Business can support responsible purchasing initiatives by making it easier for organizations to guide buyers to certified products and sellers, highlight SKUs with sustainability certifications, and proactively measure progress accomplished in achieving responsible purchasing objectives.
This includes the implementation of a climate-friendly purchasing policy, which establishments can impose to ensure that buyers only select items certified from a sustainable development perspective.
“On the buyer side, smart business purchasing makes it easier to connect with certified suppliers,”
said Chris Costello, general manager of strategic accounts at Amazon Business.
Our online purchasing tools offer user-friendly search and filter functions, a platform to communicate directly with suppliers and informative summaries to explain essential ESG information to them.
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“In this way, online purchasing becomes an invaluable resource to reduce the time and effort required to evaluate suppliers and to progress towards responsible purchasing objectives,”
he adds.
With the right tools in place, procurement teams can help their organizations meet constraints related to the environment, diversity, and more.
These may include policies favoring small businesses or those belonging to specific groups such as women or ethnically owned businesses, while logistically, consolidating items into fewer deliveries can help to reduce carbon emissions associated with delivery.
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Using technology to create a reliable and responsive supply chain capable of meeting specific business demands can help organizations provide high levels of service and satisfaction to users.
“Our goal is to enable you to be more efficient and devote more time to your own clients,”
insists Mr. Olague.
To do this, we must put in place rules regarding procurement, sustainable development objectives and ensure visibility of expenditure.
It doesn’t matter if you have five employees or 5,000, the process is the same
,” he concludes.
To learn more about how Amazon Business is helping European businesses develop more profitable and sustainable supply chains, visit
https://www.aboutamazon.eu/news/company-news/amazon-business-customers- across-europe-accelerate-digital-transformation/
.