Think about the important business relationships in which you invest. Obviously, you have invested heavily in the relationship with your customers. What about other business relationships, especially the ones you have with your suppliers?
Those relationships also require an investment of time and effort. By strengthening your supplier relationships, you strengthen your entire supply chain. There are three ways to build a stronger supply chain: communicate clearly and frequently, be trustworthy, and implement tools that help you put the previous two components into place. Read on to learn how EDI outsourcing helps you accomplish all three of those tasks.
Communicate Clearly and Frequently
The playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” That saying holds true in the business world, too. Maybe you thought you told the supplier that you needed the shipment by Wednesday, but it arrived on Tuesday… of the next week. Or perhaps there was a misunderstanding about payment terms, and the invoice is due weeks before you expected it to be.
Frequent and clear communication ensures these problems do not crop up to disrupt business processes because everyone knows what is going on and what is expected of them. What is the best way to make certain frequent and clear communication takes place? EDI software automates information sharing, so invoices and purchase orders are sent with minimal intervention.
Be Trustworthy
Think about your own customers for a second. Would you want to do business with someone who was demanding, rude, and did not pay invoices on time? Of course not; those kinds of clients are nothing but trouble, and they do not support your corporate goals.
In business relationships, trust is crucial. There needs to be a sense of mutual trust between suppliers and their customers in order for the relationship to be successful. EDI systems help build faith and confidence between suppliers and customers; automated purchase orders and invoices that are error-free make people feel comfortable continuing their relationship with one another.
EDI Outsourcing: Tying It All Together
After reading all of this, you might be saying, “EDI tools sound like they would really help me strengthen the relationship with my suppliers. But, I do not have the resources to implement such a system – it requires an investment in software and specially trained personnel.”
That is not necessarily true. EDI outsourcing puts your EDI tools in the hands of experienced, reliable professionals who will make sure that the system is operational 24/7/365. You get the best of both worlds: technology that makes your business relationships easier, and someone else to handle that technology.
Unless your core business is EDI systems, you likely are not an EDI specialist. That is okay. That is why EDI outsourcing exists. It helps you reap the benefits of an EDI system so you can focus on what you do best: your core business. To learn more about how EDI outsourcing strengthens your supply chain, contact us today.
