How to Use Online Platforms to Find the Right Network Solution
How we buy goods and services has shifted dramatically in the technological age. Where customers once valued service and experience above all else, we now desire convenience and speed. Even before the pandemic, we saw buyers move away from department stores in favour of online shopping, with the US e-commerce market growing 313% in the 2010s while overall retail sales increased 42%.
Essentially, we as consumers have changed our expectations of retailers across almost all sectors, and telecom is no exception. Network buyers are migrating to online procurement platforms en masse to streamline the process and connect with a wider variety of providers. Online procurement enables enterprises to improve governance and risk management, increase efficiency and save time and money on their network services. In this article, we’ll explain why network procurement shouldn’t be any more complicated than buying a new pair of shoes online – the only question is, why would you buy any other way?
Let the Providers Come to You
If you’re new to procurement, you probably don’t have service providers knocking down your door to fulfil your requirements. It can be challenging to know where to start or who to get in touch with when kickstarting your procurement journey, and that’s where online platforms can help.
Cloudscene enables buyers to create listings for their service requirements wherein they outline the services they need, timeline expectations and budgets. If a service provider meets your specific criteria, they can ‘bid’ on your listing, and you can assess their suitability from there. Importantly, your contact information is only shared with service providers when you explicitly grant permission to ensure you don’t receive unwanted communication from sales teams.
This process is helpful for buyers with any level of procurement experience. Well-versed buyers can use online procurement platforms to avoid cold calls from old vendors or to quickly compare quotes from a wider variety of providers.
Mitigate Risk and Improve Governance
Network procurement can often be a sizable expense for businesses. Whether it’s a CapEx investment or an ongoing OpEx cost, procurement teams must be able to justify this expense to the organisation and provide detailed accounts of the transaction. When procurement contracts are decided over long lunches or private phone calls, it can be difficult to track progress and prove that these decisions were made above board (i.e., prove no bribery or misconduct was involved).
In other words, transparency is paramount for procurement teams. Online procurement platforms enable teams to manage the procurement journey from end-to-end and thoroughly track all communications and activities from a neutral hub. Procurement platforms, like Cloudscene, allow teams to secure risk-free pricing for their requirements while also improving governance and ensuring that activities can easily be handed over to other team members, should the need arise.
Save Time and Money
Digital procurement platforms enable your team to save a significant amount of time and money when sourcing network services. Cloudscene hosts over 10,400 providers on its platforms, helping buyers to instantly compare relevant service providers without having to endure hours of lengthy meetings and phone calls to determine their suitability.
Online procurement offers a fast and convenient alternative to traditional procurement and means enterprises can invest less money on procurement teams while also sourcing more competitive quotes for their requirements. On Cloudscene, businesses can onboard their Procurement Officer/Team to the platform and easily manage the sales cycle from a centralised location. Shifting to online procurement dramatically improves efficiency and can help organisations to save money on their requirements.
Location Matters
When it comes to selecting the right service provider for your requirements, location matters. Like finding the optimal route when you’re travelling, it’s important to partner with a provider that makes sense for your business and its PoPs (Points of Presence). Without a direct network route, it’d be like travelling from Sydney to Singapore via LA; expensive and needlessly complicated.
Cloudscene effectively functions like Skyscanner for network services. As a buyer, all you need to do is type in your desired service and destination, and the platform outlines the best connection route for your requirements. This function is significantly faster and easier than traditional procurement methods, allowing you to instantly compare several providers and locations to make the most strategic decisions for your business.
Procure with Cloudscene
Cloudscene is a free digital procurement platform that helps network buyers search, find and connect with telecom providers. Businesses can use Cloudscene to find network solutions such as rack colocation, cloud connectivity, cybersecurity, ethernet, dark fibre, wavelength, IP transit and internet access.
Simply outline your requirements and location, and we’ll connect you with a provider that meets your specific needs. Explore our directory to find a provider for your business today, or get in touch with our friendly team to learn more about the platform.
