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1. Technology supports it

Your company's internal systems are interconnected, sharing data between them, helping to ensure consistency and accuracy throughout your organization. 
Your vendor's internal systems are interconnected for the same reasons.
Cloud technology makes it possible for any organization to share data with any other organization.
Devices can be connected to any system for the purposes of sharing data faster, as it happens.
E-Commerce technologies like punch-out, online marketplaces, block chain, and automated processing help to reduce data entry error, increase visibility, and increase trust between organizations.

2. Supply chain demands it

Two modern trends in Supply Chain:

Specialization

Organizations tend to focus on staffing resources who execute in their areas of core competency, and outsource the rest.
The organizations they outsource from are, in turn, specialists in their core competency areas. 

Vertical Divider

Warehousing Minimalism

Maintaining minimal inventory on hand allows organizations to save costs on warehousing and warehouse management.
In turn, buyer organizations are focused on just-in-time procurement.

Both trends lead to increased dependency between businesses; reliable communication is a must when confirming requirements, ship dates, delivery dates, contract terms, etc.

3. You already know it works

E-Commerce is heavily in use in our private lives because it makes things easier, it's reliable, and it works. We shop online, order taxis from our phones, process virtual payments, check our account histories and resolve problems quickly.
We check bank accounts online, apply for loans, comparison shop, bargain hunt, and source new vendors.  There is a fridge that can order milk online and have it delivered to the door, already paid for. E-Commerce works and its footprint is expanding every day.

4. E-Commerce is modular

E-Commerce can mean any technology that connects you to the organizations you do business with; it doesn't have to mean a re-think of your entire procurement process.
For example, implementing punch-out capabilities on top of your existing system simply allows you to access up-to-date parts and services data from your vendor's catalogs. It's as fast - or faster - than searching your internal database for the same product, it saves time in the order process overall by increasing order accuracy and decreasing invoice exceptions, and it can expose you to a wider variety of vendors and products.
You don't have to change your existing process; just add to it.

5. E-Commerce is reliable

When you communicate about an order with a vendor online:

• The entire "discussion" is recorded against the order
• The vendor does their own data entry
• Approved changes can update your internal parts catalogs and increase the accuracy of future orders
• Order history is auditable - no more "who said what"
• External transactions can be analyzed, reported on accurately
• Self service features give all interested parties up to the minute access to order related data
• Process automation allows you to focus your time on the exceptions

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Download: The Order Hub Brings E-Commerce to Maximo

P2Insight's The Order Hub is designed to bring e-commerce capabilities seamlessly to Maximo.  Leverage your Maximo investment by extending your reach to the external organizations you work with.

The Order Hub Brings E-Commerce to Maximo

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