Efficient procurement is vital for businesses to consider, especially as supply chain disruptions continue. While strategic procurement spans a broad range of aspects within businesses, this is also advantageous to consider in regard to obtaining water for your workplace.
You might be wondering what exactly water procurement entails, so we’re taking a closer look into the process and how to optimize your practices for the best results.
What is Water Procurement?
Water procurement specifically encompasses the range of activities involved in obtaining water for your office or workplace. The main purpose of making this procedure more efficient is to ensure your business obtains competitively priced equipment that offers the most value to your teams. Moreover, this guarantees the process is well managed and your order is received in a timely manner.
Steps in the Supply Chain and Procurement Process
According to a 2021 report from Zippia, supply chain delays impacted 38.8% of U.S. small businesses last year and just 22% of companies have a proactive supply chain network — which means implementing procurement best practices is more important than ever. But, before considering how to improve your own internal strategies, it’s essential to understand the steps involved in the process.
The operations that are generally involved include:
- Strategizing, specifying, and planning accordingly
- Identifying and determining the best suppliers
- Placing the purchase order
- Expediting if necessary
- Inspecting the purchase
- Invoice clearing and payment
- Keeping your records and maintaining a healthy supplier relationship
While these general steps are helpful to keep in mind, supply chain management and the procurement process can vary depending on the goods you’re purchasing. When it comes to obtaining water for your workplace, specifically, there are a number of best practices to recognize, consider, and implement for the best results.
Best Practices to Optimize Water Dispenser Procurement
Implementing better methods to elevate and improve your water procurement process is valuable to ensure a proper water supply for your workforce and customers. The strongest approach to optimize these operations include:
Engaging suppliers
Choosing the right supplier is an essential part of improving your processes. Along with strategic sourcing comes the need to focus on strong supplier relationship management for sustainable procurement and successful collaboration long-term. When it comes to obtaining water, a reliable vendor like Quench® can help you do this efficiently and successfully. With quality products, dependable service and responsive customer care, you can’t go wrong.
Using digital contract management
Contract management is also typically involved in the procurement process — including purchase orders, invoicing and reviews. Utilizing digital procurement contract management can simplify these procedures and minimize risk. When accessing water for your workspaces, it’s best to work with suppliers who also utilize digital systems that can simplify the proceedings. Quench offers centralized billing, so all of your data can be found in one easily accessible system and you have the ability to consolidate your vendors.
Automating your procurement when applicable
Leveraging automation in your procurement activity will be progressively essential in the coming years. In fact, 31% of businesses have already fully automated at least one function, according to a recent report from McKinsey & Company. This increased efficiency results in a hefty cost reduction and saves your business valuable time that can be spent elsewhere. Automation helps procurement leaders and the workforce avoid the menial, repetitive and error-prone tasks of the past, and focus their efforts on more important projects and objectives moving forward.
Promoting transparency throughout the process
It’s always beneficial to ensure your entire team is on the same page while going through these steps. Prioritizing transparency provides your teams with the ability to see records and purchase orders along the way. Not only is this vital for open communication and accountability within your organization, but with your suppliers as well. A united approach allows the process to be more efficient and often leads to a strong supplier relationship.
When it comes to obtaining water for your employees and customers, finding the right supplier is most important. Working with a dependable vendor will be the linchpin in optimizing the process. Considering a reliable water supplier like Quench can help your team rest assured that the essential steps of the procurement process are being handled efficiently.
The Benefits of Improved Water Procurement in the Workplace
For a long time, gaining access to water solely meant frequent water deliveries to your workplace — typically involving vendors who offer 3-gallon and 5-gallon jugs. This is no longer the only option thanks to advanced solutions. Quench provides an exciting alternative, offering bottleless water dispensers to simplify the water procurement process.
The future of water procurement
In addition to the idea of bottleless dispensers and an endless water supply, the future of water for your workplace can include:
- Electrolyte enhanced water
- Mineral-infused water
- Flavored water
- Sparkling water
- Advanced solutions for filtration and sanitation
While the future of water procurement for the workplace continues to evolve, improving your strategy is likely to lead to a host of benefits for your business along the way.
Benefits to expect
The advantages of improved procurement are not only valuable but often profitable. Moreover, an enhanced process can give you a competitive edge when you might need it most. When obtaining water, working with reliable suppliers and implementing an optimized procurement strategy leads to:
- A reduced total cost of obtaining water
- Improved employee and customer health
- Valuable time saved
- Saved space in your office
- An improved workplace environment
- Reduced accidents associated with water delivery
With a clear understanding of the process and the critical steps to improve your strategy, you’re ready to approach your water procurement successfully. While procurement can involve a variety of proceedings, depending on the goods you’re looking to obtain, it requires a solid strategy to make it efficient. But, when it comes to water for your workplace, Quench can make it simple. With quality products and enhanced supplier performance, they are a vendor you can consistently depend on. Explore your options for advanced water-as-a-service solutions and contact us to get your water procurement journey started.
