A primary goal when selling and promoting products online is to continually invest in improving the online experience for customers and end users. Customer sales are the life blood of any company and it makes sense to invest in a system which increases responsiveness and streamlines the selling process. However, one important aspect which can be overlooked is how an online presence can also improve communication with suppliers. Instead of relying on phone calls and emails, it makes sense to allow vendors to access the portal online and be able to feedback in real time on areas which are relevant to purchasing.
Nav-to-Net’s B2B license model includes a vendor portal offering a number of features which can be utilized by companies using Nav-to-Net™ and their suppliers. The vendor portal can only be accessed via specific login and is not a section which can be viewed by a general user. Let’s explore some of the key features:
Request for Quotes (RFQ’s). – Companies often have a variety of vendors distributing the same product lines or services, but costs and supply availability can vary. Using the Request for Quote (RFQ) feature can communicate product and service requests to a number of different vendors at the same time. In addition to requesting the stock quantities needed, the RFQ can include a maximum item cost and required delivery date. Using Nav-to-Net’s RFQ’s will communicate stock needs quickly and add a level of competition for suppliers to ensure the best deal is offered.
In addition to the supply of item stock, RFQ’s can also be used for non-stocked items or services such as general maintenance, catering supplies, or office supplies.
Managing Shipping Dates – Anticipating when purchase orders are due to arrive is never an exact science as many factors can cause delays and setbacks. Often when a shipment does not arrive on the expected delivery date, precious time is spent chasing the order as suppliers need to be contacted, purchase documents need to be checked, and finally the new arrival date needs to be confirmed. A worst case scenario is if the stock that hasn’t arrived has already been promised to a customer!
Nav-to-Net™ encourages a more proactive approach by allowing vendors to communicate adjusted shipping dates directly through the vendor portal. Once logged in, vendors can search for a specific purchase order by entering the purchase order number and accessing the original order details. Adjustments can then be made to add a revised shipping date or a change to the quantities that can be shipped. All shipping related changes made by the vendor will pass straight into NAV can be viewed in the “Shipping Notification” section.
Entering New Product Lines – Vendors are always keen to present new products to businesses as quickly as possible and companies are equally keen to sell new product lines. However, compiling the required product information, particularly for online sales, can be a challenge. It’s not easy to create an accurate product description or source images for new products if they are new to the market. An integrated vendor portal can help bypass the tedious task of information gathering by allowing suppliers to enter their new products details directly online. Vendors can login securely and submit key product information like item ID number, product descriptions, images, and pricing. Price changes for current product lines can also be submitted using the same section. Once the new product information is submitted by the vendor, it goes back into NAV in real time, thanks to seamless integration with NAV, and can be viewed within the Vendor Item Update List before being validated.
The benefits are mutual to both businesses and their suppliers. The information provided by the supplier will be more accurate and ready to go to market. Sales staff are also able to focus on selling instead of gathering information.
Communicate with Vendors – A NAV-integrated vendor portal is also a great way of improving communication by creating an online message board which can be individual to each supplier. Vendors can be notified of all business-related updates such as special events, marketing initiatives, or general company news.
Summary: Why Choose a Vendor Portal for your eCommerce Business?
Retailers can take advantage of automation and organization with an integrated vendor portal. One of the main benefits is to get smoother processing of many orders from multiple suppliers, streamlining actions related to orders, payment, invoices, and documentation. Business users also have the ease of one integrated platform that is secure, reliable, and leverages their eCommerce solution and NAV investment. With Nav-to-Net™ Vendor Portal, they will have a solution that is tailored to their specific business needs.
Nav-to-Net™ eCommerce suite includes solutions for B2B, B2C, and B2E businesses in a variety of industries. Talk to us today to learn about the options we offer your eCommerce.
