Trading Partner Rollout
In order to reduce cost and achieve the full benefits of your B2B/EDI program investment, you need to integrate all players along your supply chain. It's not enough to just target the top 20%. If 80% of your trading partner's continue to do business without EDI, then most of the expected benefits will not be achieved.
Past experience has shown that many companies fail at this stage. This is due to lack of resources and insufficient experience in managing the complex and numerous tasks involved in a roll-out program.
This is where Commerce-Connections can help to manage all or part of your roll-out program with dedicated resources and the skills to ensure a successful completion.
In addition to our expertise, we also offer a range of solutions to suit you and your trading partner's requirements to ensure a high buy in rate from your trading partner community. Often, the most difficult part of the project is successfully achieving a high buy in rate.
Trading Partner Roll out
Readiness check: Is the basis of the roll-out phase. This kind of survey provides accurate information on the B2B/EDI readiness of the trading partner community. Based on the survey a tailored roll-out program can be developed that offers the right level of support and offerings.
Direct mail & tele-marketing: To inform a generate buy-in from the community.
TP conference: This is an efficient way to inform your trading partners about your B2B/EDI strategy and your objectives in regards to the roll-out.
Education: Some of your trading partners will need education on EDI Standards such as EDIFACT and probably training to understand the benefits and the processes of B2B/EDI.
Trading partner solution: Your trading partners certainly have different requirements, ranging from a full B2B/EDI solution to outsourced services. Small trading partners typically opt for a forms-based solution that supports the retrieval and creation of electronic forms via the World Wide Web.
Trading partner setup assistance: Your trading partner will go through similar stages in implementing an B2B/EDI capability. They may decide to get assistance with the initial setup or even outsource their EDI operation. A service provider who is already familiar with the project is certainly the better choice to be involved in the trading partner community.
Trading Partner Agreement (TPA): Defines the responsibilities of the parties to ensure a smooth operation. It is well worth developing such an agreement in advance since experience has shown that it is rather difficult to resolve a dispute without a prior agreement. Framework for TPAs are available from local EDI associations.
Project Management: This is vital to the success of the implementation part of the project. It is not enough to inform the trading partner community and wait for them to come back with the ready message.
Trading partner reports: They provide vital planning and performance information. Those reports typically consist of accounting, volume and other statistical information.
