Procure IQ

I enjoyed this white paper from PLEX Systems on Seven Warning Signs Your ERP System Is Extinct because there are so many ERP systems out there today that are literally technology dinosaurs and so many companies who are unaware, thanks in part to continuous efforts on the part of their providers (charging 22%+ maintenance) to keep them in the dark. It’s nice to know that someone besides myself and Vinnie is willing to speak a little truth on the issue now and then. The white-paper doesn’t beat around the bush and gets straight to the seven warning signs it …

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As I noted in yesterday’s post, while the Quadrant wasn’t all bad, when you added up all the issues, it was more tragic than magic. And, despite the fact that one of my commenters may be right in the observation that it’s not worth the column-inches I’m going to use discussing it, I can’t let it go. Given the importance assigned to this report by the market space, which is equalled only by the Forrester Grave, I need to make sure you don’t misread any of the statements and base a bad decision on them. So, in …

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On Friday I asked if Gartner’s new Quadrant for Strategic Sourcing Application Suites was Magic or Tragic?. Even though it was better than some of the previous quadrants, the fact that it only covered 14 vendors, that 4 of them seemed to slip in under the wire, that the lack of response time probably excluded a number of vendors that should have been there, and that there were a number of statements that just make you go “huh?” (and lead you to believe the report was as rushed as the surveys), I’ve decided that it was more tragic than …

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There’s been a lot of hullabaloo about Gartner’s new “Magic Quadrant” for Strategic Sourcing Application Suites, including a lot over on Spend Matters in we report, you read, and we all decide and clarifying a few questions, and with good reason. As one of the two publications that are supposed to “define” the strategic sourcing space, the other being the Forrester Wave, there are a large number of expectations that it will be fairly complete, mostly correct, and useful to the client base. But considering that only 14 vendors made “the final cut”, that one of those was …

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It seems that the fashionable thing to do these days if you’re a Supply Management technology provider is to build a “Quick Start” platform and promote a rapid initial implementation, and the “obvious” rapid ROI that will result. Coupa, Rosslyn Analytics, and Aravo, among others, have all been making noise about their new SaaS platforms that allow for rapid results. And while each platform will give you rapid results if you listen to their advice and apply it properly, I’m starting to worry if this is the right thing to do. Just like a narrow focus on “cost …

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Just before the last summer solstice, I introduced you to Rollstream, a provider of a new SIM-centric Enterprise Community Management platform you can roll out to your community. Since then, they’ve been hard at work extending the capabilities of their Enterprise Community Management platform to be more useful and solve new problems. Specifically, after listening to their customers, they decided to tackle the recurring problems of dispute management and compliance management, the latter of which is becoming a big issue with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act that came into effect on January 15. (That’s right, if you’re …

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You can use a recent article on the top 10 margin-killing myths about B2B pricing in Supply & Demand Chain Executive to get a better deal from your vendor. Just like B2B companies must aggressively counter the closely held beliefs that are holding them back, B2B buyers must aggressively counter the closely held beliefs that are holding them back as well. Dispel the corresponding buyer myths implied in the article and you’ll be on your way to great deals. Myth: The Market Controls the Price You Control the Price. …

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Then Oriental Co has the perfect solution for you! Appropriately named White Goat, this new office device can take regular letter-sized paper or shreds, including the last strategic plan from your boss that you cursed until you were blue in the face, and transform it into nearly pristine rolls of white toilet paper. As seen in the video below, it’s quite simple to use. Plug it in, add paper and water, and about 30 minus later, remove the roll of toilet paper. While the hefty price tag of about 100K means it would take years to recoup the …

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A recent article in Strategy+Business attempted to address The Elusive Right Path to Engineering Offshoring. They proposed a five step plan to making it work, and while the advice was okay, I think the article missed the point. In my view, the right path to engineering offshoring is not to do it at all if you are developing products for the local marketplace. While I will freely admit that there is innovative talent in the outsourcing hotspots of India and China, it’s not necessarily the right innovative talent for you. As a for-profit enterprise, an innovative product …

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Funny or Die had a great Laptop Hunters episode that is a spoof of Microsoft’s I’m a PC campaign that really spoke out to me. I hope it speaks to you too. (NSFW) Laptop Hunters: Jennie – watch more funny videos …

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