| If somebody tells you that your present corporate | | | | accurate buying decision. Updating product content |
| website can be converted to a B2B portal which will | | | | and other information using customized forms as it is |
| help you significantly improve your company's | | | | necessary, the company can help buyers and other |
| productivity in both of the two primary factors: | | | | associates to take critical decision promptly. |
| Revenue Growth and Cost Saving, and that the | | | | Control rogue spending |
| portal can be launched in a matter of months with a | | | | Consolidated and automated procurement and |
| very reasonable investment, what will be your | | | | approval method stops maverick buying in a |
| reaction? Read on to learn how corporations all over | | | | company. |
| the world are missing an opportunity, which can | | | | Main components of a B2B portal |
| revolutionize the way they manage their businesses. | | | | Supply Chain Management |
| What is a B2B portal? | | | | Supply chain management solutions can deliver great |
| A portal is defined as an access point to World Wide | | | | values to company's existing systems. |
| Web. A portal is a combination of web pages, | | | | Implementation of these solutions will help achieving |
| features and services which become a primary | | | | incredibly high return on investment and will have |
| destination for users. The word was first used to | | | | tremendous impact on company's business, which |
| describe the sites of popular Internet access | | | | include: better productivity, faster order processing, |
| providers or search engines such as AOL, MSN and | | | | greater visibility, the elimination of maverick or |
| Yahoo! At a later stage, the word "portal" evolved | | | | unplanned purchasing, etc. |
| into something bigger covering business websites, | | | | Marketplace |
| where a corporate portal or enterprise information | | | | This is the venue where the enterprises can post |
| portal acts as a base for employees, customers, | | | | their products for sale. A sophisticated shopping cart |
| suppliers and other associates of a company to | | | | will be integrated into the electronic marketplace in |
| access corporate information and web services. A | | | | order to automate the buying process. |
| B2B portal is a distinct kind of website with features | | | | Auction |
| to conduct electronic business and manage significant | | | | Electronic auction system can use both English and |
| parts of corporate business processes. | | | | Dutch auction methods. For convenience the auction |
| Benefits of having a B2B portal | | | | component can be integrated into the electronic |
| Today, B2B portals are not just a fancy idea! They | | | | marketplace. |
| are an absolute necessity for all enterprises of any | | | | Online auction helps liquidate surplus goods easily. |
| type and size. The advantages of having a quality | | | | Reverse Auction |
| B2B portal are massive. Implementation of a true high | | | | This solution allows the company to automate |
| quality B2B portal could have immediate impact on | | | | electronic procurement, where suppliers compete for |
| company productivity. | | | | business real time online. |
| Revenue Growth | | | | Storefront for Participants |
| Revenue Increase from Existing Clients | | | | Each associate of the B2B portal will get a Storefront |
| Existing clients get faster and easier access to | | | | that may reflect profile of the company, its products, |
| product information, quicker response to their | | | | services or other information. |
| requests, get better customer support and are able | | | | Forum |
| to buy products online. | | | | A Forum or a Discussion Board is an organized, on-line |
| Revenue Increase from Value Added Services | | | | interactive message board where participants |
| Once a B2B portal is set as the primary sales channel, | | | | conduct discussion on a set of topics by posting |
| spared resources can be used to create more value | | | | questions, comments and responses. |
| added services for clients. Some of the services that | | | | Internal Messaging System |
| the portal may offer also could be utilized to | | | | Elaborate Messaging System allows a participant of |
| generate more value. | | | | the B2B portal send and receive messages from |
| Cost Savings | | | | other participants and the company. Since the |
| Order Processing Cost | | | | messages do not leave a secured server, participants |
| If the B2B portal integrates supply chain management | | | | would not be worried about sending sensitive |
| solution, it will reduce the cost of processing orders | | | | information over the Internet. |
| drastically. Studies show that similar solution can | | | | Classified |
| reduce cost of processing a purchase order from | | | | Catalog based bulletin board allows company |
| US$ 70 down in average to US$ 6 only. | | | | associates to post important notices in various |
| Sales and support costs | | | | predefined formats. |
| Automated sales and customer support features | | | | Directory of Companies |
| integrated in the solution is capable of reducing | | | | This is a listing of all registered associates of the B2B |
| overhead costs up to 30 percent. | | | | portal either by business category or by alphabetical |
| Inventory keeping costs | | | | order. An advanced search engine tool is incorporated |
| Clearer visibility and forecasting ability thanks to | | | | in order to find a company based on data provided. |
| various features of the B2B portal may help | | | | E-catalog |
| companies considerably reduce inventory keeping | | | | E-catalog -- a hierarchy of product and service |
| costs. | | | | categories based on UNSPCS, a global products and |
| Other key benefits include: | | | | services classification method that covers the |
| Low customer acquisition cost | | | | broadest collection of industries and commodities |
| Effective portal branding on the Internet will help to | | | | available today, and designed to facilitate |
| attract customers from new sources. The cost of | | | | e-commerce transactions by providing |
| acquiring customers through online channels is always | | | | geography-independent common nomenclature |
| cheaper than other traditional methods. | | | | system. |
| Improve customer service | | | | Product Content Adding System |
| Ability to have constant interaction with customers | | | | Product adding mechanism based on either |
| through the B2B portal helps companies serve | | | | easy-to-use wizard or simple but detail forms allows |
| customers better. The B2B portal solution allows | | | | users to integrate products or services with accurate |
| tracking the whole ordering process from payment | | | | and up-to-date information. |
| to delivery and brings greater efficiency in customer | | | | Product Notification |
| service. | | | | The system can generate an alert and send by email |
| Reduce sourcing time cycle | | | | to a user, who requested to inform once a particular |
| The customers can select products from the | | | | product or service gets added to the E-catalog. |
| integrated marketplace of the B2B portal and either | | | | Numerous other features could be incorporated to an |
| sends purchase orders or directly buy products using | | | | existing B2B portal depending on requirement, such |
| the shopping cart. Buyers handle all their procurement | | | | as: News Aggregation using RSS feed, Contact |
| related correspondence from a consolidated working | | | | Management, Electronic Journal, Press Room, |
| page, which helps them react instantly and reduce | | | | Document Repository, etc. |
| time in document processing. | | | | Time needed to set up |
| Community participation | | | | Using ready made B2B Portal components from a |
| Company buyers and sellers can create communities | | | | provider like a medium size portal can be built or |
| surrounding the B2B portal's discussion board. This | | | | integrated to existing website within three to four |
| helps getting valuable feedbacks on time, building new | | | | months. |
| partnerships using the networking ability of a | | | | By developing a B2B portal ahead of your major |
| community, and disseminating important information | | | | competitors you can give your business a significant |
| to members easily. | | | | boost and make your company stand out from the |
| Real time access to current product information | | | | crowd. |
| Current information of a product is vital for an | | | | |