What’s a successful innovation you were able to implement that no one thought would ever work? Share an outcome or two if you’re able!
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Director of Supply Chain in Services (non-Government)20 days ago
My innovation was to build a new system with nothing Microsoft with an emphasis on not using SQL Server. The outcome was a truly unique and performant system that, to this day folks complain about it not having a relational database on the backend. Business users love it because they like results. IT users do not like it because it does not use SQL Server.Innovation attracts critics like nothing I've seen before.
When I discovered the capabilities of the GHX website, it was like being a kid in a candy store. The site tracks five different metrics from the start to the finish of the procure-to-pay process, from order generation to vendor transmission and electronic payment. We monitor this process monthly to improve our metrics. Over the last year and a half, we've seen a 20-25% improvement in our metrics. This tool also allows us to compare our performance with similar-sized entities, adding a bit of fun and competition to the process. We celebrate milestones with team events which boosts morale and shows tangible progress.
One of the key metrics we track is the "fill metric," which measures the efficiency of electronic order transmissions and confirmations. When I started, we were at about 57% efficiency, but we've improved to around 78%. This improvement involved working closely with vendors to ensure proper setup and addressing any defects in the process.
Another important metric is the "purchase metric," which focuses on correct pricing and contract compliance. We've seen a 25-30% improvement in this area. Initially, we faced many issues with pricing mismatches and unit of measure discrepancies, but constant monitoring and proactive corrections have significantly reduced these problems. We started in the low 50s to early 60s in terms of percentage accuracy and have now reached the high 80s.