Festive way to go ‘e’

If there’s one thing that May is fondly known for, it’s for the festival season within the Philippine setting. Summer activities typically culminate with merry-making, it being a generally vacation month for kids; family members get to celebrate quality-time and oneness. Obviously, the backdrop likewise glides with the mood, with most (if not all) purchasing managers on the go for the latest summer marketing promo.

Generally speaking, items that foster family values are typically among the popularly run auction categories in e-Marketplaces. Some appeal to mothers who usually decide family budgets, based on sub-categories like appliances and furniture. Others that have deep pockets provide giveaway prizes like vehicles to facilitate family road tours, or dream house-and-lot and vacation tour packages. In its simplest sense, May characterizes increased spending, and companies usually vie to get their share.

Known as the franchisee of the popularly known Pizza Hut, Philippine Pizza Inc. (PPI) took an American pizza-eating concept closer to Filipino homes. The company’s latest free camera promo that goes with every order of triple-stuffed crust pizza, has a lot to say about blending with Filipino culture. "Harmony is fostered with every pizza shared," even more when fun-filled photos are taken with loved ones.

To effectively work on competitive terrain, however, PPI’s purchasing team raised their visibility a notch by procuring their promo items online. Over and above obtaining the best possible prices, participating in e-Marketplaces like SourcePilipinas has aided them in making their relationship with prospective supplier partners more transparent. Their overall negotiation process is never compromised, ensuring good quality goods ending on every pizza buyers’ lap. Moreover, their people have become more responsive to their marketing division’s complex requirements since the bulk of clerical procedures are streamlined. More time can be devoted to monitor their end-market’s rejoinder within planned events, further helping management improve their overall consumer outreach activities.

Meanwhile, firms which wish to retain their present marketing promo procurement process may retain existing methods, especially when the overall deciding criteria will not necessarily wind up with cheap prices. SourcePilipinas’ Exchange has other functions that ride well on this set-up, especially if swiftness in response is of the essence. One can readily deploy blind auctions where one-time submission of bids is possible, before subjecting them to possible offer/counter-offers. Enterprises that run on complex decision-making structures can likewise deploy sealed auctions that can be inter-linked with other departmental units concerned. They jibe well with screening committees, which are adamant about having to spend on technology-related infrastructure costs.

All told, there’s a way to do promos while promoting e-Values within exchanges like SourcePilipinas. Efficiency is attained by weeding out clerical functions; more effective relationships are attained both on the supplier and customer’s side, and a zestful way of encouraging eagerness to respond to technological changes and breakthroughs is achieved without sacrificing integrity of results. The next time you think of mobilizing savings and boosting topline through good marketing initiatives, think "e."

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Elyn M. del Carmen is a senior business development associate of SourcePilipinas.com specializing in conglomerate food manufacturing, organic chemicals and logistics. For comments or queries, e-mail her at [email protected].