Probrand Research
IT managers struggle to optimise their role due to inefficient purchasing processes
How much time is spent by IT managers on IT buying and administration tasks?
IT procurement specialist theitindex.co.uk/gov, has recently carried out a survey showing that IT managers are finding their roles marginalised as a result of spending too much time on IT buying and administration tasks. Over 250 IT managers were surveyed and nearly 20% of respondents' time was spent on procurement.
theitindex.co.uk/gov found that 78% of respondents specified and procured, whilst 13% specified only and 9% procured only, suggesting that a small number of IT managers are tasked with just procurement duties without the power as a specifier, which is both costly and inefficient.
The survey has led theitindex.co.uk to conclude that with better tools and processes, IT managers can fulfil a more strategic role without having to waste time and money on lengthy or inefficient procurement.
theitindex.co.uk/gov has previously found that for procurement purposes, many IT managers conduct lengthy ring rounds to numerous suppliers to secure price and availability details before conducting timely manual comparisons to achieve the best deal. Of the research pool, over 50% stated that price and 79% stated availability on product were of high importance and that much of their procurement time was spent conducting activity to that end.
Peter Robbins, MD of Probrand owners of IT procurement portal theitindex.co.uk/gov - explained: "We have found that the majority of IT managers spend an average of one day a week ringing round and conducting manual comparisons. Often, they will then approach an existing contracted supplier and negotiate what they believe is the best deal based on the loose intelligence they have gathered.
"This is both inefficient and costly and often does not secure the best priced product within the fastest time. This is why 40% of managers' time is expended on procurement and administration.
So how can public sector customers reduce the time spent on procurement?
In June's eZine, Buying Solutions demonstrated how a considerable amount of time could be saved by utilising the Invitation to Quote (ITQ) facility on the Buying Solutions website.
Proband Account Manager, Richard Hunter-Rice, said: 'We have been impressed with the number of customers who have accessed our services via the ITQ facility. Public sector customers are switching onto our best practice best value IT procurement solutions as a direct result. Given the amount of business we have written since being awarded a Catalist framework agreement, it is clear that Buying Solutions is achieving punch-through to its customer base, which is in turn bringing new customers to us.'
One such customer who has benefited is Woodway Park School which is part of the Coventry City Council and currently has 750 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18.
The school classically used its outsourced IT service and support manager to procure IT which meant that the school had little control over securing the best deal or delivery.
Resources Manager, Deborah Brown, took the opportunity to look into the problem.
Through Buying Solutions' Catalist website, Woodway Park School was able to identify a supplier who could respond to their needs whilst at the same time adhering to good procurement practice.
The fact that we have achieved a best value deal has enabled us to increase the number of PCs per head to more than 2:1, outstripping The Department for Children, Schools and Families recommendations and saved us a considerable amount of time which would otherwise be spent liaising with suppliers.
We have been so impressed with the overall solution to our IT procurement headaches that we have started to update our printers as well.
Our purchasing is driven by a combination of best price and service. It is no good securing a great price if the delivery doesn't support it.
Please email us at itfw@ogcbs.gsi.gov.uk if you have any feedback regarding this article.
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