Alexandra Plc joins UKprocure SystemseMarketplace

Posted on Oct 11, 2005

8th June 2005 – Alexandra plc, the UK's leading supplier of uniforms and workwear, has signed-up to UKprocure Systems eMarketplace to make its product portfolio available to the UK’s largest public sector eCommerce community. The move enables NHS organisations and local authorities to source and purchase Alexandra’s product ranges via an integrated eCommerce solution, whilst reducing error rates and the associated costs to virtually zero. This will help buyers to reduce the total cost of acquisition of Alexandra’s products, enabling them to achieve tangible efficiency gains in line with the objectives outlined in the Gershon Efficiency Review. Alexandra will also be implementing UKprocure Systems eInvoicing solution, which will deliver further efficiency savings to both Alexandra and its customers.

Bob Telford, Programme Director, North East Patches Shared Systems Project said: “Alexandra is a major supplier to the 32 NHS organisations that make up the North East Patches Shared Systems Project and electronic trading will significantly reduce the total cost of acquisition of their products. Using traditional paper catalogues, only four out of ten orders are placed correctly. This results in wasted time and cost for both buyer and supplier. With the UKprocure Systems eMarketplace, suppliers can publish accurate online catalogues to a critical mass of buyers just once, whilst maintaining organisation-specific pricing. Alexandra’s move will deliver tangible efficiency savings to the NHS and enable the company to benefit from faster procurement cycles, faster payment and improved cash flow.”

The UKprocure Systems eMarketplace enables multiple buyer and supplier organisations to engage in fully integrated trade through one single link. Public sector organisations will be able to obtain access to Alexandra’s organisation-specific product and price lists. Alexandra will be able to update catalogues online to ensure buyers are always purchasing from up-to-date and accurate catalogues. UKprocure Systems eMarketplace enables public sector purchasers to place orders with Alexandra and track the status and receipt of goods ordered. Alexandra will be able to issue automated invoices through the integration of its back-end order management system into UKprocure Systems eMarketplace eInvoicing module. Trading with customers via the UKprocure Systems eMarketplace increases the accuracy of orders received, reduces invoice queries from customers and results in a reduced payment cycle.

Roma Mcleod, NHS Sales Manager at Alexandra said: “Our membership of the UKprocure Systems eMarketplace will help us support our public sector customers in meeting the political and economic challenges facing them. It will enable our customers to achieve measurable, cash-releasing efficiency gains which can be ploughed back into improving front-line services. The streamlining of the procurement process will also deliver efficiency gains to our business. Alexandra has been awarded a substantial number of contracts to supply uniform clothing to NHS organisations and local authorities, a number of which use the PASA and OGC Framework Agreement. Publishing accurate, up-to-date catalogues online, to more than sixty buying organisations on the UKprocure Systems eMarketplace, will maximise our brand recognition and the success of new product launches. It will enable us to grow business with existing customers and generate business with new customers, without incurring the overheads of traditional sales and marketing initiatives.”

Shish Lal, CEO of UKprocure Systems said: “Public sector organisations are looking to do business with suppliers that can support their modernisation initiatives. Efficiency is a core objective across the public sector and local authorities have been targeted to achieve 2.5% year-on-year efficiency gains, half of which must be cash able. Major public sector suppliers, such as Alexandra, who are committing to online trading, are helping their customers achieve these efficiency gains and are maximising opportunities for both maintaining and growing their business with their public sector customers.”

Glossary

eMarketplace - An eMarketplace provides the most cost-effective and efficient way for public sector organisations and suppliers to achieve the full financial and process efficiency benefits promised by eCommerce. eMarketplaces facilitate fully electronic trading between multiple buyers and suppliers. An eMarketplace removes the need for a buyer to build electronic links to each supplier by operating as a single integration link that enables multiple buyer and supplier organisations to transact. eMarketplaces completely automate the procure-to-pay process, from requisitioning and workflow, to catalogue management and document transmission.

UKprocure Systems eMarketplace – The true value of an eMarketplace is the network of buyer and supplier electronic trading connections it facilitates. UKprocure Systems is the clear market leader in public sector eMarketplaces. With over fifty buyer organisations contracted to our eMarketplace, we have more public sector organisations using our solution than any other.

Electronic Invoicing – Electronic Invoicing (eInvoicing) involves a supplier organisation electronically generating and sending invoices to customers. eInvoicing also enables buyer organisations to receive invoices electronically and integrate them seamlessly into their back-end financial applications. This enables buyer organisations to automatically match purchase orders, delivery notes and invoices for the highest levels of automation and accuracy. Both buyer and supplier organisations can harness eInvoicing functionality via the UKprocure Systems eMarketplace.