Benefits of Negotiation using Reverse eAuction in Construction Industry
Introduction
The construction industry is one of the most dynamic and competitive sectors in the world. It involves a multitude of suppliers, contractors, and service providers, all of whom play a crucial role in the successful completion of a project. One of the key aspects of managing a construction project is sourcing the right materials and services at the best possible prices. This is where negotiation comes into play. Traditionally, negotiation in the construction industry has been a manual process, often involving back-and-forth communications, meetings, and paperwork. However, with the advent of technology, electronic reverse auctions (eAuctions) have emerged as a more efficient and cost-effective way to negotiate and source materials and services.
How Electronic Reverse eAuction Works
A reverse eAuction is an online, real-time auction between a buyer and multiple suppliers. Unlike a traditional auction where buyers bid for a seller's product, in a reverse auction, suppliers bid against each other to win the business of the buyer. The buyer sets up the auction with a detailed description of the goods or services required, and suppliers submit their bids during a specified time frame. The bids are visible to all participants, and suppliers can adjust their bids in real-time in response to the bids of their competitors. At the end of the auction, the supplier with the lowest bid wins the contract.
Comparison between Manual Negotiation and Electronic Reverse Auction
Manual negotiation involves a series of communications between the buyer and the suppliers, often requiring multiple rounds of bidding and negotiation. This process can be time-consuming and lacks transparency, as the buyer and suppliers do not have visibility into the bids of other suppliers. On the other hand, electronic reverse auctions are conducted online, providing real-time visibility into the bids of all participating suppliers. This transparency promotes competition among suppliers, often resulting in lower prices for the buyer.
Advantages of Using Reverse Auction
Cost Savings: The competitive nature of reverse auctions often results in lower prices as suppliers compete against each other in real-time.
Time Savings: The entire bidding and negotiation process is conducted online, reducing the time required to finalize contracts.
Transparency: All bids are visible to all participants, ensuring a fair and transparent process.
Efficiency: The online platform streamlines the entire sourcing process, reducing the administrative burden on both the buyer and the suppliers.
Case Study: Buying Elevator for a Residential Apartment Project
Let's consider a case where a construction company is sourcing an elevator for a residential apartment project. In a traditional manual negotiation process, the company would reach out to multiple elevator suppliers, request quotes, and then engage in a series of negotiations to finalize the contract. This process could take several weeks and may not result in the best price.
On the other hand, using a reverse auction, the construction company can set up an online reverse auction with detailed specifications of the elevator required. Multiple suppliers can participate in the auction and submit their bids in real-time. The transparency of the process encourages competition among suppliers, often resulting in lower prices. For example, the starting bid for the elevator contract could be $100,000. Over the course of the auction, multiple suppliers submit their bids, and the final winning bid could be $90,000, resulting in a cost saving of $10,000 for the construction company.
Detailed Explanation on Cost and Time Savings
In this case, the construction company saved $10,000 on the elevator contract by using a reverse auction. Additionally, the entire bidding and negotiation process was completed in a matter of hours, rather than weeks, resulting in significant time savings. The online platform also reduced the administrative burden on the construction company and the suppliers, resulting in additional cost savings.
Conclusion
Negotiation via reverse auction is an efficient and cost-effective way to source materials and services for construction projects. It promotes competition among suppliers, resulting in lower prices for the buyer. Additionally, the online platform streamlines the entire sourcing process, reducing the time required to finalize contracts and the administrative burden on all parties involved. Therefore, negotiation via reverse auction is the best way to save cost and reduce the sourcing cycle in the construction industry.
eSupplier offers a cloud base sourcing software platform that allows Buyers to quickly and easily start creating RFQ, receive Quotes, Compare and finally Negotiate via electronic reverse auction, in additions it also generates reports for audit compliance