Why Logistics Sourcing Needs a Fresh Approach
Kicking off the discussion, Dylan emphasized the importance of agility in today’s volatile environment. “It’s all about the agility. It’s all about the impact,” he shared. With shifting demand patterns and continued supply chain disruption, traditional sourcing methods often fall short.
Dennis echoed this sentiment, describing the challenges of managing complex transportation categories across regions and modes. He noted that before adopting Keelvar, BD’s logistics sourcing processes were heavily manual, making it harder to adapt quickly or analyze bids efficiently.
Best Practices for Modernizing Sourcing
Throughout the conversation, Dennis and Dylan offered actionable best practices for teams looking to modernize their approach:
- Start Small, Then Scale: BD began by piloting automated sourcing events in a single region before rolling out globally. “You don’t have to tackle everything at once,” Dennis explained. “Get comfortable with the platform, then expand.”
- Embrace Scenario Modeling: One of the biggest benefits has been the ability to model award scenarios dynamically. “We can run scenarios in minutes instead of days,” Dennis said. This empowers teams to balance cost, capacity, and service levels with confidence.
- Invest in Supplier Enablement: Clear communication and training were key to onboarding logistics providers and building trust in the new process.
- Leverage Data for Continuous Improvement: By capturing structured bid data over time, BD has created a foundation for benchmarking and optimizing future events.
Real-World Results
Dennis shared examples of tangible results Becton Dickinson has achieved since partnering with Keelvar:
- Reduced cycle times for by 70%
- Released 8 hours per FTE per week to focus on value creation
- Reachedover 30% savings over 2 years of using Keelvar
- Achieved a 20% drop in spot quote spend and volume
“It’s allowed us to be more proactive instead of reactive,” Dennis reflected. “That’s a big win.”
Final Takeaways
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session where attendees asked about supplier adoption, change management, and measuring success. Dennis encouraged teams to “keep it simple and focus on progress over perfection,” stressing that even incremental improvements can have a meaningful impact.
For those ready to modernize their sourcing approach, Keelvar’s intelligent automation solutions provide the technology and expertise to accelerate results.
Interested in learning more? Get in touch with our team to explore how we can help transform your logistics sourcing strategy, or watch back the webinar here.
.svg)
.png)
