Purchasing’s Role
A good SAM program will bring added efficiency for all employees though purchasing will ultimately benefit through increased awareness of the company’s software needs and the roles its vendors play in maintaining those needs. Purchasing makes key economic decisions, isn’t typically swayed by the newest and latest software programs, deals better with paperwork and legal issues, and has the bargaining and negotiating skills necessary to deal effectively with vendors. Working together with IT, management and the SAM implementation team, the purchasing department will play an integral role in establishing the SAM program.
How SAM Benefits You
A good SAM program will save money and bring better overall efficiency to the Purchasing department in a number of ways. They include:
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Better negotiations and relations with vendors through a better awareness of the software and licenses needed.
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Better price points through a knowledge of exactly how much software is needed. Bulk orders can be placed for software, and the associated licenses result in enormous potential savings.
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Potential tax benefits due to increased awareness of software depreciation.
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Reduced likelihood of acquiring too many licenses and driving up costs.
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SAM will illustrate the benefits of volume license programs; or buying on a per-person or per-PC basis.
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Reduced training for new personnel and the costs incurred.
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A faster time-to-market through streamlined software functionality and a thorough knowledge of existing databases.
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Increased employee morale and motivation through software programs that work well and are trouble free.
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Where to Begin
Purchasing will most likely team with IT, upper management and the designated SAM implementation team, but there are a few things you can do to get started:
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Call on your vendors and resellers to see what types of documentation they may already have and how they can assist you.
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Begin a preliminary reconciliation to determine the cost effectiveness of buying licenses in bulk or on an individual basis.
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Start gathering your own information on SAM. You can interview business representatives, customers, software resellers and fellow employees. You may also want to attend seminars and user groups, look at existing information online, and examine industry reports and customer surveys.
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