| Company | Industry | Company Size | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grainger | Industrial machinery and components | ~25,000 | US$11.5 billion |
Executive Overview
Whatever the task, Grainger is there with the tools and equipment professionals need to get the job done right. From keeping facilities running to ensuring employee safety, Grainger products help healthcare providers, manufacturers, schools, and more stay focused on the work that matters most. To meet the complex business and buying needs of its customers, Grainger wanted to empower its sales and service representatives with inventory management solutions, technical support and services, and procurement tools that can connect directly to customers’ own buying systems. To do this, it needed an intelligent procurement technology platform and partner.
Before: Challenges and Opportunities
- Integrate inventory and catalog solutions and data with customer procurement systems
- Offer innovative buying solutions that meet customers’ business needs
- Reduce procurement and inventory costs for customers and for the business
Why SAP
- Ariba Network – a dynamic, digital marketplace that connects millions of buyers and suppliers in more than 190 countries
- Automated PO and invoice management with the SAP Ariba Invoice Management solution
- Catalog interchange format and PunchOut feature to communicate catalogs to customers
- Ability to immediately respond to sourcing needs using the SAP Ariba Discovery solution
After: Value-Driven Results
- Greater operational efficiency by managing buyer-customer relationships on a single platform
- Increased productivity and lower costs by electronically processing millions of documents each year
- Fast access to data on 1.6 million stocked products, giving buyers robust product options and a simple buying experience
- Fully electronic procure-to-pay process that allows products to be delivered faster and accelerates the order-to-cash cycle
- Position as a leading integration partner in the maintenance, repair, and operations sector that can offer collaborative and innovative solutions for customer-specific challenges
-
2.7 million
Documents automatically transacted each year over Ariba Network
-
100%
Electronic procure-to-pay process
-
1.6 million
Stock-keeping units that can be accessed in near-real time
Success Story
Increasing Efficiency, Lowering Costs, and Simplifying the Buying Experience
As one of world’s leading industrial suppliers, Grainger is always looking for ways to improve the customer experience. This means making it as simple and efficient as possible to buy Grainger products and services. To do this, the company needed a unified and integrated procurement platform.
Many of its customers are already on Ariba Network, so designating it one of its preferred platforms makes buying from Grainger simple. SAP Ariba solutions also allow Grainger to take advantage of the unique catalog interchange format and PunchOut feature to integrate its catalogs with customers’ procurement systems. The SAP Ariba Discovery solution makes it possible to respond immediately to customer sourcing requests. And once an order is placed, the SAP Ariba Invoice Management solution enables Grainger to electronically process POs and manage invoices.
Now, with instant access to detailed data on millions of Grainger products, the buying process is much easier for customers and also more efficient and cost effective for Grainger. Electronic document processing saves time for everyone while helping ensure accuracy, speeding deliveries, and lowering processing costs. The result? Satisfied customers and a leading market position for Grainger.
When our customers leverage SAP Ariba solutions to connect with Grainger, they see improved efficiency and productivity in their operations, streamlined processes, better visibility into data, and improved control. All of this results in real cost savings for both organizations.James Finn Senior Director of E-Commerce, Grainger
Featured Solutions and Services
Standard Account for Suppliers
Ariba Network is now SAP Business Network, where you can connect with your customers using a free standard account to efficiently manage sales cycles, improve cash flow, and grow your business.
Learn more
E-invoicing
Get rid of paper and go digital with electronic invoicing. It’s the smart invoicing approach that simplifies invoice processing to help you get paid on time.
Invoice electronically
Catalog Management
Use digital catalogs to improve order accuracy, accelerate responsiveness to orders, and provide your customers with an efficient shopping experience.
More about catalog management
SAP Ariba PunchOut
An efficient and effective way for your business customers to shop your latest offerings, prices, and ordering options.
SAP Ariba PunchOut
SAP Ariba Discovery for suppliers
Find new customers and boost sales with high-quality leads sent to your inbox whenever a purchase-ready buyer wants what you’re selling.
SAP Ariba Discovery