Inovis Launches Social Network for Supply Chain Collaboration
Inovis, a provider of business community management software and services, has announced general availability of a social networking service for supply chains modeled after popular consumer websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. The Inovis Social Network creates secure online communities for retailers and suppliers to communicate and exchange organization and contact information.
Users sign into a private web site to see contacts at trading partners and update their contact information and their company’s trading profile, ensuring their latest data is available to their business community. When a supply chain manager finds an error or problem in a purchase order or shipment, they can go online to quickly identify and contact the right person at the supplier, third-party logistics (3PL) provider or contract manufacturer who can help resolve the issue before it causes delays and errors in the supply chain.
"Social networking gives individuals a direct link to one another, to stay in touch and receive updates about activities and changes in each others’ lives. We’re applying the same concept to business communities so that retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and vendors can better understand each others’ roles and responsibilities, and stay updated on changes in staffing, projects or products," said Erik Huddleston, chief technology officer, Inovis.
The Inovis Social Network creates an always-up-to-date exchange that businesses can use to communicate changes in organization information, key contact information, roles, policies and procedures. In addition, users can use the service to send e-mail updates to the appropriate individuals to notify them of key issues, changes and information. Contact data and organization details can flow into back-office systems, integrated by web services.
Big Lots, the largest broad-line closeout retailer in the US with 1,350 stores across 47 states, is among the first to use the Inovis Social Network.
"The Inovis Social Network proved valuable in the development and monitoring of our vendor compliance initiatives. As a retailer with over 1,300 stores, accurate and timely inventory flow is critical to our business and our vendor compliance program is one of the key tools we use to help us achieve our goals," said Katy Keane, vice president of transportation services for Big Lots, Inc. "We’ve benefited from the speed and visibility the online community provides, and it has helped us improve how we collaborate with partners and quickly resolve issues."
Inovis provides its social networking service as a software-as-a-service (SaaS). Organizations can also deploy the social network as a software application deployed behind a company’s firewall. Either way, as individuals update their own information, data is automatically populated for the entire network, so that all members of the community can see the revisions and work together more efficiently.
"Supply-chain communications and trading processes move quickly. Speedy response is important when exceptions happen or changes need to be quickly rolled out. Having an online social community gives retailers and their suppliers access to the right person to fix issues and avoid costs," noted Huddleston.
The Inovis Social Network is part of the Inovis Business Community Management platform, which manages the lifecycle of your business community, from onboarding and connectivity to compliance and governance.
