extract and categorise spend information from free text strings , from this we build automated MI dashboards that deliver pertinent spend information in a range of formats to support category management and the business . It ’ s extremely sophisticated ,” explains Jones . “ With our parts usage anomaly tool , it allows us to identify extraordinary usage of engineering spare parts within particular depots , vehicle types , and events relative to other depots , across various different views using statistical significance to three standard deviations . The objective is to examine these positive and negative ‘ outliers ’ using the various views available to ultimately establish if an efficiency opportunity exists . This enables all the standard questions to be taken out of the equation because fleets vary by volume , variant and specification .”
In a bid to provide the company with an added layer of control , procurement has also built a part number extraction tool . The tool provides us with the ability to ensure that parts are purchased from contracted suppliers , thus driving compliance and ensuring the right part and quality are delivered , this is in addition to other tools we utilise .“ This tool is vital because safety is essential and this helps to ensure the first tier preferred suppliers secure the volume ,” says Jones .
Arriva places considerable trust on its supplier relationships as it seeks to drive continual value , more than just transactional interactions . “ This is the next stage of the transformation ,” says Jones . “ We have built a supplier contract management programme focused on 25 segmented suppliers . In order to achieve this ,
23 europe . businesschief . com