Self-service mobility is the way of the future for business

As consumers, we are conditioned to self-research, self-select, and self-serve.

Now 70% of Chief Procurement Officers are taking advantage of this reality by investing in self-service procurement to deliver cost savings, productivity gains, and employee engagement.

Cost reduction is the leading priority for CPOs worldwide, according to  the Deloitte Global Chief Procurement Officer Survey 2016.

To deliver these savings, CPOs are looking to digital solutions, with an investment in self-service being undertaken by 70% of respondents worldwide.

The findings are no surprise to VoicePlus managing director, Michael Giffney.

"At face value, employee self-service presents as a scary scenario for businesses, but with the digital technology available it is a more secure, more effective and less expensive option than the alternative centralised labour-intensive model."

Fulfilment speed improves by more than 50%

Self-service is a fundamental feature of the Managed Mobility Service model. VoicePlus Atrium MMS, which is the only Australian product recognised by Gartner, has self-service at its core. 

Productivity gains are the most obvious outcome of self-service, and then businesses become aware of all the other procurement benefits, according to Giffney.

"The most immediate improvement is fulfilment speed, but this is supported by transparent tracking, automated progress emails, accurate cost centre allocation and ongoing asset management. Then there are cost savings from resource redeployment and improved employee engagement."

"Before moving to self-service mobile procurement it will typically take up to two weeks for an employee to receive a new mobile phone in an Australian enterprise business. First the employee will have to download a form, fill it in and have it signed by the line manager. Then it would be emailed to the IT department ,who will forward it to Finance for approval. When finance-approved, an order will be placed with a supplier, and when the device is delivered to IT, it will be transferred to the end user.

"With VoicePlus' Atrium self-service portal it is possible for a device to be delivered to a VIP end-user within 2 to 4 hours of ordering. Even our standard service will see the device delivered next business day. This is a productivity improvement in the region of 1500%."

Automation will reduce headcount

A clear cost saving arising from self-service is achieved by automating processes which are otherwise labour-intensive.  Typically moving to self-service will allow at least one full-time position to be redeployed, says Giffney.

Most self-service technologies will also automate approval gathering, cost allocation, make ownership costs transparent, auto-inform the asset register, and enforce corporate compliance.

Employees embrace self-service

Employees are very positive about self-service portals, appreciating the ability to self-select and to order whenever it suits them 24/7, according to  Giffney.

"As consumers we are already buying groceries online, renewing our car registration, doing our banking, and buying clothes. We are comfortable with googling for information, making a decision and placing an order - all without talking to another human being. We are actually using self-service in so many areas of our lives that it is a familiar routine practice.

In the past employees may have been a barrier to self-service but today they appreciate being 'trusted' to self-select their mobility. Being able to place their own orders not only engages employees but also gives a transparency to the costs of what is being ordered and encourages personal responsibility."

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