A quick update. In November 2011, I wrote about UK-based Darley PCM and its SaaS online eTender application – mainly aimed at SME-level clients, construction businesses and their supply chains. CEO Emma Jeffery has been in touch to:
- highlight a new eTender demo page (I said prospective customers often like to see what they are buying)
- compare online tendering with print, CD and email-based routes, and
- tell me about a blog post underlining the potential cost savings involved by going online, with some alarming figures about the cost of traditional paper-based tendering: Warning: these figures may shock you – the cost of tendering.
These arguments are, of course, not new – other vendors have sought to streamline the process and drive out costs using similar tactics – but with the UK architecture, engineering and construction industry once again talking about a recession, it may be time for some SMEs to swallow their online uncertainty and make the switch to SaaS.
