Automated customer service teams make it difficult for government buyers to get the information they need in a timely manner and are cumbersome for customers. 

An automated support system is one method suppliers utilize that provides customer assistance via an automated service such as a help center, chat-bot or artificial intelligence  (AI). Many companies use this method for filtering phone calls. While this may be convenient for large companies with high call volumes, they aren’t always the most efficient from the customer’s perspective. We’ve all experienced it when – you call a company only to be greeted by an automated system, you listen through multiple options and then get transferred to another menu. This can be time consuming and frustrating.   

Changing the method or system government buyers currently use for micro-purchases to a user-friendly online platform will decrease the challenges they face and help advance patient care.

Government healthcare facilities serve the community by providing care to our service members, veterans, their families, and more. These facilities depend on Procurement Agents and other buyers to source the materials, both large and small, necessary to maintain normal working operations. Small purchases, also known as micro-purchases, have a variety of ordering methods such as via contracting vehicles (GSA, DAPA, etc.), phone, fax, email, and online. Some of these systems, such as fax, are outdated and inefficient for placing orders. For example, faxes tend to have a higher lag time and encounter greater deliverability issues. Other methods prove to be problematic because they don’t have a standard process in place for orders which can lead to misunderstandings, additional follow-up, and delayed lead times.  

Changing the method buyers use to track orders to one that provides order status updates will save time and help government healthcare buyers maintain operational excellence.

Government healthcare buyers spend their days conducting market research and purchasing the everyday items their facility depends on. These items vary depending on facility and departments but one thing’s for sure: they all require shipping. Most suppliers will send an order confirmation email immediately following the purchase and some will even notify the buyer once the order has finished processing, but the challenge lies with tracking. Vendors without the technological capability to provide online tracking force their customers to reach out either via phone or email just to inquire on the estimated time of arrival for their package. While this might not be problematic to some buyers, others find this task to be cumbersome and time consuming depending on the supplier. 

By having a steady supply source, government healthcare buyers will experience an increase in communication & decrease the likelihood of long lead times.

The healthcare industry is one that is everchanging. These changes can be challenging to keep up with but are necessary when the normal routine just isn’t cutting it anymore. One thing that might be ready for a change, is the supply sources for government healthcare buyers. Currently, these buyers purchase equipment and supplies from a range of vendors, both small and large. While a small portion of these vendors are Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs), the rest are large-scale Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or other small vendors that don’t meet the Small Business Administration (SBA) disadvantaged classification. This classification is only met when a small business is at least 51% owned by one or more individuals who are socially or economically disadvantaged.