We spoke to David Lunt, managing director at National Buying Consortium (NBC) to discuss the facilitation of basic data for maximum benefit.
National Buying Consortium (NBC) has a unique business model. Our goal is to partner with leading FMCG wholesalers and suppliers to offer a forward-thinking and unified wholesale solution to the UK market. To support this partnership, we offer:
- A buying group, NBC, that is member-owned, does not charge fees and has strong supplier partner relationships across all our members’ major product categories
- A central warehousing and logistics solution, NDN, providing members with access to the best prices available without having to resort to supplier’s minimum order requirements
With over 37 members of NBC and customers of NDN, coordinating the trading activities across 50+ supplier partners and 45+ customer delivery points could be very challenging. This is where technology plays a significant role for the group so that we can facilitate basic data for maximum benefit.
Read more: Three wholesalers join NBC
We have two technology platforms that facilitate data for both NBC and NDN:
Xero – Accounting Software:
This technology platform provides both NBC and NDN with a full accounting facility for revenue and costs, providing full visibility of ongoing transactions and cash flow management.
Without this, the complexity of dealing with suppliers, SKU’s and customers would be an administration nightmare.
More importantly, it allows the management team to have instant visibility of the financial status of the group and keep track of progress against the monthly or annual plan.
Read more: NBC confirms managerial changes
Unleashed – Sales, Purchases and Stock Management Software
This technology platform provides NDN with a full sales order, purchase order and stock management facility with full visibility of ongoing sales to customers, purchase orders for supplier partners, and stock status in our warehouse facility.
This platform also provides the flexibility to route orders through our central warehouse facility or facilitate a transfer order directly with a supplier partner.
Being able to manage multiple customers, suppliers, and product files across thousands of SKU’s is made much simpler and less time-consuming.
Read more: NBC appoints distribution manager
More importantly, they talk to each other!
Providing a seamless link between the two technology platforms allows the management team to have access to basic data done well that maximises the revenues, minimises costs, and delivers excellent service levels for our members.
