GNM have been implementing the Curtis Fitch system and are now entering a phase of aggressively using the system to upload all contracts from within the business and to implement workflow authorisation for the sign off of savings attributed to spend.

These innovations have provided customers with industry-leading supply flexibility, helped position De Beers as the market leader in rough diamond auctions, and acted as a catalyst for change in industry sales practices.

CF Contracts is used across a variety of industries supporting our customers with their Contract Lifecycle Management. We caught up with who discusses the impact of implementing CF Contracts across their legal team. Since implementing the Curtis Fitch Contracting System we are starting to achieve benefits in our procurement processes. We have been able to present a very well considered and robust system to our supply base, reducing manual processes and using IT to consolidate contract terms with the bid documentation. The system presents our terms and removes unnecessary dialogue, – freeing up time for both parties. The ways in which we trade are now locked into the system; if you want to do business with us then the terms are clear and accessible, and any submitted mark up is registered on the system as part of the bid package from a particular supplier. There is therefore one place we have to access to analyse and score the various bids and this one stop shop ensures that the legal terms do not get de-coupled from the commercial terms in such analysis. We have also seen a reduced workload across our team. The system removes the need for a manual paper trail. The end user tracks the negotiation on the system from the outset and is allowed visibility of the returned marks-up, which also remain stored on the system for future reference. Approval requirements can also be set up in the system. From a lawyer’s perspective, having this level of transparency and governance that’s locked into the system gives our business the control it requires over the process and, ultimately, makes the process easier and slicker. We created a ‘centre of excellence’ to oversee the project, made up of a handful of senior procurement personnel who now know the system inside out. This has proven to be a successful way of working and, as such, has supported the way in which we have engaged with Curtis Fitch. Having completed implementation here in the UK we’re now promoting use of the system globally to our other procurement teams around the world. We have had a seamless, continuing dialogue with Antonia and her team to move us from conceptualisation to implementation. As you would expect, we experienced some initial resistance from end users. Change is always unsettling- moving from an overly flexible negotiation process to a more controlled system driven approach required some adjustment. However we have been able to accommodate a number of changes to appease some of the requests from end users. One of the traits of the Curtis Fitch support team is that they have had great patience with us as we have moved through the various stages of the project, shadowing us as we realign and rework the system to our requirements (which have also evolved over the course of the project). For example, we created an option for a multi customer / multi supplier contract along the way. The requirement for this change was realised after the implementation had started. Curtis Fitch, however, with their usual ‘can do attitude’ simply worked with us and adapted the system again to accommodate this change. It is this very attitude and their willingness to adapt which has made the experience so smooth. They have become ‘one of the team’- dedicated to getting the project over the line.

Curtis Fitch has provided South West Water with a fully functional customised electronic sourcing platform with a friendly user interface for both internal and external users.

Tesco Bank recently concluded another successful eAuction using CF Source auctions, supported by the expert Managed Event team at Curtis Fitch. The support received from Curtis Fitch significantly increased the ease with which this eAuction was built, conducted and closed. Curtis Fitch also provided training directly to the eAuction participants prior to the auction commencing which all the participants found to be extremely beneficial especially as a number of them had not been involved in an eAuction before. On the actual day of the eAuction Tesco Bank had the benefit of having a Curtis Fitch Account Manager being present to advise on potential tactics and to ensure the whole auction ran smoothly. This combination meant that, even on an already competitive initial RFP response, pricing improved on all aspects that were auctioned.

In the last year we have been amazed at the way Curtis Fitch engage and involve their customers in their development roadmap. They listen and they react to what their customers want in a structured, process driven way. What’s more the results are visible. They deliver what they set out to deliver and that is really important.

Very easy, professional and comprehensive. Given my lack of resource I didn’t have as much time to focus on this auction so I was relieved when Curtis Fitch said they would contact the supplier, explain the process and sort out preparation for the auction with them. I had very little input throughout the process.