Initial situation: From operational processes to strategic purchasing
Oculus, a long-established company in the medical devices sector, stands for high quality standards and complex supply chains that have come under increasing pressure due to growing customer volumes. The need to manage suppliers comprehensively and in real time has become particularly clear in recent years.
At the beginning, Oculus faced a number of challenges:
- Lack of transparency: No clear data structure or product group assignment for material procurement.
- Time-consuming data maintenance: important supplier data such as certificates, documentation and self-certifications were difficult to retrieve.
- Increasing regulatory requirements: Special medical technology standards and regulations (e.g. MDR, ISO 13485) require comprehensive documentation and monitoring.
- Considerable administrative effort: Without digital support, managing and checking the more than 600 suppliers took an enormous amount of time.
Here, Oculus turned to the Tacto software solution to create transparency, organize purchasing digitally and develop long-term partnerships.
Transformation to strategic purchasing: implementation and first steps
The introduction of Tacto as the central software served several purposes at Oculus:
- Spend analysis and product group classification
First, a comprehensive analysis was carried out to classify spend and product groups. The new insights enabled Oculus to understand exactly which materials were being sourced from which suppliers and to what extent. This enabled the team to make strategic decisions, for example by selecting suitable suppliers for particularly critical components. - Digitization of supplier data and automation of supplier evaluation
Tacto was used to collect and automatically update the necessary data on each supplier. The purchasing software made it possible to store documents such as long-term declarations or certificates digitally and to request up-to-date status reports on the quality and performance of suppliers. A continuous and objective evaluation of the supplier base was the main objective here, which is ensured by regular queries and clear analysis options. - Long-term, sustainable partnerships through transparent supplier evaluation
By structuring its purchasing and providing transparency about its supplier base, Oculus can foster strategic partnerships that benefit both parties. Tacto offered the opportunity to specifically identify new and potential suppliers, compare their performance and build a resilient relationship, taking sustainability aspects into account. - Connection to ERP systems
A major challenge when introducing new software is often the connection to existing systems. Tacto could be easily connected to Oculus' ERP system and regularly transfer the necessary data without burdening the ERP infrastructure. This means that all systems remain synchronized even with constant data collection and updating.
Focus on increasing efficiency and sustainability
Tacto offers a comprehensive solution not only to optimize purchasing processes, but also to build future-proof and sustainable supply chains:
- Efficiency in operational purchasing
By automating standard processes in operational purchasing, the team saves valuable resources that are available for strategic work. Tacto covers a broad spectrum here, from supplier certificates and onboarding processes to the automated management of compliance documents. - Data-driven decisions in strategic procurement
Data and analytics are at the heart of every modern procurement department. Tacto provides the Oculus team with detailed spend analysis and performance overviews to continuously adapt the purchasing strategy and identify potential cost savings. - Compliance and risk management in the supply chain
With the Supply Chain Act (LKSG) module integrated into Tacto, Oculus fulfills the legal requirements without much additional effort. In particular, the digital management and tracking of sustainability data and risk factors helps Oculus to ensure the high quality standards in medical technology and comply with legal requirements.
Conclusion: Tacto as a valuable partner in strategic purchasing
During the webinar, it became clear how the switch from an operational to a strategic purchasing process at Oculus has led to noticeable efficiency gains. The sustainable focus and transparent supplier management give the company the flexibility to proactively manage risks and build long-term partnerships. The insight into the Tacto software showed that the right digital solution not only saves time and costs, but also enables a future-proof and sustainable supply chain to be established.
Webinar Q&A: Frequently asked questions
1. do suppliers have to register with Tacto?
No, Tacto focuses on user-friendliness so that suppliers can communicate and upload documents via the system without registering.
2. how is Tacto set up in terms of GDPR and data security?
Tacto is operated in Europe, on servers in Germany and the Netherlands, in compliance with the GDPR. This ensures the protection of sensitive data in accordance with European data protection regulations.
3. is Tacto suitable for companies with complex ERP systems?
Tacto can be used flexibly and can be linked to common ERP systems (e.g. SAP, Microsoft Dynamics). Older or customized ERP systems can also be integrated without any problems.
Are you interested?
Switching to strategic and sustainable supplier management can bring decisive advantages for medium-sized companies. If you would like to find out how Tacto can improve your purchasing processes, please contact us.
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