After implementing a P-card programme to replace petty cash, and if the programme is working well, clients often ask: “where do we go from here?”
Anita Carolus, Nedbank Corporate Card National Sales Manager, suggests that clients investigate all their payment processes and expand their P-card programmes into their ‘headache’ processes or problem areas. This could be anything from a process that has numerous steps to one that has a lengthy turnaround time.
One of Carolus’s university clients discovered its headache process during a business process re-engineering project in which all existing processes were investigated.
After initially implementing a P-card programme specifically to address petty cash, and having become more familiar and comfortable with the programme, the client decided to expand.
“The client had a problem keeping track of gas cylinder rentals and paying the vendors. The average time taken to follow its manual process and pay vendors was 77 days. The university then implemented the P-card, which made it easier to keep track of the gas cylinder rentals, and payment to vendors was immediate,” says Carolus.
Carolus finds that some clients are not convinced that a P-card can make the problem area more efficient. This can be the case where the vendor is a small BEE business that cannot accept card payments, or the vendor is travelling and cannot process card payments on the spot.
“In these cases build supplier relationships and, as part of enterprise development, empower your small BEE businesses with Nedbank PocketPOS™,” says Carolus.
Nedbank PocketPOS™ is a mobile point-of-sale device available in South Africa and is revolutionising business-on-the-go. All the merchant needs is a Smartphone or tablet and the PocketPOS™ device. The merchant can then securely process card payments and will immediately be paid, which is vital for most small BEE businesses.
To find out more about Nedbank PocketPOS™ or on expanding your P-card programme, email Anita Carolus.
The Business Case for implementing a Purchasing Card solution will be in the spotlight at the upcoming P2P Professional Forum, a three-hour workshop being on Wednesday 20 November 2013 at the Atlantic Imbizo, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town. To register contact events@smartprocurement.co.za
