The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak can be considered a severe crisis, affecting every aspect of life and business in ways never seen before. Daily routines and business operations have changed drastically. To this day, no one can definitively say when or how this crisis will end. On the contrary, many predict that it could last anywhere from six months to over a year.
Apisit Kuparatana, Managing Director of Pantavanij Co., Ltd., the leading e-procurement and online auction service provider in the ASEAN region, stated:
“Our core mission has always been to support organizations across the ASEAN region in competing at the forefront of the global market by providing efficient digital platforms at reasonable costs. Businesses have long faced challenges from digital disruption. Many organizations have tried to adopt technology to transform their operations, while some still consider technology distant and costly, believing they can manage without it.
However, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 has acted as an accelerator, forcing many businesses to adapt quickly to the new normal for their consumers, partners, and even employees. Adopting innovation and technology is no longer a temporary measure to get through the COVID-19 crisis—it has become a critical strategy that prepares companies to take the lead once the crisis subsides.”
Many companies have implemented measures to cope with the outbreak while continuing business operations to minimize impact. One of the biggest challenges during this time is maintaining organizational visibility while employees work remotely, especially regarding the overall spending of each department, branch, or factory. Recognizing this need, Pantavanij launched the “Virtual Procurement” campaign—a special e-procurement and online auction package designed to help businesses of all sizes and industries reduce costs, save time, and streamline processes from sourcing to payment.
With this system, business operations remain uninterrupted even when employees work from different locations. During the crisis, medium and large enterprises have increasingly adopted the platform. It requires minimal investment, allows management to monitor operations and transparency in the procurement department, and enables purchasing teams to communicate with relevant departments and suppliers in different locations for quotations or online auctions without meeting in person. The platform is user-friendly, allowing staff to track the progress of purchase requests, reduce paperwork, and gain up to 70% more time to focus on strategy and procurement management. Most importantly, executives can view the company’s overall spending in real time, analyze data, and manage suppliers and organizational expenses more efficiently.
