GETTING WHAT THEY NEED
When it comes to procurement, the little guys don’t have to be left out. They can take advantage of the same economies of scale, speedy deliveries and other benefits afforded to large corporations when they buy equipment and supplies. So says Killerbiz.com, the online firm that has developed a system to help small regional outfits get what they need.
The Santa Clara, CA-based company launched its Web site (www. killerbiz.com) in an effort to help these firms – most of whom have 50 employees or fewer – help cut costs, as well as a way to generate and respond to qualified sales leads. Procurement is particularly difficult for small companies, says Killerbiz. com product marketing manager Pat Kirkish, because they generally can’t afford the $100,000-plus electronic data interchange systems used by large corporations.
The site’s market-making tools and processes enable buyers to create online requests for quotes for more than 80 categories, including technical and business services. It offers potential buyers a number of free browser-based resources to help define their requirements, identify qualified sellers from more than 50,000 product and service providers, submit requests for price quotations to multiple sellers, and manage the bidding process. The site also allows users to compare product features and prices, and participate in forum discussions on business topics.
When a seller finds an appropriate buyer on KillerBiz, the seller is informed of the sales lead by e-mail or fax and is invited to submit a bid online. Sellers currently pay no fees. A $10 flat fee connected to bidding on sales leads provided by the site will be introduced next year, notes Kirkish.At press time, Killerbiz.com was still figuring out its advertising plans for this year. Kirkish declined to talk about revenue projections.
