Chapter 15 Chapter One: The Development of Suning’s Supply Chain Thought
——The marketing model of anti-season payment created by Suning is a pioneering work worthy of careful study and analysis.With Suning's status at the time, in the fierce market competition, Suning, as a private enterprise, had little advantage in terms of financial strength, corporate influence, and market position, relying on conventional procurement and sales methods to cooperate with manufacturers.However, through off-season ordering and off-season payment methods, Suning took the lead in the market by turning passive into active.In fact, this is an optimization process of a supply chain process.
Martin Christopher, a famous British supply chain research expert, once said: "There are only supply chains in the market but no enterprises. The competition in the 21st century is not the competition between enterprises, but the competition among supply chains."
Professor Ma Shihua from Huazhong University of Science and Technology defines the supply chain as: the supply chain is around the core enterprise, through the control of information flow, logistics and capital flow, starting from the purchase of raw materials, making intermediate products and final products, and finally sending the products to the company through the sales network. In the hands of consumers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and end users are connected into a whole functional network structure model.
That is to say, the supply chain is a chain composed of all supply and demand enterprises.Through the leadership of a core enterprise or a core node, each node enterprise in the supply chain is driven by market demand to realize the movement of capital flow, logistics, business flow, information flow, and value flow, and finally adapt to the market and meet the needs of the market. Customer needs, and benefit the entire value chain.
Every enterprise has its own supply chain. On the one hand, it mobilizes its partners, and on the other hand, it is also mobilized by the partners.The idea of supply chain management is gradually gaining popularity.
In fact, due to the intensification of global competition and the rapid development of information technology, the living environment of enterprises has changed. In the past, the development path of single-handed enterprises has lost the value of replication. Dominance is a very difficult thing to do.Enterprises need to connect with each other through the supply chain, participate in the competition as an organic whole, through the division of labor and cooperation, complement each other's advantages, and finally achieve synergy.On the other hand, the rapid development of information technology and the continuous progress of modern logistics industry have also enabled some ideas of modern supply chain management to be truly implemented.
Specifically, the narrow, traditional supply chain management mainly involves four important areas: supply, production plan (Schedule Plan), logistics (Logistics), demand (Demand).What it pays attention to is only the connection between suppliers and distributors.
What Suning established is a thought of the whole supply chain.The so-called full supply chain refers to end-to-end, from the beginning of the customer to the end of the customer, including not only the relationship with suppliers, but also the links within the enterprise and with downstream consumers.
If information systems are used to support the entire supply chain, it means that Suning's information systems not only refer to the upstream B2B (business to business) system, but also include the internal ERP system, downstream B2C (business to customer) and subsequent implementation CRM (customer relationship management, hereinafter referred to as CRM) system, HR (human resources, hereinafter referred to as HR) system, financial sharing center system and so on.
Suning has its own unique supply chain management ideas.In fact, in the field of home appliance chains, Suning and its competitors have similar profit models, but Suning is quite different from its competitors in the understanding and practice of specific logistics operations, information systems, and after-sales services.It is precisely because of these differentiated practices that Suning's core competitive advantages in supply chain management are gradually emerging.
In the early days of his business, Zhang Jindong entered the air-conditioning industry by accident.In the era of shortage economy where manufacturers were absolutely dominant, what Zhang Jindong was worried about was not sales but supply.Because having a source of goods actually means having a profit.This was a very simple, unquestionable logic at the time.In just one year, Zhang Jindong achieved sales of tens of millions of yuan by selling air conditioners, and his profit reached several million yuan.
However, Zhang Jindong has so much energy, how can he find a source of goods that he didn't worry about selling at the time, which almost meant cash?Zhang Jindong's trick is the marketing model that has gradually become a common practice in the industry: ordering in off-season and payment in off-season.
Because there are low and peak seasons in the sales of air conditioners, the production of air conditioners also has distinct seasonality.During the peak season, the factory's production capacity is insufficient, and it is impossible to supply goods in time, and stock outs often occur; during the off-season, the order quantity decreases sharply, and the factory's production capacity is idled again.If you look at it from the perspective of supply chain management, which is becoming more and more popular today, the air conditioner supply chain at that time lacked flexibility and lacked timely and accurate responses to consumer needs.
Zhang Jindong's off-season ordering and off-season payment methods have largely solved the seasonal problem of air-conditioning production.By taking their own risks and taking the initiative to invest funds, manufacturers are able to carry out stock-based production, increase inventory in the channel, and then transfer it to release during the peak sales season. The seasonal problem that has plagued the air-conditioning industry for many years has been solved by Zhang Jindong’s idea. .
The marketing model of off-season ordering and off-season payment created by Suning is a pioneering work worthy of careful study and analysis.Given Suning's status at the time, in the fierce market competition, Suning, as a private enterprise, had little advantage in terms of financial strength, corporate influence, and market position, relying on conventional procurement and sales methods to cooperate with manufacturers.However, through off-season ordering and off-season payment methods, Suning took the lead in the market by turning passive into active.
In fact, this is an optimization process of the supply chain process.Through off-season ordering and off-season payment, Suning will take a lot of risks (if the sales in the coming year do not match the forecast, Suning, which was just starting out at that time, is likely to be dragged down because of these inventories, which made the off-season at that time Ordering and off-season payment are more like betting), but because it solves the problem of idle production lines in the off-season, Suning can also obtain lower prices and more stable supply.
For manufacturers, the problem of idle production lines in the off-season is solved, avoiding the waste of production capacity, and the procurement cost of raw materials and parts is relatively low in the off-season, which can greatly reduce production costs.Moreover, Suning's off-season ordering and off-season payment marketing model also played a role in balancing off-season and peak season sales to a certain extent, greatly improving the factory's production planning and stability.
In other words, Zhang Jindong's innovation suddenly made the operation of the entire supply chain smooth, stable and efficient.This innovation contains Zhang Jindong's early and simplest ideas of win-win cooperation, cooperation between manufacturers, coexistence and common prosperity.What is more worth thinking about is, for entrepreneurs, what is the relationship between innovation and risk-taking?There are always uncertainties in the business environment. Entrepreneurs need to make choices cautiously, and turn uncertainties into certainties in the process of conquering risks, so as to realize the development of enterprises.To a certain extent, taking risks according to the rules may be the essence of entrepreneurs.
However, in the home appliance market in the early years, Zhang Jindong not only relied on the secret weapon of off-season ordering and off-season payment, but also the way of treating people with affection and handouts.Those who have come into contact with Zhang Jindong are easily infected by his forthrightness and enthusiasm.Back then, Zhang Jindong always welcomed manufacturers from all over the country and even abroad looking for cooperation with hospitality and courtesy, and always held the attitude of win-win cooperation, common development and common interests in cooperation.This has allowed Zhang Jindong to quickly make a lot of friends in the home appliance circle, and even many merchants would rather take a detour to cooperate with Suning.
As the largest air-conditioning agent in China at that time, Suning was not proud of itself because of its expansion.On the contrary, in addition to some foreign brand air conditioners, Suning also gives preferential treatment to a large number of domestic air conditioner manufacturers emerging in South China, such as Huabao, Hualing, Midea, Kelon, Feilu, HSBC and other companies.Through the generous underground deposit, Suning not only established a good cooperative relationship with the companies that later became the big players in the air-conditioning industry, but also contributed to the national staking of these air-conditioning companies.Even Zhang Jindong, who is enthusiastic, often helps some nascent air-conditioning companies enter the national market.Under Zhang Jindong's intervention, Suning helps many companies hold regional agent meetings across the country every year.This tradition eventually evolved into that Suning regularly led the holding of some industry conferences to conspire with the development of the industry.
Zhang Jindong has a clear understanding of the good relationship with suppliers.In the case of market shortage and product supply in short supply, establishing a solid cooperative relationship with suppliers is not only a guarantee for Suning's development, but also a huge impetus.Even, in Zhang Jindong's eyes, a good relationship with suppliers is a core asset of Suning, no matter when the supply exceeds the demand or the supply exceeds the demand.
The communication between enterprises is like the communication between friends. If you open your heart, the other party will return your sincerity, not to mention the long-term relationship with the bond of interest.Zhang Jindong recalled the situation when the canopy gathered and the crowds were crowded, and said: "One of the factors is that we were very kind when dealing with them, and everyone was very transparent in terms of prices. For example, how much I earn, you can see how much I earn. Everyone compares To be honest, we talked about it openly. Moreover, we were all in the early stage of development at that time, and when there were difficulties, many small wholesalers were not able to ship goods to them due to financial difficulties. We also wholesaled them and gave them Their certain repayment period has won their gratitude and trust.
"In wholesale, we are closer to retailers than factories. We win everyone's respect through emotional contact and reach a consensus in the industry. This is also a very important factor that has established Suning's position in the industry. Including our current dealings with suppliers is also a continuation That culture. That emotion comes into play when it's a critical trade-off."
During this period, the entire home appliance industry has experienced several huge turning points, but for Suning, the most significant turning point was in 1996.Chunlan Company, which has been ranked first in the air-conditioning industry for many years, first issued a sales policy of canceling large households in 1996, and announced at the same time that it would build 1,500 Chunlan Xingwei specialty stores by itself.Other companies in the industry also began to shift their targets to the wholesalers who were in the middle at that time, and started a mighty channel change.This change has a name full of killing atmosphere - "cutting big households".
At that time, Suning was definitely a big family, but Suning's growth has become a "sin".Suning, which has grown into the largest air-conditioning wholesaler in China, has thus been engulfed in the torrent of the times. Amidst the screams of home appliance manufacturers, Suning has embarked on a difficult transformation road, and has also embarked on the path of growing into China's distribution force, The journey of a billion-dollar enterprise.
The so-called times create heroes, but real heroes can also create times.However, Zhang Jindong did not feel like a real hero at all in the face of the banning by his allies in the past. He only felt very "hurt".Injured by the betrayal of allies in the past, and also injured by the fact that such a large company as Suning is still controlled by others, and has even been regarded as a "payment machine" and "advancement tool" by some manufacturers with great disrespect.Zhang Jindong was full of melancholy, thinking that "there may be money besides money" among enterprises, and the original "Love Handout" was just to make those suppliers treat themselves as friends, and give Suning a certain amount of local time when they remembered their old love. The market and the surrounding space allow Suning to survive, but it is embarrassing to completely block Suning in one go.
From that moment on, Zhang Jindong began to seriously think about his own value and the core competitiveness of the company, and began to use rationality instead of emotion and loyalty to operate.
In fact, at the same time as Suning, the Li & Fung Group in Hong Kong almost fell into the same thinking at the same time.Since 1996, Li & Fung Group has adopted a three-year planning system.In this planning system, the core part is such a kind of reflection: "Are we still useful? As a middleman, will we be kicked out?" This is almost the competitive situation at that time among these excellent distribution companies common confusion.
Zhang Jindong led Suning to retreat bravely.After becoming increasingly aware that the wholesale business has hindered Suning's development and transformation, Zhang Jindong resolutely gave up this business that had fully demonstrated his industry status in the past.After the "hustle" in September 1999, Zhang Jindong called all the middle and high-level backbones for a ten-day closed meeting, and forced the course of Suning's big ship to comprehensive home appliances, which seemed more promising at the time. The direction of operation and chain operation.Because it is extremely important, this meeting is even called the "Zunyi meeting" in the history of Suning's development.
Recalling the situation at that time, Zhang Jindong said: "In the process of transformation, we have been thinking, working hard, and at the same time looking for breakthroughs. We think it is more important and fundamental that our operating model should be able to help manufacturers solve problems. , so that production companies feel that we are indeed valuable and have core expertise that they cannot do."
He also pointed out clearly: "Home appliance manufacturers and distributors are two links in the same industrial chain, and the relationship between manufacturers and merchants is a division of labor and cooperation between two resources. Manufacturers are good at technology and manufacturing, and merchants are good at marketing and distribution. In the initial stage of cooperation between manufacturers and distributors, the main purpose is to realize the integration of the superior resources of the two, so that the two parties can complement each other and bring out the best in each other.”
In the process of building a retail chain, the factor of "win-win cooperation" contained in Suning's past blood was solidified and manifested, and developed into a business rule of the enterprise.
In Zhang Jindong's view, the retail industry is not an industry that uses a certain core technology or a certain specific asset as a game chip.To achieve large scale and lower costs is the core competitiveness of the retail industry.This cost first refers to logistics costs and management costs.A large part of the logistics cost and management cost depends on the structure and management level of the supply chain.
How to integrate the supply chain and implement supply chain management?In fact, in the operation of an enterprise, its horizontal supply chain activities basically include procurement sourcing, bidding and bidding, placing orders, shipping, receiving goods, payment and settlement, etc.It is relatively easy to control if these behaviors all take place in the same company, but if this process is decomposed to different node companies in the supply chain to complete, the complexity of the supply chain will increase.
However, for a large-scale retail chain enterprise like Suning, which has more than 20,000 contract suppliers in more than 300 cities across the country, it must use B2B driving tools to achieve seamless connection with trading partners. Form an efficient supply chain.This high efficiency not only refers to the reduction of costs, but also refers to the optimization of supply chain processes, the improvement of management, and more importantly, the rapid response to consumer needs.
Looking back at Suning's development history, we can see that the core of Suning's supply chain management is oriented to win-win cooperation and driven by informatization.
In the mid-1990s, Suning had already started some IT (information technology, hereinafter referred to as IT) applications within the company.For example, computer billing was implemented in the retail at the front desk, and China's first value-added tax invoice was issued in a printed way. In 1999, Suning began to expand into comprehensive home appliance categories, transformed into a national retail chain model, and formulated a national chain plan.In the process of completing this plan, Suning began to launch the ERP system.
At the beginning of 2004, Suning launched a B2B-based supply chain management project, striving to improve the internal and external supply chain management level of the enterprise through a standardized online business management, convenient accounting settlement functions and transparent data interaction.
In July 2005, in order to adapt to the rapid development of the enterprise, Suning launched the fourth-generation information project and began to implement the SAP/ERP system.The system was successfully launched in April 2006, completely changing Suning's operating mode.Through a series of business software and management software built on the SAP/ERP system platform, such as CRM, SOA, WMS, TMS, Call Center (customer service center), B2B, B2C and other application systems, Suning's entire supply chain is jointly supported.Suning has fully upgraded the original traditional simple, extensive, and manual business operations to modern and intelligent business operations.
Because of informatization, Suning can rely on its own SAP/ERP system to achieve B2B system docking with upstream suppliers, and this docking is very important for information sharing, online procurement and settlement, product development and consumers between upstream and downstream enterprises. Data research has very strong strategic value.The information system enables the manufacturing force and the circulation force to achieve a true business partner cooperation and win-win model, and the efficiency of the entire supply chain, not just the efficiency of a single link, has been greatly improved.This not only reduces the operating communication cost and inventory cost of the enterprise, but also significantly improves the service ability and level of the enterprise to ordinary consumers.
In fact, the efficiency of the supply chain depends not only on the consistency of interests between upstream and downstream enterprises, but also on the efficiency of the technical means driving the supply chain.In many cases, the efficiency and advancement of this technical means even influences and determines the consistency of interests of all parties.
Because only the companies in the supply chain cooperate closely, in addition to pursuing their own interests, they jointly seek to improve the overall competitiveness and profitability of the supply chain; on the basis of informatization, they respond appropriately to the latest market changes ; By better meeting the needs of customers to obtain more benefits, it is possible to achieve win-win sharing only when incremental benefits are continuously generated.
Otherwise, if the division is only made on the basis of stock interests, the consistency of interest relations will actually cease to exist.In fact, even if Zhang Jindong "emphasizes love handouts" and takes the initiative to take risks in the way of "off-season ordering and off-season payment", it is impossible for companies in the supply chain to grow together.This can also be seen as a manifestation of productivity determining production relations.
In the 2009 Corporate Social Responsibility Report of Suning Appliance Co., Ltd., Suning pointed out: "A good businessman is the smartest person in the world, because before considering his own interests, he first considers how to meet the needs of the market and society. , and in the process of meeting the needs of the market and society, the needs and interests of businessmen have also been met, and they can also win praise from the market. The behavior of such businessmen has gone beyond the scope of simply doing business, and is doing business. Suning What we are doing now and what we will do in the future is career, not just business. To grow into a socialized enterprise, "be a responsible corporate citizen" and "share the interests of the country, enterprise, and employees" are the values that Suning will always adhere to The bigger and stronger Suning, the more and more responsibilities it shoulders."
Among the many responsibilities shouldered by Suning, which is getting bigger and stronger, one of the most important responsibilities is to achieve a win-win situation in the industry, innovate and cooperate, and drive the development of the industry.
As a leader in the industry, in March 2008, Suning held a seminar at Tsinghua University.In the face of institutional investors, industry researchers, industry experts, and suppliers, Suning clearly announced that it will surpass its competitors and lead the industry within three years. In 2009, Suning achieved this goal ahead of schedule.Standing in the position of industry leader, Suning needs to make advanced considerations for the development of the entire home appliance chain industry.
Suning recognizes that as an important channel connecting manufacturers and consumers, chain retail enterprises should strengthen cooperation with suppliers, establish a solid and healthy partnership with them, and ensure the healthy and sustainable development of every link in the industry, and Collaborate with each other to optimize and integrate the resources of the entire industry.This is crucial to enhancing the development capabilities of the industry.
As a home appliance chain retailer, Suning is the link between consumers and manufacturers in the home appliance industry.Suning's terminal marketing network all over the country is a good display and sales platform for home appliances.In the process of industrial development, Suning has always been adhering to the concept of "win-win cooperation and benefit sharing" with suppliers, emphasizing that specialized division of labor is an inevitable way for the reasonable and effective development of the home appliance industry chain, constantly optimizing the cooperation model of upstream suppliers, exploring The best model for industrial development.
Over the past 20 years, Suning has been constantly innovating the cooperation model with domestic and foreign suppliers. Through unified purchase and distribution, exclusive agency, exclusive sales and customization, etc., it not only provides a platform for suppliers to fully display and sell their products, but also accurately and quickly responds to consumers' needs. Feedback to the manufacturer in a timely manner, driving the technological innovation and progress of the manufacturer, and truly realizing the "mutual benefit, win-win and benefit sharing" of the industry.
In 2009, Suning further consolidated and deepened its strategic cooperative relationship with suppliers, and steadily promoted the informatization connection with suppliers’ B2B systems; continuously optimized the supplier cooperation model, and continuously strengthened and deepened the connection with domestic and foreign supplier headquarters. From deepening exclusive agency, shop-in-shop, and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer, hereinafter referred to as OEM) cooperation, to full-operator cooperation, and expanding the field of manufacturer cooperation, especially the national exclusive direct supply operation mode with brand manufacturers on 3C products, It has aroused great attention from the industry; and through active, high-level, all-round mutual visits and communication, joint training, experience sharing and other measures, the cooperation with suppliers has been further deepened.
In fact, Suning spends a lot of money to build its own information management platform and build a logistics base, the purpose is to build Suning's own core competitiveness.In Zhang Jindong's view, the purpose of informatization construction is no longer limited to improving the internal management level and operational efficiency of the enterprise, but he also regards it as a magic weapon to solve the problem of manufacturer relationship that has been criticized in the industry.
Zhang Jindong likes to lobby upstream manufacturers to "realize B2B docking with Suning Information System", and through background information sharing with suppliers, "we have resources that can improve efficiency for each other and avoid duplication of investment in channels for both parties, so that these duplication Turn investment into profit..." When this idea was accepted by more and more people in the industry, the rules and "ecological environment" of the industry quietly changed.
In 2009, Suning put business data such as orders, receipts, settlement documents, payment documents and other data on a unified website open to suppliers, and opened corresponding permissions to suppliers.Suppliers can log in to the Suning SCS platform to view and perform corresponding operations according to their user names and passwords.
By downloading the order online through the B2B system, the supplier can obtain the order in time without faxing or going to the company to pick it up.The back-end operating systems of Suning and the suppliers are connected through the B2B system to realize the direct transmission of data between the two parties, and the business personnel of both parties can view the data transmitted by the other party in their respective systems.
This mode eliminates manual processes, and both parties operate fully online, realizing a fully transparent and automated process; problem response, telephone inquiries, and comprehensive service means.It not only ensures the smooth flow of information, saves time and cost, but also reduces the cost of managing supply and replenishment, thereby reducing transaction costs and building a highly collaborative supply chain management model within Suning and with suppliers.
By the end of 2009, more than 20,000 contract suppliers had realized direct connection with Suning's B2B system. Suning planned to realize the information access of all suppliers in 2010, and reached various innovative forms of cooperation agreements with 30 important suppliers. partnership.For those small and medium-sized supplier companies, they have also gained unexpected joy by connecting with Suning's information system—through the connection, they have greatly promoted their own informatization process, which is also a comprehensive improvement of the overall level of the entire industry.
In December 2009, Suning Appliance stood out among more than 300 enterprises and won the National Fair Trade Demonstration Unit Award awarded by the China General Chamber of Commerce.This award is the highest award in the national retailer supplier fair trade evaluation activity, and it is an affirmation of the company's daily operations in terms of quality, price, contract, service, and fee settlement.Suning is the only home appliance retailer to receive this honor.
——Use the information system to support the supply chain management. Its potential logic enables the system to support and promote management from the supply chain management to the internal management of the enterprise, such as financial management, human resource management and other aspects, making the entire enterprise Operations can be built on top of the system.
Find a channel to purchase goods, then put them in the store, wait for customers to come to the door, and sell them at a higher price. This is the common business model you can see in many small stores around you.
In the early days of its business, Suning was actually not much different from these small stores.Although in a short period of time, Suning has achieved a large amount of business, but at that time Suning was still in the state of manual work.If such a path of self-cultivation and improvement has not been found, today's Suning may have been submerged in the torrent of history.
However, Zhang Jindong's hazy intuition made Suning go in the right direction.In an era when there was no concept of informatization but only the concept of computers, he realized that informatization technology is an important means to support the future development of enterprises.If informatization is simply understood, the work that Suning did in the early 1990s, such as financial computerization and the establishment of its own customer file system based on DOS (Disk Operating System, hereinafter referred to as DOS), are all attempts at informatization .
When the time passed to 2000, when Suning began to determine its strategy and move towards the national chain development, Suning did not blindly expand on a large scale, but did two things: first, reengineering the business process of the enterprise organization structure; second, On this basis, an ERP system was implemented.With the support of organization, process and information system, Suning began to develop to the whole country, and gradually explored some management methods and operation means of chain development.
The early ERP system was more like a simple invoicing system. Suning initially introduced the ERP system only to solve the problem of real-time coordination of procurement, sales, and inventory. The main purpose was to solve the problem of "negative sales".Before the ERP system was launched, because the inventory information in various places could not be shared in real time, it often happened that the warehouse was out of stock, but the front-end store still billed sales without knowing this information.
The launch of the ERP system in 2000 allowed Suning to get rid of pure manual work to a certain extent. However, due to the problems in the ERP system itself, when the enterprise developed by leaps and bounds, the system became more and more difficult to carry huge business traffic.Moreover, the construction idea of the whole system is to focus on business flow, which belongs to supply chain module management, but not resource planning management in the true sense.
Using the information system to support the supply chain management, its potential logic makes the system support and promote the management from the supply chain management to gradually expand to the internal management of the enterprise, such as financial management, human resource management and other aspects, so that the operation of the entire enterprise is smooth Can be built on top of the system.
In 2006, after arduous efforts, Suning successfully launched the SAP/ERP system, which immediately opened up the company's situation and solved many management problems.
While launching the SAP system, Suning implemented a B2B system for all suppliers.The logistics, information flow, and capital flow involved in supply chain management have all realized smooth and efficient circulation on the system.Whether it is the connection between the company's external and upstream suppliers, serving consumers, improving the efficiency of market response, or improving the internal management efficiency and model of the company, great progress has been made.
The most intuitive and important manifestation of the driving effect of informatization on supply chain management is in the connection with upstream suppliers. Informatization makes the synergy between enterprises higher, and it is easier to achieve efficiency improvement in supply chain management. The goal of cost control and customer satisfaction improvement.
"Docking" has become a frequently used word in Suning's daily work. It sounds like the feeling of a spaceship and a space station being connected together.Will this be a very complicated and huge thing?
In detail, an order can be decomposed into four links: demand forecasting, procurement, replenishment, and inventory normalization.That is to say, when placing any order within the enterprise, Suning will first make a demand forecast.The purchased goods are to be sold to consumers. Suning needs to predict how much demand the consumers corresponding to different stores may have in the future at a certain stage.Secondly, Suning will purchase from suppliers according to demand.After the purchase is completed, the goods are further distributed to specific stores through logistics, which is replenishment.In the next step, because replenishment and demand forecasts may not be accurate, they are actually just virtual forecasts and assumptions based on various conditions, and adjustments to inaccurate conditions may be required, that is, adjustments to normalize inventory.Like many companies, Suning's overall supply and procurement of goods is composed of the above four parts.
However, among these four links, demand forecasting, replenishment, and inventory normalization can all be determined within the enterprise, except for the procurement link, which must be extended because it involves external suppliers.This creates a real problem of how procurement collaboration connects with suppliers.
In Suning's online B2B system, the core problem is how to achieve efficient procurement coordination, in addition to financial and capital payments.Relying on the B2B system, Suning has realized the management mode of CPFR.
Under the CPFR model, Suning has a strong synergy with suppliers.Suning transmits the first-hand demand information in the market to the research and development link of production, and the ERP systems of the two are completely connected to form a large cross-enterprise ERP system.Not only do supply chains between businesses become more efficient, but demand and supply across society become more orderly.
In addition, due to the adoption of automated financial processes, Suning's invoice verification, verification, payment, filing, and even later reconciliation inquiries have all been automated.Ren Jun, vice president of Suning Appliance, said: "Everyone automatically checks. When the month is over, go and check it on the 5th of next month. The platform will show how much you shipped and how much you received last month. Goods, how many invoices were issued, how much money was paid, etc. Needless to say, those that are correct, and those that are not, we call to communicate and deal with them. This efficiency is very high. "
The establishment of the information system platform is a happy thing for Suning's suppliers.In fact, because the informatization level of suppliers is uneven, Suning adopts two ways to connect with upstream suppliers: one is direct connection with B2B system, and the other is Portal, which is an open portal.These two methods have enabled tens of thousands of Suning suppliers to enter Suning's system platform.
For some relatively large-scale suppliers, such as Haier, Samsung, LG and other companies, because they themselves are relatively early in informationization, they usually have their own informationization systems.Although the system to be connected may or may not be the SAP system, through the solution of some technical solutions, the connection is no problem at all.
Suning's order is a purchase order, but it becomes a sales order for upstream suppliers.Whether it is internal approval documents, credit review, or the systems and internal processes of both parties, some transformations need to be carried out together.And for those large suppliers who have established full trust after years of cooperation, it is even easier to connect the two parties after establishing a strategic partnership.
For some small and medium-sized suppliers with insufficient informatization, they usually do not have the ability to directly interface with Suning's system.At this time, Suning will open a website connected to the system platform to provide accounts and passwords for qualified suppliers.The job of the supplier is to log on to the website and inquire about some relevant information and materials, including documents between the order and the supplier, such as invoices, warehousing documents, payment documents, settlement documents, reconciliation information, and so on.
Informatization drives supply chain management towards a more efficient direction.Before the SAP system went online, orders between Suning and suppliers were handled by fax and e-mail, which was a manual operation, not only opaque, unable to be standardized, but also not real-time in management.After the SAP system went online, the situation changed dramatically.
In addition to the standardization, real-time, and transparency of data, it is also very important to greatly reduce the workload of internal personnel in the enterprise.The original complicated workflow has been simplified.The circulation of each order information in the enterprise is completely online and automatic.
"There is no need to use fax or e-mail. After the order is placed and approved in the system, the order will be automatically displayed on the platform. He (supplier) can check in time and deliver the goods in time. After delivery, he也可以通过系统告诉我，发了多少台，发到什么仓库。我收到这个信息之后，会定期查询仓库，告诉物流人员作库容方面的准备。货物入库之后，我的入库单也会通过系统实时地传给他。这是双方信息的共享。”任峻说。
现在，更多的工作围绕系统产生。当苏宁与中小供应商开始合作，首先是双方签订合同，确定包括经销、代销操作的模式。之后，供应商会给苏宁一份报价单，包括各个产品的型号、具体的价格、产品的描述等等。通过供应商的申请，苏宁会在自己的系统中帮供应商申请商品编码和供应商编码。
此外苏宁还会在系统里建立商品和供应商之间的所属关系，并在系统里维护价格，包括供货价、零售价等。只有在这些准备工作完成之后，才能更加顺畅、高效地进行订单下达以及结算、对账等环节。
如果是与拥有自己的信息系统平台的大型供应商合作，事情就变得更为简单。就像把两条电缆接到一起一样，系统一对接，信息流、资金流、物流就会迅速融通。而系统只需要在中间作一个小小的转换。
因为信息系统的对接，苏宁改变了行业里以往与供应商之间的关系，实现了前面提到的，对上游供应商的服务以及协同性更高、响应速度更快、成本更低的CPFR管理模式。
苏宁在SAP/ERP系统上线后的几年内，一家一家地谈判，将自己的大部分供应商都拉入自己的平台中。那段时间，张近东每次接待工厂来访高层时就要游说供应商加入苏宁的系统，实现B2B系统的对接。在苏宁内部，出现频率最高的词就是“对接”。
但是“对接”也并不意味着一定能达到CPFR的功能。不仅因为供应商大小的不同，对接方式出现B2B直连和Portal 的区别，即使在那些实现B2B直连的供应商中间，也有CPFR和非CPFR的区别。这主要取决于供应商对合作的开放态度和认识深度。
虽然订货的周期与以前相比并没有发生太大变化，但是在B2B系统对接之前，预测和补货工作更多是依赖人力。这多少有点像“拍脑袋”的过程。基本上订货数量都是在业务员的头脑当中产生的。在订货之前，业务员需要先想一想目前的库存还有多少，再想一想下一周能卖出多少。这在大部分人看来，完全是一个不太靠谱的过程。因为业务员拍脑袋定出来的数量经常会跟市场实际的销量发生很大的出入，而结果是使苏宁的库存发生不必要的增加。
当B2B系统实现对接后，预测和补货就不再是业务员头脑中的决策过程，而是依靠模型支持和数据支撑作出的决策，变得更为合理。这种合理不仅表现在防止库存发生不必要的增加，而且也实现了订单满足率的提升。这对于苏宁而言是进步，对于上游的供应商而言，也可以从与市场距离更近的苏宁那里得到一手的市场信息，从而更为合理地安排自己的生产。
以与苏宁实现了CPFR管理模式的三星公司为例，两家企业的数据完全实现共享，可以共同预测下一阶段需要如何应对市场。以往经常会出现的要么订单满足率偏低，要么库存过多的问题，现在都变得很容易解决了。
过去企业内部的系统各部分都是独立的，两家企业的系统也是独立的，互相的信息交流不可能做到实时，需要一个机会，比如说开会时才能交流一下，而且双方的统计也不一样，这就导致了对市场判断的误差。而当苏宁的需求系统和供应商们的生产系统结合在一起之后，通过定期地开一些联席会议，商谈业务规则，再将交易规则固化下来，从线下的谈判转移到线上的统一与同步，事情就变得简单起来。
而双方所需要作出的改变只是在业务层面进行一些变革。由总部组织专门的人员进行预测数据的对接，再进行一些组织方面的变革，仅此而已。当然，事情能如此简单的基础就在于信息化系统的构建。““供应”和“共赢”是同音词，张近东游说供应商最大的说辞就是“共赢”。从某种意义上来讲，对接主观上是为了解决苏宁的问题，但客观上却为供应商提供了很多服务。作为供应链的核心企业，苏宁已经开始实现对供应商的服务了。
苏宁在自己的平台上开辟了一块专门针对供应商的客户服务。供应商可以直接向在线的客服提出问题，苏宁再通过专门组织的团队作出回应。比如操作问题或者其他的一些问题，供应商都可以进行在线咨询。而对于那些实现B2B系统直连的大型供应商而言，甚至连输入用户名及密码的工夫都不用。当实现系统级的对接之后，对方可以直接在系统上看到苏宁的采购订单，信息实时展现，就像通知自己的分公司一样方便。
苏宁致力于流通渠道的建立，在产品的制造者和最终使用者之间搭建了一条通道。以前，这条通道的效率可能并不太高，经常会发生堵车或是路灯坏了的情况。而当信息系统平台建立后，普通的乡间马路就一步步地升级为省级公路、国道，乃至高速公路。
“可以这样理解，大企业和我们之间是两个ERP系统，但是通过对接，变成了一个大的ERP系统，而小企业则可以把我们的系统当成他们自己的ERP系统。”张近东说。
苏宁在自己的后台设置了很多功能，可能原来没有B2B系统的时候只是给苏宁自己用的，不是给供应商用的，或者即使给供应商使用也是通过其他渠道实现的，比如通过邮件或者传真的方式。
但是内部管理的完善并不能解决外部沟通的问题。苏宁通过不断致力于B2B系统的完善，将与供应商之间的外部沟通问题全部通过系统来解决，还针对供应商的需求，进行了许多功能上的设置，以期更好地服务供应商。“服务是苏宁的唯一产品”，这里的服务不仅是指对消费者的服务，也指对厂家的服务。这是苏宁很有特色的地方。
苏宁对供应商的服务，更多是指系统上提供的信息服务。信息系统带来了信息的流畅、高速运转，对于有信息化条件的大型供应商如是，对于中小型供应商而言，更是帮助他们更加全面地了解了市场。
以前，供应商把货物送到仓库之后就不知道后续的情况了，比如仓库里的库存是多少，门店卖了多少，通通不知道。但是现在通过信息系统，他们就可以实时查询到销售的情况。这有利于供应商及时作出市场应对。
——信息化是使得沟通简单而精准，交易成本大幅降低的最有效手段。信息系统帮助苏宁解决了很多人力无法解决的问题。
实际上，如果没有对比，局外人很难体会到信息化给苏宁自己，给供应商所带来的巨大的便利。而对于苏宁人而言，企业的历史以信息系统为分界线，简直就是两个世界。夸张地说，如果苏宁人“穿越”回短短的几年前看当时的苏宁，就如同现代人穿越回史前，看到穴居以及钻木取火一样。信息化决定了苏宁已经开始领先于时代。
在B2B系统上线之前，苏宁的订单都是通过线下传递的。正常的工作流程是：先打印一张订单，再将订单寄送或者传真到供应商处，告知供应商需要采购的品种及数量。双方约定的规则虽然是根据订单去发货，但是由于双方在业务方面的一些临时性情况，有的时候规则会被破坏。也就是说，苏宁自己也不能保证订单在寄送或者传真的过程中不会出现被营销人员改动的情况，因为现实中有可能会出现需要权变的情况。
比如，在与一家音响供应商合作的过程中，苏宁的采购员下了10台货的订单。但是因为连锁门店出现了非常紧急的缺货情况，数量紧急增加到20台。因为订单已经打印了出来，采购员就直接大笔一挥，将纸质订单上的货物数量改成了20台，并将订单传给了供应商。供应商认可了苏宁采购人员的线下行为，就按照改过的订单送了20台货。但因为人员在进行工作交接中出现了问题，使得苏宁将这20台音响依然当成10台音响收讫，因为两台机子是绑在一起装在一个箱子里的，他以为两台机器是一对。
麻烦出来了，因为这样一个信息传递过程中出现的“失真”，原本与苏宁合作对接非常良好的这家音响供应商一下子不顺畅起来。对账就对了整整半年时间，供应商说按照订单发了20台，而在苏宁的账务系统中看到的只是收了10台，原本清晰的开上月发票、采购、进货、送货的业务流程因为这个问题全被打乱了。
破坏规则所付出的代价是巨大的，但是对业务人员也不好太苛责，毕竟是在工作中不得不作的一些变通，问题的症结就在于信息传递过程中的“失真”。
这是很实在的案例，或许在苏宁的B2B系统上线之前，苏宁每天都在发生类似的事情。烦琐的流程，多样的商品，长距离的交易，让事情变得复杂起来。
实际上，当沟通越来越复杂的时候，当一个工作流程经手的人越来越多的时候，交易的成本必然会上升。而信息化恰恰是使得沟通简单而精准，交易成本大大降低的最有效手段。
信息化最终帮助苏宁解决了这个问题。
在B2B系统上线之后，通过对接的通道，苏宁可以告诉所有供应商获取信息一定要通过这个平台，从而避免了线下人工传递的行为。更重要的是，信息的传递变得及时起来。哪怕出现了需要权变的情况，被更改后的信息也能很快地反映在系统上。
从不透明到透明，业务的风险以及人员的工作量都大大地降低了。此前因为在全国发生了很多类似改单的事件，苏宁仓库收的货和供应商发的货不一致，但没人知道。这使得在业务流程后期，财务部门必须进行大量的对账。
因为没有合适的联系通道，没有实现系统的对接，苏宁在系统中所能看到的信息和供应商所能获知的信息往往是不同步，不及时的，从而带来了后期大量的反复核对工作。为了保证安全性，大量的人力、物力被耗费，后台的压力非常大。
以前，苏宁每个月负责对账的人员都很多，每个分公司都要有五六个人负责进行财务上的对账。考虑到苏宁的分公司非常多，对账人员的数量就会非常惊人。
信息的传递在苏宁经历了由分散到集中，由分公司到总部，由因为工作量大而不得不放弃信息的及时性到信息实现实时的过程。库存信息以往在苏宁都是分散存在的，不仅仓库分散，而且仓库的信息也只是归总到分公司的层级。当总部需要了解一个时间段内比较全面的销售信息和库存信息时，只能通过到各个仓库里去查的方式，整个过程耗时耗力。
在苏宁，以前有一个专门的部门数据统计组，就是负责每天收集数据、统计数据、出报表的，全部是人工作业。即使是一个简单的账款查询，比如欠了供应商多少钱未付，都要安排专人每天早上在11 点钟之前先由分公司报给总部，再由总部安排专门人员在下午4 点钟之前汇总测算之后报给领导。就是这样一个简单的问题，在当天也只能得知截止到昨天的数据。
如果市场发生变化，比如一家供应商今天发出一个通告，打算把某个不好的业务剥离，这家供应商如果想获知其在苏宁的库存情况，就需要苏宁作出统计，而整个统计过程至少需要耗时三个小时以上。
问题是，苏宁目前有两万多家供应商。如果每家供应商都要求苏宁作出统计的话，那需要耗费的时间就会是一个天文数字了。系统就无法做到即时性。在这样的情况下，至少需要3～4天的时间，苏宁会对前十家提出统计要求的供应商作出统计，但不会满足所有提出统计要求的供应商。
而当SAP/ERP系统和B2B系统上线之后，苏宁通过系统对各个仓库进行了整编，对信息进行了集中化处理，全国发生的所有数据都可以在这一套系统里面得到体现。苏宁的南京总部在任何时间都可以看到全国各地的具体情况。
比如，总部想知道某家供应商产品的销售情况，其延迟大概只有5 分钟左右。这意味着在门店把产品卖完后，就像超市里面的POS（Point to Sale，销售终端）一样，信息传到系统里面，延迟的只是这个时间。
如果想知道对一家供应商的应付款余额情况，在其把发票寄过来之后，只要财务人员一入账，下一秒钟在系统里就可以查到该供应商的余额。如果想分析供应商的付款情况，因为苏宁的资金系统和银行直接对接，就需要通知银行查余额，通常银行要在两三个小时之后才会回复告知这笔钱有没有打到账户上。因为各个系统链接的统计维度不一样，所以延迟的时间也有差异。
但是整个的延迟再也不是原来人力状态下需要以天计算的延迟，现在至多是系统的延迟，是可以以小时、分钟计算的。
在信息化时代，信息当然意味着价值。依托信息化的管理平台，苏宁已经开始为自己的合作伙伴—上游的供应商提供信息共享服务了。
对于供应商而言，他们可以在苏宁的信息系统上查到自己在苏宁全国的销售情况，甚至每个星期都能看到自己的产品在苏宁的渠道中的销售数据和库存情况。在一些供应商的要求下，苏宁还为他们提供增值的定制服务。这在一定程度上也改善了上游供应商的信息化水平。现在，许多企业已经习惯使用苏宁的信息系统平台了。
几乎所有的业务全部由线下转移到了线上，或者至少能得到线上的支持。小到发票传递，大到订单的下达，货物的收取、运送等。“从找供应商开始，到签订合同、签订价格订单、货源入库、卖给消费者，直到送货到客户家，这一整套的流程，所有的东西现在都受到了信息系统的影响。”任峻说。
信息系统不仅为上游的供应商提供了服务，对下游的消费者而言，所能得到的服务也得到了很大的改观。最直接的改变是，消费者可以像“自由人”一样，将自己从以往购买过程中开小票、付款、填写配送安装信息等繁杂的事务中解脱出来，只要递上一张会员卡，或者报上自己的电话号码就可以解决问题了。
从依靠人工服务到依靠系统服务，苏宁不仅大大减少了服务的差错率，也大大地提高了服务的速度。以往，购买以及配送安装的信息都需要人工录入，在录入之后还要经过层层传递。现在，从签订销售订单的那一刻开始，只要能确认信息，在顾客还没有拿到货的那一刻，售后就可以知道订单的存在，就可以开始排程了。“我们甚至可以做到顾客还没有到家，我们就已经把货送到家了—如果家里有人的话。”
系统是冷冰冰的，它只认逻辑，只认规则，不通人情。但是在日益依赖信息系统的苏宁人看来，系统又是那么的温情可人。依托信息系统，苏宁的工作效率、交易成本、客户满意度等关键性指标都得到了提升，并且信息系统还不断地促使苏宁本身发生裂变。
信息系统简直是一个无所不能的上帝，更让人期待的是，就像传说中上帝当初创造世界一样，信息系统也在不断地创造着新的可能性。有了光，也有了河流、大地，下一步还要有万事万物。最终一切都将慢慢变得美满、和谐起来。
——未来的竞争，必定是产业链的竞争。流通和制造在这样的链条中都很重要，不可偏废。中国巨人的“制造”这条腿已经很粗壮，但如果“流通”这条腿发育不良，跛足的中国巨人必然无法走远。
张近东常说苏宁的发展是吻合了时代背景的，每一次苏宁的发展都能在激荡的外部环境中找到时代的根据。很多时候，事情的发生看似是偶然的，但是背后又有着时代的必然。
苏宁与中国的家电业一同成长，经历过供不应求、制造为本的时代，到现在物资极大地丰富，渠道的价值日益凸显，苏宁的发展正是吻合了这种时代的变化。
温总理视察的时候，对全体苏宁员工作了四点重要的指示。关于流通的那句话位列四点重要指示之首，这实际上也是对苏宁发展轨迹的一个重要的认可。
许多对政策颇为敏感的人都嗅到了总理讲话中的新气息。那时，全球金融危机的阴霾还没有完全散去。虽然中国的经济正顽强地走出谷底，但是希腊、冰岛等国家的主权债务危机却时时提醒着人们， 2007年年末由美国次级债引发的全球金融危机还将继续对世界经济产生深刻的影响。
而在这样的背景下，温总理对苏宁的期望和勉励别有一番深意。金融危机让一直作为拉动中国经济发展的“三驾马车”之一的出口严重受阻，世界各国经济如多米诺骨牌般迅速倒下。这使得中国大量做外向订单的OEM厂家举步维艰，也使得国家的最高决策层下决心推动中国经济增长方式的战略转型。一系列扩大内需的政策陆续出台，中国政府制定了4万亿元基础建设投资的国策，希望通过这样的“强心针”，让中国的经济迅速恢复活力，摆脱金融危机的影响。
而苏宁这样的零售流通企业，更像是社会经济的“血管”。作为中国最大的商业流通企业，同时也是唯一在所属领域内占据龙头地位的民族零售企业，近千家中国家电制造企业和数以亿计的消费者正在苏宁电器打造的这条现代化供应链上分别获取着企业的经营发展和物美价廉的电器产品。温总理对苏宁的寄语更是体现了国家的领导决策层对中国的流通渠道和供应链重要性的全新认识。
为什么是全新认识？实际上，中国目前已经是公认的制造业大国，是“世界工厂”。中国国内生产总值居世界第二，进出口总量居世界第二，外汇储备量已经达到世界第一。但是在流通业的发展上中国依然严重滞后。在2009年11月28日举办的首届中国流通发展与改革高峰论坛上，国务院研究室综合司司长陈文玲就明确表示：“中国要从一个经济大国迈向经济强国，必须要提高流通竞争力，而且流通竞争力应该成为国家的核心竞争力。”
在国际金融危机的倒逼下，“重生产、轻流通”的观念正在逐渐被颠覆。中国经历过短缺经济时期，那时商品供不应求，甚至极度短缺到买东西还需要指标批文，是典型的卖方市场。在那时，产品的生产环节占据了整条产品价值链的80%，而服务贸易环节仅仅占据了20%。那时企业“重生产、轻流通”的做法是无可厚非的。
但是，在改革开放，经济发展的逐步推进下，各类商品都渐渐进入了相对过剩的经济时期。产能过剩、商品充裕、供大于求，诸多领域都出现了明显的买方市场特征。生产在整条产品价值链的地位迅速下降，而以往被轻视的分销、物流、零售等流通环节的价值比重得到了提升。在这样的环境下，企业如果还是一味地埋头生产，重视生产轻视流通，无异于一个跛足的巨人在黑暗中行走。
“我曾经查过美国财政部的数据，他们有一个数据叫社会资本总周转量。30年前美国社会资本的总周转量是十几次，2000年以后，其社会资本的总周转量是76次。货币流转速度越快，流转的次数越多，产生的增量货币就越多，这就是流通的力量。”陈文玲说。与之相比，中国制造业的资本周转速度一年不到两次，商业的资本周转速度一年不到三次，资金利用效率非常低。
一方面，中国的流通力量过于薄弱，对于什么是重要资源，什么是经济命脉的争论一直延续至今。当年计划经济的思维使得产业意识始终没有跳出制造业为上的局限，流通渠道作为市场经济的稀缺资源和重要命脉，几乎从来没有受到过重视。“渠道为王”的观念也只是随着国外营销思想的流入，逐渐在一些竞争激烈的生产型企业的管理者心中扎下了根。
另一方面，外资流通企业携品牌、管理、资本优势，通过大规模自主扩张和行业并购，已经在国内的流通行业积聚起庞大的力量。但是，还是因为在流通业的认识上存在偏见，人们对外商大肆进入中国流通业的后果缺乏应有的警觉。很多人想当然地以为这只不过是流通行业内部的市场，最坏的结果也不过是丢失一部分流通行业的市场份额，根本无伤大局。
可实际情况让人大跌眼镜。早在2005年前后，国内的一些知名学者就已经意识到了流通行业的重要性，认为流通业以及网络状流通渠道已经成为国家的战略产业和战略资源，关系到国家的安全。
当时，经济学家郎咸平在一次演讲中演示了外资在完成国内的大布局，控制了主流、优质的渠道后，将会如何进行下一步动作的路径：通过渠道优势，挟持中国的制造企业，将中国的制造业纳入其全球的供应链。这些预言如今几乎都得到了应验。
据媒体统计报道，截至2009年12月10日，国内部分地区食用油一线品牌平均涨价10%。以5升装的花生油为例，洋品牌胡姬花从70多元涨到了96.8元，创下30%的最高涨幅。2008年春节前，为抑制通货膨胀，中国有关部门发文指出，食用油价涨幅不得超过5%。但这很快成为一纸空文。因为中国食用油70%的批发权都掌控在外企手中。ADM公司等四大国际粮商掌控着中国66%的大型油脂企业和85%的产能。
从2007年至今，中国的食用油价格已经上涨了50%～70%。食用油涨价的问题还