At Luís Simões, we highly value our commitment to developing mutually beneficial relationships with each of our suppliers. For several years now, we have maintained a direct communication channel with them, where they can raise any kind of questions or requests.
Our Supplier Support Service
Recently, we have upgraded our Supplier Support Service to make it more functional, efficient, and interactive, ensuring a response within two business days. We constantly monitor the number of requests received and conduct an analysis of each one, providing direct responses or directing them to the specific area they relate to. When the volume of pending requests reaches a certain threshold, we activate additional support for our service team to ensure compliance with the promised response time.
Between April and June, we recorded a total of 8,539 requests with an average response time of 1.26 days. However, speed is not our only priority in supporting our suppliers. In fact, a significant portion of our efforts is dedicated to continuously improving the quality of resolution.
The suppliers we work with are essential for the development of our logistics solutions, and the importance of relationships with other companies becomes particularly prominent during times of uncertainty, such as those experienced in recent months. This is a central component of our corporate philosophy, which is why we strive daily to improve in this regard.
Satisfaction Survey
In order to adapt to the evolving needs of our suppliers, we conduct a satisfaction survey upon the completion of each request, allowing our partners to share their feelings about the support they have received. Between the past April and June, we achieved an average satisfaction rating of 3.7 (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 corresponds to very dissatisfied and 5 to very satisfied). While there is room for improvement, the level of satisfaction perceived by our suppliers is indeed satisfactory.
Streamlining Processes with SoftExpert
Among the latest enhancements implemented to strengthen our service to suppliers is the reinforcement of our channel with the SoftExpert tool, which has simplified the process, improved monitoring, and collected user feedback. This update has allowed us to digitalize the process and track key performance indicators (KPIs). Furthermore, it enables audits, brings greater productivity, accuracy, and agility in responses, while also identifying areas for improvement.
Additionally, automation significantly reduces the need for in-person meetings with suppliers and enhances the speed of management, which is now also recorded. All of this process can be accessed through a portal, where employees with relationships with suppliers can check active requests and their real-time resolution status.
Commitment to Timely Payments
In parallel, during the recent crisis situation caused by COVID-19, as a company signatory to the Commitment to Timely Payment, we rigorously adhered to the agreed-upon payment conditions with all entities we interact with, be they suppliers, organizations, or employees. We maintain, as one of our strategic pillars, a policy that advocates continuous innovation and improvement in the processes and relationships we maintain with different stakeholders, both internally and externally.