NITEX
Transforming RMG's Supply Chain: Nitex's Supplier Platform MVP
Developed a supplier-facing platform for RMG factories and launched an AI-powered costing tool to automate pricing and material requisition, driving efficiency across operations.
Background Information
Our supply team manually collects and inputs factory information, onboarding up to 40 out of 100 suppliers, but only 10 remain active. Streamlining and enriching supplier data is essential for efficiency and accuracy.
*Certain details are blurred to protect sensitive business information.*
Product Designer
• Tanjila
Problem Statement
Informal Factory Outreach Process
The process of reaching out to factories and collecting information from them is informal. Additionally, the information provided is not being tracked or recorded anywhere.
Manual Data Entry & Duplication
Supply team members need to spend extra time updating information on the NITEX system, often having to work on it 2-3 times due to lack of proper tracking.
Slow Costing Process
Currently, we can complete only one costing in 24 hours, with low accuracy due to changes in production costing. Delays risk losing orders, and future increases in orders will require even faster processing.
Product Research
- •Analysed Factory Onboarding by various brands and evaluated the Assessment Process.
- •Visited few factories to understand the customers and their pain points.
- •Learnt about the Open Cost Sheet and how they operate it.
- •Analysed and used few ERP Softwares that is used by the factories.
Goals
Automated Supplier Information Gathering
Automatically gather supplier information and update it in the NITEX system, reducing the need for human intervention.
Transform into Acquisition Tool
Transform this Onboarding platform into an acquisition tool for the Supplier Platform.
Increase Factory Count
Increase the number of factories through this Onboarding Journey.
Single-Click Brand Connection
Connect with the Brands following a single click.
Enhanced Costing Efficiency
Complete costing for 10 styles in 24 hours, reduce cancellations, predict trends, provide instant cost insights, and achieve 95% accuracy with a system-based approach.
Success Metrics
| Metrics | Target |
|---|---|
| Count of Onboarded Factories from the Platform | 90+ |
| Approval Turnaround Time | 16 Working Hours |
| User Satisfaction Score | 7/10 |
| Attempted for Onboarding | 100+ |
| Daily Engagement Rate | (2-3)% |
Product Requirements
Supplier Registration & Information Collection
Suppliers must be able to sign up on the platform and provide all the required information at the time of sign-up, which will be necessary for our data analysis purposes.
Approval Request System
Upon providing supplier information during sign-up, a request for approval will be sent to our platform.
Post-Approval Access
After approval from Nitex Platform, suppliers will be able to sign in using their assigned email and password.
Information Completion Encouragement
Upon logging in, it should be encouraged for suppliers to complete any remaining information input to strengthen our supplier database.
Admin Dashboard
There will be a single dashboard in the Nitex admin panel from where top management can track the overall progress of suppliers and make quick decisions.
Filter & Analytics
Using the filter option on this dashboard, they will be able to check data from any section based on their preference.
Costing Request System
A costing engineer can request costing from a factory via the Nitex admin panel, the factory updates the status on the supplier platform, the costing engineer reviews and decides, and the decision is reflected on the supplier platform with analytics for costing on each supplier profile.
User Flow Diagram & Wire-framing
Presented Designer with User flow & Wireframe so that they can visualise and understand the user journey covering all the logic and cases.
Supplier Sign Up & Log In Page
The sign-up process requires mandatory fields and validation, leading to a 5-page approval form. Incorrect logins freeze accounts for 1 hour after 5 attempts, with password recovery via email link.
Supplier Profile Dashboard
On the Dashboard, users see sections for Notifications, Information Form, Key Products, Certifications, and Profile. They can upload safety info and documents, add products, and manage certifications. Profile fields and password can be edited. Expiry alerts are sent at 45 and 15 days.
Admin Panel (Approval Process)
When a factory submits their profile, it shows as Pending in the Nitex Supplier Section. Only the Supply Chain Team can edit the form, marking errors and disabling the Approve button. If rejected, the factory user updates the marked fields and resubmits. Approved profiles change to Pipeline.
Analytics (Nitex Admin Panel)
There will be Revenue Projection, Status of the Suppliers, Audit Pending, Certification Expiration, Onboarded Factories Performance, Category Wise Performance, Top Material Suppliers, Capacity Mapping.
Costing using Platform
Can send cost requests directly to factories via the Supplier Platform which would enhance the User Engagement Score. This platform eliminates lengthy email exchanges and enables tracking of cost requests, providing valuable data for analysis and decision-making.
Design
Future Scope
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Report & Analytics | Implement advanced reporting and analytics features to provide insights into supplier performance, market trends, and demand forecasting. |
| Order Management | Introduce order management capabilities, allowing suppliers to receive, process, and track orders efficiently within the platform. |
| Inventory Management | Develop inventory management tools to help suppliers manage stock levels, track inventory movements, and optimize the processes. |
| Book-keeping | Integrate book-keeping functionalities to enable suppliers to manage finances, track transactions, generate invoices, and maintain financial records. |
| Integration | Explore integration options with third-party services such as shipping providers, payment gateways, and ERP systems to enhance platform functionality. |
| Align it on Buyer Platform | Buyer will have the same view and can analyse the supplier from the buyer platform. |
Impact Metrics
80% ↑ costing accuracy
AI-powered costing tool improved accuracy significantly
60% ↓ order management time
Streamlined processes reduced operational time
25% ↑ supplier adoption
Increased supplier adoption within launch phase