Give them a little taste, get them hooked…and soon the addicts will coming back for more.

Is that an anti-drug commercial script from the 1980s? Or a description of online auction events? Apparently, the answer is both.

In the Attack on Mediocrity breakout session, Doncaster CPO Dr. Clive Thomas said once he “gets people to sit in and watch a few auctions” they get hooked like someone with a drug habit seeking “instant gratification.” That has to be the best analogy I’ve heard to describe a business process in a long, long time. But it also brings up a good point.

Having budget stakeholders watch their potential suppliers competing for their business in an auction is a very powerful way to help sell the process internally. It’s a much easier concept for people to grasp if they see the results - better terms and/or lower costs - happening right before their eyes, with all the drama of a ticking clock. During the course of the Brussels and Las Vegas Ariba LIVE events, several people discussed the challenge of gaining traction and adoption long after their process was nailed down, proven results measured and extensive PowerPoint presentations given. Maybe the answer is simply to give potential users a front row seat.

Think about it like the Euro 2008 soccer tourney going on right now. Despite Belgium failing to qualify, Brussels has been alive with soccer fans from all 16 nations in the event. They’re singing, hanging out of car windows waving flags and blaring horns. But I can’t imagine that many of those fans got into the sport by reading the sports page stats on the number of corner kicks, offsides and yellow cards. No, they needed to watch the action unfold, feel the rush, get sucked in…and become addicts.

Justin Fogarty is the Managing Editor of Supply Excellence and will be covering Ariba LIVE 2008 Europe from Brussels this week. For any feedback on the event or blog, you can reach Justin at jfogarty[at]ariba.com.

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