Supplier evaluation system and supplier evaluation method

An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable supplier evaluation system for correctly evaluating suppliers. A supplier evaluation system 117 according to the present invention is a system for evaluating suppliers based on information relating to a transaction conducted between a buyer and the supplier. The supplier evaluation system 117 is provided with a reception function for receiving communication information 134 and e-commerce information conducted between a buyer and a supplier and that exists in a company system such as that of a buyer, a conversion function for converting the communication information and the e-commerce information into a predetermined format, a database 133 for storing keyword information, and an analysis function 127 for comparing keyword information 138 registered in advance in a storage device with the converted communication information and e-commerce information, and determining a cause of a transaction result of the e-commerce information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a supplier evaluation system and a supplier evaluation method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, in inter-enterprise procurement operations (S2C(Sourcing to Contract)), and particularly inter-enterprise procurement operations (S2C(Sourcing to Contract)) and global S2C operations, bringing in new suppliers after highly accurate evaluations has become an important factor for improving procurement quality and the competitiveness required for price reductions. For this reason, it is essential for many companies that operate globally to introduce strategic sourcing software (Strategic Sourcing Application Suite) to strategically evaluate and manage suppliers.

For example, Patent Document 1 illustrates a quality level evaluation program for quantitatively evaluating a quality level of a supplier based on a plurality of condition information of a supplier manufacturing process. In addition, in Patent Document 2, a function of proposing an optimal supplier based on such an evaluation result is illustrated; accordingly, there is an increasing need to utilize the evaluation results of suppliers.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

In S2C operations, bringing in new suppliers after highly accurate evaluations has become an important factor for improving procurement quality and the competitiveness required for price reductions. However, conventional supplier evaluation functions are functions for inputting, analyzing, and evaluating evaluation results on the buyer side, and depend on the input values of the buyer; accordingly, there are problems in which buyers do not input evaluation results, or suppliers are not correctly evaluated when the evaluation results are input based on the subjectivity of the buyer.

In addition, in Patent Document 1, the quality level of a supplier is quantitatively evaluated based on a plurality of condition information for a supplier manufacturing process, but as only the electronic data provided in an e-commerce marketplace is evaluated, the cause of the evaluation context (buyer reason/supplier reason) is not taken into account in the evaluation. For example, even in cases where a deadline falls behind due to the buyer, issues in which the cause of the deadline delay is attributed to the supplier arise. Accordingly, there is a possibility that even high quality suppliers may fail to be selected.

In Patent Document 2 as well, only past transaction record data is analyzed in selecting the optimum supplier from the products desired to be purchased, and the cause of the analysis result is not analyzed, such that the problem of high quality suppliers failing to be selected remains unchanged.

The present invention provides a reliable supplier evaluation system and method for correctly evaluating suppliers. Accordingly, instead of a supplier evaluation based on buyer subjectivity, it is desirable to implement evaluation based on a quantitatively unified evaluation axis of transactions conducted with a plurality of buyers. In addition, it is also desirable to provide and share highly accurate and reliable evaluation results by conducting an analysis of the cause of the evaluation.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there is provided a supplier evaluation system for evaluating a supplier based on information about transactions between a buyer and a supplier, the system including a reception device configured to receive communication information and e-commerce information carried out between a buyer and a supplier and that exists in a system used by one or both of the buyer and the supplier; a conversion device configured to convert the communication information and the e-commerce information into a predetermined format, a storage device configured to store keyword information; and an analysis device configured to compare keyword information registered in advance in the storage device with the converted communication information and e-commerce information, and determine a cause of a transaction result of the e-commerce information.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, by means of correctly evaluating the supplier, the evaluation time resulting from buyer input is reduced, and the number of work hours required for evaluation by the buyer is reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 1is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration example including a supplier evaluation system117according to the present embodiment. The supplier evaluation system117is connected to a plurality of buyer systems101of a plurality of buyers and user terminals142of a plurality of buyers and a plurality of suppliers, and data is transmitted and received between each computer via a network116and a network141.

The buyer system101includes a telephone system102and an email system106for transmitting/receiving telephone calls and email transmission/reception contents that serve as source information at the time of analyzing the supplier evaluation cause, and an e-commerce system110for transmitting/receiving commerce information (order record, deadline, arrival record) of procured products, and transmits/receives the source information to and from the supplier evaluation system117via the command115. The transmission and reception timing of the command115is performed in a timely manner at the generation timing of the source information, and the registration (103,107) of the raw data, the execution JOB management (104,108) of the command115, and the log management (105,109) are performed in the telephone system102and the email system106. In addition, in the electronic commerce system110, in addition to the execution JOB management113and the log management114of the command115, extraction/registration111of target information and file editing112are executed.

The supplier evaluation system117is a system that evaluates suppliers based on information about transactions conducted between buyers and suppliers. The supplier evaluation system117includes a gateway function118, an analysis function127, an online function130, and a database133. The gateway function118includes a text conversion120that receives the information of voice calls119, emails122, and commerce125received from the buyer system101and converts the voice information into text (textual information), and a format editing123that edits the format into a data type for analysis. The gateway function118has functions (121,124) for registering the converted and edited data as communication information134in the database133, and a function126for registering the commerce information as the commerce information135. By using information from email or telephone, which are not required to be newly introduced in an ordinary company, it is possible to obtain appropriate an supplier evaluation without increasing cost.

The analysis function127includes pre-registered buyer information136, supplier information137, keyword information138, communication information134registered by the gateway function118, and data analysis128for extracting and analyzing data necessary for analysis from the commerce information135. The analysis function127has a data registration129for registering the analysis result as supplier evaluation information139. The data registration129stores existing data in the supplier evaluation history information140in the case that data having the same key information is already stored.

The online function130has a screen display131which extracts an analysis result from the supplier evaluation information139and displays the extracted analysis result. The online function130has a screen input132for receiving an instruction to revise the analysis result on the screen displayed by the online function130via the user terminal142, and registers a revision result to the supplier evaluation information139when such an instruction is received.

Although not illustrated in the figures, the user terminal142can be implemented by a general computer and includes a control unit such as a CPU, a storage unit, an input unit, a display unit, a network interface unit, and the like. It should be noted that, depending on the computer, configurations not provided with an input unit and a display unit are also possible.

FIG. 2is a system configuration diagram of the supplier evaluation system117. The supplier evaluation system117includes a reception server201(reception device) having a portion of the functions of the gateway function118, a conversion server209(conversion device) having a portion of the functions of the gateway function118, an analysis server213(analysis device) having an analysis function127, a database server217(storage device) having a database133, and an online server227(output device) having an online function130.

The reception server201receives communication information, such as telephone calls and e-mails, and e-commerce information carried out between the buyer and the supplier and that is held in the buyer system101, which is an enterprise system used by the buyer. In order to receive the analysis source data received from the buyer system101, the reception server201is configured by a CPU202, a main memory203, a data reception function204, and an external memory205that stores the unprocessed emails (raw)206, the voice calls (raw)207, and the commerce (raw)208information, which serve as the analysis source data, and receives the data and passes the data to the conversion server209. Although the reception server201is connected only to the buyer system101in the present embodiment, it may be connected to an enterprise system used by the supplier and receive similar data from this system.

The conversion server209converts the communication information and the ecommerce information received from the buyer system101by the reception server201into a predetermined format. The conversion server209includes a CPU210, a main memory211, and a data conversion function212that converts the raw data stored in the reception server201prior to processing into a form capable of supplier evaluation and evaluation cause processing.

The database server217includes a CPU218, a main memory219, and an external memory220that holds the supplier information137, the buyer information136, the supplier evaluation information139, the communication information134, the commerce information135, the keyword information138, and the supplier evaluation history information140, and stores the converted data in the conversion server209.

The analysis server213compares the keyword information138registered in advance in the external memory220of the database server217with the communication information and the e-commerce information converted by the conversion server209, and determines the cause of the transaction result of the e-commerce information. The analysis server213includes a CPU214, a main memory215, and an analysis function216for analyzing a transaction result of the ecommerce information.

The online server227electronically transmits or visually displays the results determined by the analysis server213to other systems. In the present embodiment, the online server227will be described as an example for visual displaying on a screen. The online server227includes a CPU228and a main memory229, an external output function230, and a data input function231. The external output function230combines the information stored in the database server217to create a list screen, a details screen, and a history screen as a supplier evaluation result, and display these on the user terminal142. The data input function231reflects the information input from the user terminal142(the cause analysis result revision information associated with a revision instruction or the like) in the information stored in the database server217.

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the supplier information137in which the supplier basic information held by the database133of the supplier evaluation system117is stored. The supplier information137stores a supplier code301, a supplier name302, a phone number303, an email address304, and the like.

FIG. 4is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the buyer information136in which the buyer basic information held by the database133of the supplier evaluation system117is stored. The buyer information136stores a buyer code401, a buyer name402, an industry type403, a phone number404, an email address405, and the like.

FIG. 5is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the commerce information135in which the commerce information in the procurement process of the database133of the supplier evaluation system117is stored. The commerce information135stores a PO #501, a buyer code502, a buyer name503, a supplier code504, a supplier name505, a component code506, a component name507, a deadline508, an arrival date509, a test510, an alert511, and the like.

FIG. 6is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the supplier evaluation information139in which the supplier evaluation results are stored. The supplier evaluation information139includes the following three elements: a supplier basic information related item created from the supplier information137, a commerce related item created from the commerce information135, and an evaluation/analysis related item in which information regarding the results of the supplier evaluation and the results of the cause analysis are stored. The supplier basic information related item includes the supplier name602and the like, and supplier name602is acquired by searching the supplier information137included in the database133using the supplier code301of the supplier evaluation information139as a key.

In addition, the commerce related item includes an industry type 01603maintained as a repetitive number (the upper limit of the repetitive number is not limited) and a transaction count 01604associated therewith, an industry type 02605and the transaction count 02606associated therewith, and a deadline delay609and fail610as alert information. The industry type 01603and the transaction count 01604associated therewith, and the industry type 02605and the transaction count 02606associated therewith are created by a procedure of retrieving the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, retrieving the buyer information136using the corresponding plurality of buyer codes502as keys, storing the industry type403associated with the retrieved buyer code401in the industry type 01603of the supplier evaluation information139, and storing it in the industry type 02605when a plurality of industry types are retrieved. In addition, when the industry type403corresponding to the buyer code401included in the buyer information136is retrieved from the buyer code502included in the commerce information135, in the case that the same industry type is searched a plurality of times, the number of times each industry type is retrieved is counted up and stored in the transaction count 01604included in the supplier evaluation information139. In the case that a plurality of industry types are retrieved, they are stored in and after the transaction count 01606.

The deadline delay609stores a numerical value obtained by retrieving the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, and counting the records in which the alert511included in the commerce information135is a deadline delay. In addition, the fail610stores a numerical value obtained by searching the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, and counting the records in which the test510included in the commerce information135fails.

Among the evaluation/analysis related items, the evaluation611is based on the commerce information135and the supplier information137included in the database133, and includes a result of a quantitative evaluation of the quality level. It should be noted that, as for the quantitative evaluation method and process for creating the evaluation611, the evaluation procedure and method are not limited as long as they have functionality for implementing supplier evaluation that does not depend only on buyer input as in the evaluation methods illustrated in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, as examples. Among the evaluation/analysis-related items, the analysis count607analyzes whether the result illustrated in the evaluation611is caused by a supplier or by a cause other than the supplier, and includes the number of times that this result is represented in the supplier evaluation information139. The non-supplier cause608illustrates the number of analyses determined to be delayed due to reasons other than a cause of the supplier as a result of analyzing whether the result illustrated in the evaluation611is due to a supplier cause or a cause other than the supplier.

FIG. 7is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of keyword information138included in the database133of the supplier evaluation system117. The keyword information138stores search keywords for retrieving the communication information134associated with an alert generated during the procurement process at the time of the supplier evaluation cause analysis. The keyword information138includes a key1702—(the upper limit of the number of repetitions is not limited) that serves as a keyword for the alert701, and the keys1702—are predefined by the buyer prior to the start of use of the supplier evaluation system117. It should be noted that, although not illustrated in the figures, the consistency of the key data included based on the revision result may be periodically revised and corrected by accumulating the revision data when revision instructions for the cause analysis result are received from the user terminal142and introducing a machine learning function. The machine learning function may be any product, procedure, or method as long as it has a function of accumulating data, learning, and reflecting the results thereof.

FIG. 8is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of communication information134in which detailed information received from the buyer system101regarding emails and voice calls conducted between buyers and suppliers is stored. The communication information134includes a supplier communication code801for storing a phone number and an email address of a supplier, a buyer communication code802for storing a phone number and an email address of a buyer, a medium803for storing a communication medium, a date804for storing the occurrence date of the voice call or email, and content805for storing the contents of the voice call or email. The stored data of the supplier communication code801and the buyer communication code802differ depending on the communication medium, storing an email address when the medium803is email and a phone number when the medium803is telephone. Since each item is the same as each item of the supplier evaluation information139described above, the description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 9is a diagram illustrating a data configuration example of the supplier evaluation history information140in which the history of the supplier evaluation information139is stored. The supplier evaluation history information140is stored per supplier, and stores the previous supplier evaluation information139each time the supplier evaluation information139is updated.

FIG. 10is a flowchart illustrating a process in which, when the analysis server213receives an update to the commerce information135that serves as source information for the analysis, the analysis server compares the data of the keyword information138and the communication information134, stores the results in the supplier evaluation information139, and displays the results on a screen.

The analysis server213checks whether the supplier evaluation system117has updated the commerce information135(S1002). Upon confirming the update, the analysis server213extracts the supplier code504of the updated commerce information135. Subsequently, the quality level is quantitatively supplier evaluated based on the commerce information135and the supplier information137for each supplier code504(S1003). The supplier evaluation system117terminates the process at END (S1013) in the case that the commerce information135is not updated. It should be noted that, as for the quantitative evaluation method and process, the evaluation procedure and method are not limited as long as they have functionality for implementing supplier evaluation that does not depend only on buyer input as in the evaluation methods illustrated in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, as examples.

After the supplier evaluation (S1003), as a preliminary preparation for executing the cause analysis of the supplier evaluation, the analysis function216of the analysis server213acquires the basic information and confirms whether the necessary information is available (S1003). First, the analysis function216refers to the analysis count607included in the supplier evaluation information139to check whether the cause analysis has been performed in the past (S1004). In the case that the analysis count607is one or greater, the analysis function216stores the information of the supplier evaluation information139in the supplier evaluation history information140(S1014). If not yet registered, that is, in the case that the analysis count607is equal to or less than 0, the analysis function216skips the process of storing the information of the supplier evaluation information139in the supplier evaluation history information140and performs step (S1005) described below.

Next, the analytical function216then acquires necessary data from other information by using the supplier code601of the supplier evaluation information139as a key (S1005). First, the analysis function216acquires the supplier name602from the supplier information137. Next, the analysis function216refers to the commerce information135and the buyer information136, and obtains the industry type 01603, the transaction count 01604associated therewith, and the industry type 02605and the transaction count 02606associated therewith. The industry type 01603and the transaction count 01604associated therewith, and the industry type 02605and the transaction count 02606associated therewith are created by a procedure of retrieving the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, retrieving the buyer information136using the corresponding plurality of buyer codes502as keys, storing the industry type associated with the retrieved buyer code401in the industry type 01603of the supplier evaluation information139, and storing it in the industry type 02605when a plurality of industry types are retrieved. In addition, when the industry type403corresponding to the buyer code401included in the buyer information136is retrieved from the buyer code502included in the commerce information135, in the case that the same industry type is searched a plurality of times, the number of times each industry type is retrieved is counted up and stored in the transaction count 01604included in the supplier evaluation information139. In the case that a plurality of industry types are retrieved, they are stored in and after the transaction count 02606.

After S1005is completed, the analyzing function216searches the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, and checks the presence or absence of data of the alert511included in the commerce information135is stored (S1006). If the alert511is present, the analysis function216obtains information related to the alert, such as deadline delay609and fail610information, for each supplier code601based on the alert511. The deadline delay609stores a numerical value obtained by retrieving the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, and counting the records in which the alert511included in the commerce information135is a deadline delay (S1007).

In addition, the fail610stores a numerical value obtained by searching the commerce information135using the supplier code601as a key, and counting the records in which the test510included in the commerce information135fails. Next, the analysis function216refers to the supplier information137using the supplier code601as a key, acquires the phone number303and the email address304, and checks whether the communication information134corresponding to the supplier communication code801included in the communication information134exists (S1008).

If the communication information134corresponding to the supplier communication code801exists, the analysis function216begins the following cause analysis (S1009). To begin with, the analysis function216checks whether the plurality of pieces of communication information134retrieved with the corresponding supplier code601are the pieces of communication information134for which the cause analysis is to be performed. First, the analysis function216extracts, from among the corresponding supplier codes601, a record of the commerce information135in which an alert511has occurred. The analysis function216refers to the buyer code502of the extracted record, refers to the phone number404and the email address405included in the buyer information136, and compares with the buyer communication code802included in the communication information134. As a result of the comparison, the analysis function216extracts a record of the buyer communication code802that matches the phone number404or the email address405from the plurality of communication information134retrieved with the corresponding supplier code601.

Next, the analysis function216then compares the alert511of the commerce information135including the corresponding supplier code601with the alert701of the keyword information138, and analyzes whether the key1702—of the records in which the same alert is stored are included in the content805of the communication information134extracted above. Further, the analysis function216analyzes whether all the data items of the records of the corresponding commerce information135are included in the content805of the communication information134, and extracts a communication information134that includes a large number of words that match the key1702- to the content805and the corresponding data items of the commerce information135.

The analysis function216determines whether the sender of the content included in the extracted communication information134is a buyer or a supplier. In the case that the sender is a supplier and the content805includes an apology or a request regarding the content of the alert511, the analysis function216does not update the non-supplier cause608included in the supplier evaluation information139. Conversely, in the case that the sender is a buyer and the content805includes an apology or a request regarding the content of the alert511, the analysis function216increments by one the value of the non-supplier608included in the supplier evaluation information139. As a result, it is possible to accumulate data that clarifies whether the cause of the problem was on the buyer side or on the supplier side. It should be noted that, although not illustrated in the figures, a keyword for retrieving content805including an apology or a request is stored as keyword information for analysis in a table different from the keyword information138, and is referred to at the time of analysis.

When the cause analysis of S1009is completed, the analysis function216increments the numerical value of the analysis count607included in the supplier evaluation information139by1, and calculates the numerical value of the cause analysis result score1302included in the supplier evaluation result details1301illustrated inFIG. 13in S1010. The cause analysis result score1302is created in the supplier evaluation result details1301in the form of a link that transitions to the cause analysis result score details screen1501illustrated inFIG. 15, and is obtained by dividing the numerical value subtracted by the supplier evaluation (S1003) included in the supplier evaluation information139by the numerical value of the non-supplier cause608(S1011).

In S1012, the external output function230of the online server227(output device) creates the screen of the cause analysis result score details1501that transitions from the link of the cause analysis result score1302. The online server227outputs an analysis execution date, a cause analysis score, an analysis medium, a communication date, and the like on the screen of the cause analysis result score details1501. After the external output function230of the online server227creates the link of the cause analysis result score1302of the supplier evaluation result details1301and the screen of the cause analysis result score details1501, and creates the supplier evaluation result details1301in S1016and displays it on the screen, the supplier evaluation system117returns from S1017to S1001.

It should be noted that when S1006is No (when no alert exists), or S1008is No (when no communication information is updated), and when the analysis count included in the supplier evaluation information139in S1015is 0, the external output function230does not create the link of the cause analysis result score1302of the supplier evaluation result details1301or the screen of the cause analysis result score details1501. After the external output function230directly executes S1016, creates the supplier evaluation result details1301, and displays it on the screen, the supplier evaluation system117returns from S1017to S1001.

FIG. 11is a flowchart illustrating a process of receiving a voice call history or email information from the buyer system101, data conversion, and storing as communication information134. The buyer system101waits for new data to be transmitted or received on the telephone system102or the email system106included in the buyer system101in S1101. Next, the buyer system101executes the JOB of each system upon detecting the new data transmission or reception in S1102, executes the command15in S1103, and transmits the raw data of the voice call history or the email information to the supplier evaluation system117. In S1104, the supplier evaluation system117receives the raw data, and determines whether the received data is a voice call history or email information in S1105.

When the received data is a voice call history, the data conversion function212of the conversion server209converts the voice data into text data (textual information) at S1106for each voice call, and registers the supplier communication code801, the buyer communication code802, the medium803, the date804, and the content805in the communication information134in a predetermined format as described below. The data conversion function212stores a phone number in the supplier communication code801and the buyer communication code802. The data conversion function212registers “telephone” in the medium803and stores the received/transmitted date and time in the date804, and the contents of the converted text data in the content805.

When the received data is an email, the data conversion function212converts the format of the email data into a predetermined format at S1108for each thread as described below. The data conversion function212registers the supplier communication code801, the buyer communication code802, the medium803, the date804, and the content805in the communication information134at S1109. The data conversion function212stores the email address in the supplier communication code801and the buyer communication code802. The data conversion function212registers “email” in the medium803, stores the received/transmitted date and time in the date804, and stores the converted content in the content805. When emails with different dates in the same thread are received at different times, the data is stored by overwriting together with the past thread. It should be noted that, although not illustrated in the figures, the specific products, procedures, and functions for converting the audio data into text are not limited herein.

FIG. 12is a flowchart illustrating a process in which supplier evaluation-cause analysis result revision instruction is received from a user terminal142(S1201), the revision contents are registered (S1202), the data registered in the keyword information138is analyzed as to whether it is suitable (S1204), and the information registered in the keyword information138is revised (S1205).

The user of the supplier evaluation system117accesses the cause analysis result score details1501from the user terminal142, selects the revision reason1502, and presses the revision button1503of the cause analysis result score details1501. The supplier evaluation system117then initiates the revision process starting from S1201. First, the online server227accesses the supplier evaluation information139on the database server217to reflect the revision content (S1202).

Next, the online server227confirms the revision reason1502(S1203), and in the case that the revision reason1502is “managed separately by phone or email,” the process ends and returns to the state of waiting for reception of a revision instruction. If the revision reason1502is not “managed separately by phone or email,” by introducing a machine learning function in S1204, the supplier evaluation system117periodically checks the consistency of the keys1702—included in the keyword information138based on the revision result by machine learning the revision data. The results analyzed by S1204are represented in the keyword information138at S1205, and the addition of a new word that is determined to be associated with the alert, or the deletion of a word that is determined to not correspond to the alert is performed. The machine learning function may be any product, procedure, or method as long as it has a function for accumulating data, learning, and reflecting the results. In this manner, the supplier evaluation system117receives a revision instruction from the user for the once-determined result, reflects the revision instruction on the determined result, and updates the keyword information138based on the reflected determined result. This makes it possible to provide a highly reliable supplier evaluation system117that correctly evaluates the supplier by further revising the result of the determination.

FIG. 13is an example of a display screen of a supplier evaluation result displayed on the user terminal142. The supplier evaluation result details1301are created based on the data included in the supplier evaluation information139. The supplier evaluation result detail1301includes supplier basic information, supplier evaluation results, supplier evaluation analysis results, and the like. The total transaction count indicates a numerical value obtained by totaling the number of transactions for each industry type stored in the supplier evaluation information139. As described with reference toFIG. 10, the cause analysis result score1302is a numerical value obtained by dividing the numerical value subtracted by the supplier evaluation (S1003) included in the supplier evaluation information139by the numerical value of the non-supplier cause608. The supplier assessment result details1301is created in the form of a link that transitions the cause analysis result score1302to the cause analysis result score details1501(S1011). The supplier evaluation result details include a radar chart, a graph, and the like. In this manner, the supplier evaluation system117visually represents and outputs the supplier evaluation results, thereby making it possible to provide the supplier evaluation in an easy-to-understand manner.

FIG. 14is an example of a history details screen of the supplier evaluation result details1301displayed on the user terminal142. When the user presses the history button in the supplier evaluation result details1301, it transitions to the supplier evaluation result history1601illustrated inFIG. 16, and when the link of the update date is clicked, it transitions to the supplier evaluation result detail history1401updated on the clicked update date.

FIG. 15is an example of the cause analysis result score details1501screen which is transitioned to from the link of the cause analysis result score value displayed in the supplier evaluation result details1301. As described inFIG. 10, the screen of the cause analysis result score details1501includes an analysis execution date, a cause analysis score, an analysis medium, and a communication date, and as described inFIG. 12, when the user of the supplier evaluation system117accesses the cause analysis result score details1501from the user terminal142, selects the revision reason1502, and presses the revision button of the cause analysis result score details1501, the revision process is initiated. When the revision history button is pressed, the screen transitions to the revision history screen.

FIG. 16is an example of a history list screen of the supplier evaluation result details1301of the supplier evaluation results displayed on the user terminal142. The supplier evaluation result history1601includes information such as update date, the transaction count, the overall evaluation, and the cause analysis score for each update date, and transitions to the supplier evaluation results history1601when the history button is pressed in the supplier evaluation result details1301, and transitions to the supplier evaluation result details history1401updated on the update date when the link of the update date is clicked, as described inFIG. 14.

The supplier evaluation system117described above is a system for evaluating a supplier based on information about transactions performed between a buyer and the supplier. The supplier evaluation system117includes a reception server201(reception device) configured to receive communication information134and e-commerce information135carried out between a buyer and a supplier and that exists in a system used by one or both of the buyer and the supplier, a conversion server209(conversion device) configured to convert the communication information134and the e-commerce information135into a predetermined format, a database server217(storage device) configured to store the keyword information138, and an analysis server213(analysis device) configured to compare the keyword information138registered in advance in the database server217with the converted communication information134and the e-commerce information135and determine a cause of the commerce information135. The supplier evaluation system117may further include an online server227(output device) configured to electronically or visually output a result determined by the analysis server213(analysis device).

In addition, what has been described above is a method of evaluating a supplier based on information about transactions performed between a buyer and a supplier. The supplier evaluation method receives communication information134and e-commerce information135carried out between a buyer a supplier and that exists in a system used by one or both of the buyer and the supplier, converts the communication information134and the e-commerce information135into a predetermined format, compares the keyword information138registered in advance with the converted communication information134and the e-commerce information135, and determines a cause of the transaction result of the commerce information135.

By providing the above-described configuration, the evaluation time resulting from buyer input is reduced, and the number of work hours required for evaluation by the buyer is reduced. In addition, an objective evaluation is implemented using a unified evaluation axis, and background is analyzed from unstructured data such as email and call record, thereby realizing a reliable analysis result. As a result, it is possible to share optimized supplier information across departments within a company, and to find new but safe suppliers for those departments, resulting in cost reduction. The entry of new suppliers is encouraged, and the competitiveness required for quality improvement and price reduction in procurement operations can be improved.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, but can be implemented by a configuration within a scope not deviating from the content described in each claim. That is, although the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described primarily with respect to specific embodiments, various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art in regard to quantity and other detailed configurations of the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

101: Buyer system,116: Network such as the Internet,117: supplier evaluation system,141: Network such as the Internet,142: User terminal of the buyer or supplier,201: Reception server,209: Conversion server,213: Analysis server,217: Database server,227: Online server