1. Education: The Cost of Constant Procurement Delays
For subcontractors, time isn’t just money—it’s reputation, retention, and readiness for the next job. And yet, procurement delays continue to plague the industry. Materials arrive late. Suppliers take days to respond. Quotes go missing in email chains. These lags aren’t just inconvenient—they risk derailing entire project timelines.
The root cause? A continued reliance on outdated, manual procurement methods. Phone calls, scattered emails, supplier spreadsheets, and a lack of central visibility create bottlenecks that compound under pressure. Subcontractors lose time chasing quotes instead of focusing on-site. With tight schedules and razor-thin margins, every lost hour cuts deeper.
Procurement isn’t just an operational task—it’s a competitive advantage waiting to be unlocked. And subcontractors still relying on traditional methods are being left behind.
The smarter solution? The Build Chain. Our platform is designed specifically to eliminate procurement bottlenecks by digitising and centralising the process. With faster enquiries, instant supplier matching, and real-time quote tracking, subcontractors can stay ahead—not stuck behind.
2. Features & Benefits: Get Matched Instantly, Track Progress Clearly
Two of the most powerful features that tackle procurement delays head-on are:
✅ Smart Supplier Matching – The Build Chain connects your enquiry with relevant local and national suppliers instantly. No more waiting days for individual responses or manually hunting down contacts. You submit your enquiry once—our system does the rest, finding the right suppliers in your work area.
How it helps:
Time spent chasing suppliers drops dramatically. You reach more relevant suppliers in less time and get competitive responses without the admin overhead.
✅ Live Quote Progress Visibility – Know exactly what’s happening with every quote, in real time. Our dashboard gives you clear visibility into who’s received your enquiry, who’s responded, and which suppliers need a nudge. No more guessing. No more inbox diving
How it helps:
You stay in control. You can proactively follow up, reduce gaps in communication, and manage procurement with confidence—not chaos.
3. Comparison: Traditional Methods vs. The Build Chain
Traditional procurement relies on a time-consuming sequence of manual steps: emailing suppliers individually, phoning to check availability, updating your own spreadsheets, and chasing people for pricing. It’s fragmented. It’s repetitive. And it often results in double work.
The Build Chain, by contrast, centralises everything. Submit one enquiry. Track all quotes in one place. Get automatic alerts and quote progress updates. You’re no longer at the mercy of missed emails or unreturned calls.
Here’s how it stacks up:
| Traditional Procurement | The Build Chain | |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry Distribution | Manual emails/phone calls | Smart supplier matching |
| Visibility | Limited or scattered | Real-time dashboard |
| Time to Response | 2–5 days on average | Often same day |
| Admin Burden | High (spreadsheet tracking, follow-up) | Low (automated tracking) |
| Scalability | Difficult across multiple jobs | Built for multiple concurrent enquiries |
If your procurement process still relies on inbox management and memory, it’s time to make a change.
4. Social Proof: Rasico Gets There Faster
Rasico, a subcontractor in the groundwork and external works sector, used to face delays sourcing materials from multiple merchants across different regions. Chasing suppliers and waiting for quotes often held them up.
After switching to The Build Chain, Rasico cut down its average procurement turnaround by 48 hours. Instead of spending days on back-and-forth communication, they now issue one enquiry and receive multiple competitive quotes—visible, trackable, and fully aligned with their project timelines.
5. Call to Action: End the Delays. Start Smarter Procurement.
Procurement delays aren’t just a nuisance—they’re a serious risk to subcontractor efficiency and profitability. But with The Build Chain, you can take back control. Faster quotes, smarter matching, and full visibility mean no more chasing, guessing, or waiting.
✅ Ready to future-proof your procurement process?
