Accelerate Tariff Response Times with ServiceNow AI and Source To Pay
Learn how ServiceNow Source-to-Pay, enhanced by ODS, uses AI-driven automation to eliminate manual chaos and accelerate tariff response times when changes impact your supply chain.
Part 1 of a 3-Part Series: Navigating Tariff Turbulence with AI and ServiceNow Automation
This article is the first in a three-part series exploring how companies using ServiceNow Source-to-Pay, enhanced by Outcome Driven Solutions (ODS), can better respond to tariff volatility. Each article focuses on a different stage of the response:
- Part 1: Accelerate Tariff Response Times with AI and ServiceNow
- Part 2: Reduce Tariff Exposure with AI and ServiceNow Sourcing Operations (4/22)
- Part 3: Accelerate Tariff Response Times with AI and ServiceNow Automation(4/24)
What You'll Learn in This Article:
- The hidden costs and operational impacts of manual tariff responses
- How ServiceNow and ODS automation streamlines procurement responses
- Real-world examples showing how to accelerate tariff response times and sourcing agility
Tariff Volatility Means Constant Fire Drills
Rapid tariff fluctuations triggered by recent policy shifts create an ongoing challenge for procurement and supply chain teams. These sudden tariff changes mean organizations must quickly pivot suppliers, renegotiate contracts, and update procurement processes, often with minimal advance warning.
The traditional, manual approach to these disruptions typically involves:
- Sourcing teams dropping strategic tasks to manage urgent tariff-driven updates.
- Spreadsheets, emails, and manual workflows causing bottlenecks and delays.
- Increased risk of human error, leading to compliance issues and financial inaccuracies.
According to a recent Gartner survey (Q1 2025), nearly 70% of procurement teams report increased workload and productivity losses due to tariff-driven disruptions.
The Pain of Manual Tariff Responses
Manual approaches to tariff response typically look like:
- Weeks of manual contract reviews and supplier evaluations.
- Delays in onboarding new suppliers or updating existing contracts.
- Increased administrative overhead, costing valuable team productivity.
- Fragmented communications leading to confusion across departments.
This manual chaos not only delays response times but also significantly reduces operational effectiveness.
Automate Tariff Response Times with ServiceNow + ODS
ServiceNow Source-to-Pay is a powerful automation platform, and Outcome Driven Solutions enhances this capability by configuring AI-driven workflows and smart processes on top of the ServiceNow foundation. ODS ensures that when tariffs shift, your organization reacts swiftly and strategically—without pulling your team away from strategic initiatives.
Real-World Examples: Automation in Action
- Accelerated Supplier Onboarding
A global industrial products company faced a tariff hikes on steel imports. Using ODS-configured Supplier Onboarding workflows, they rapidly onboarded alternate suppliers within days—not weeks—saving approximately $2 million annually.
- Automated RFx & Supplier Evaluation
An electronics manufacturer used ServiceNow with ODS enhancements to auto-generate RFPs and evaluate bids automatically. The automation reduced sourcing cycle times by 60%, helping avoid tariff-related cost increases by swiftly evaluating landed costs.
- Proactive Contract Renegotiation
A multinational food distributor leveraged automated contract review tools in ServiceNow to instantly flag contracts vulnerable to tariff-driven cost changes, enabling rapid renegotiation and avoiding $800,000 in potential tariff-related losses.
Strategic Advantages of Automation
Adopting ServiceNow Source-to-Pay enhanced by ODS automation provides your organization significant strategic benefits:
- Increased Agility: Immediate adjustments to sourcing strategies and supplier networks.
- Improved Productivity: Keeps your procurement team focused on strategic tasks, not manual data management.
- Reduced Costs: Minimized operational disruption and proactive avoidance of tariff-related costs.
- Enhanced Compliance: Accurate, real-time records reduce the risk of regulatory missteps and penalties.
ServiceNow Automation in Action:
Using ServiceNow Automation as a Competitive Advantage
Manual responses to tariff disruptions are unsustainable. By leveraging ServiceNow Source-to-Pay enhanced by ODS’s smart automation capabilities, your organization can move swiftly, strategically, and proactively in response to tariff volatility.
Automation transforms tariff response from a disruptive challenge into an operational advantage, protecting margins, preserving productivity, and maintaining your competitive edge.
👉 Contact Outcome Driven Solutions to Learn More
Ready to transform your tariff response strategy?
Let Outcome Driven Solutions show you how automation and AI-driven workflows in ServiceNow Source-to-Pay can eliminate manual chaos and position your organization to thrive amidst tariff volatility.
