Overview
This project achieved major milestones in both service design and execution within Walmart Mexico’s risk department. The results were outstanding in terms of efficiency, leading to its recommendation for implementation in the service supplier area.
My Role
Responsabilities
Tools
Timeline
Oct 2021- Mar 2024
Team members
For over 20 years, Walmart Mexico’s supplier onboarding process remained unchanged. Vendors had to sign physical contracts and mail them, and if the forms were incorrectly filled out, they had to redo them. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the process shifted to email, but issues persisted.
In Fall 2021, the challenge of improving supplier onboarding began with understanding the existing processes and exploring how other Walmart areas handled onboarding, including the Marketplace and supplier services (GNFR).
We were far behind digital competitors. However, through in-depth business exploration, I identified key needs. Since we had third-party platforms available, the solution was implemented quickly, aligning with Fiscal Risk Management and Legal teams (PLD).
Thanks to this project, other Walmart Mexico areas turned to the Purchasing Product team to implement and replicate their processes, as it proved to be the most efficient and viable solution.
This case is something I take great pride in. If you ever want to sell products at Walmart Mexico, this is the process you’d experience. Here, I will share the strategy and journey of designing and implementing the supplier onboarding service, which went live in Summer 2022.
The Value of Service Design in Collaboration with Product
The Importance of Research
Walmart Mexico still had a traditional supplier onboarding process that could take up to four months for approval.
A benchmark of digital platforms showed that competitors took only hours to onboard a supplier and get a product listed. Direct competitors processed applications in 2 to 3 days, highlighting how far behind we were.
More than 90% of supplier applications were for merchandise vendors, with the remaining divided between service providers and marketplace sellers. However, their processes were not feasible for direct implementation.
Our research revealed that tax evaluation and compliance caused the most delays. This became the focal point for process transformation and automation, ensuring all stakeholders could digitally sign contracts and addendums.
Service Design
Following the necessary Discovery phase, I analyzed the MDM fiscal risk forms used by the procurement team. During ideation, I structured the design to guide users in correctly filling out information and to automate workflows.
The final process included:
Onboarding for general merchandise suppliers (individuals and businesses).
Onboarding for high-risk merchandise suppliers (individuals and businesses).
Onboarding for perishable goods suppliers, including field visit requirements.
Analysis and Architecture
Much of the work was done alongside the PM, prioritizing key functions in phases. Defining a digital-first vision allowed us to focus on critical features and develop them using a third-party platform. The result was a standardized process for all supplier types, structured in five key stages.
1
Negotiation with the Buyer
Vendors negotiated competitive pricing and agreed on long-term collaboration terms with buyers
2
Buying assistants initiated the process with the supplier, allowing them to define key negotiation terms
3
Document Review
Once both purchasing and the supplier completed their required fields, the risk department automatically received a notification for document verification and approval.
4
Registration in Walmart Systems
The fiscal risk team sent all documentation to Walmart International to generate supplier access credentials and IDs.
5
Logistics Factor Determination
The final step calculated logistics costs for transporting goods from CEDIS to stores.
Third-Party vs. In-House Development
Given time constraints and budget limitations, my Product Leaders and I decided it was impossible to develop an in-house solution. Instead, we opted for a third-party tool that addressed the main issue while ensuring legal complianceand process automation.
Visual Component Design
I conducted an in-depth analysis of existing contracts and forms used by suppliers. The result was an omnichannelsolution that allowed the Risk team to print contracts when necessary.
Using Figma, I developed a component-based design system, enabling faster content creation and design scalability.
Product Development
Unlike other projects, this initiative did not have a dedicated tech team. Since the platform allowed users to manage the process independently, I took full responsibility for the logic, architecture, and user permissions.
Unmoderated User Testing
To validate the tool, we created fictional user groups and had participants test the form completion process. All users interacted with the platform to carry out hypothetical tasks, ensuring a smooth experience.
Launching
Go-Live in 2022
By early 2022, we launched an MVP of the new process, digitizing forms and enabling contract signing through the platform. Some fields autofilled with initial user data, streamlining form completion.
Results that impacted in supplier experience
The process saw a dramatic efficiency improvement, reducing supplier approval times from 90 to just 15 days on average. This transformation was completed in under 8 months, from project initiation to launch in Walmart’s procurement department.
87%
Adoption Rate among procurement teams for supplier onboarding.
+290
Users actively using the process for authorization and form completion.
95%
Task Completion Rate, ensuring correct form submission.
Key Achievements as a Product Designer
Approval of Digital Signatures
This project strengthened my negotiation skills. Initially, the Legal Team insisted on keeping a paper-based process, but we secured approval under the condition that users manually drew their signatures on contracts. The system ensured 100% digital contracts, backed by the platform’s audit logs.
Process Automation
By leveraging platform-based conditions, I designed workflows that allowed linear or sequential user completion. Our research revealed that lack of follow-up was a major pain point. We used automated notifications and SLAs to ensure timely responses.
Logic Implementation
For high-risk merchandise, where approval depended on specific criteria, the Product Manager and I replicated an Excel-based framework. The system assigned numerical values to supplier responses, integrating with AML compliance for pre-risk validation before final approval.