Q . WHAT ’ S THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CREATING A PROCUREMENT STRATEGY ?
» The key is aligning with how the rest of the business is structured while maintaining a rational approach for suppliers .
Businesses are often organised by industry groups , but suppliers don ’ t align themselves that way . For example , there ’ s only one Dell , regardless of whether your business has separate teams for industrials and banking . Similarly , geographic differences must be considered – your business may be global , but many vendors aren ’ t .
When I joined DXC , a central team handled a lot of tactical work . While efficient , this led to misaligned priorities . I decentralised these resources , allowing those accountable for delivery to control their priorities . This may have reduced efficiency slightly but improved responsiveness and alignment with business needs .
A successful procurement strategy also requires adaptability . You need to balance efficiency with responsiveness , ensuring that your approach works for both internal stakeholders and external partners . Overcoming misalignments between these groups can make a significant difference in achieving strategic goals .