PROCUREMENT OPTIMIZATION BLOG

Advisory Services: Building the Blueprint for a Successful Implementation

April 24, 2019

Procurement advisory services are a crucial piece of successful project planning. Why is that? Because as the old saying goes, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” There are challenges and projects ahead that you may not anticipate throughout the build. Much like an architect mapping out a blueprint, procurement advisory consultants are well versed in every stage of procurement transformation. They can anticipate your company’s successes and pain points in order to develop a strategic plan.

Understanding the Landscape – Prior to any type of large-scale transformation, it is crucial to recognize the type of landscape in which your build will take place. Understanding and preparing the entire landscape of people, systems and processes involved is paramount to full success. Advisory service consultants are trained to help your organization not only recognize the existing landscape but also to help prepare that landscape for the coming transformations through effective change management.

Timing the Build Process – Getting the official green light on a procurement transformation project is an exciting time for a company. Understandably, when results like cost savings and time efficiencies are on the line, a common reaction is “how soon can we do this?” The better question in this case is “when will we be ready to do this?” Advisory service consultants are an excellent resource to help your organization step back to see the big picture of the build. It is easy to rush toward the quick ROI that is possible but by being strategic on the project timeline, companies can largely increase the value and sustainability of their transformation.

Planning the Project – Procurement transformation is a complex process – that’s what makes it so impactful. This complexity, however, can often make project planning a challenge for companies – but this is where advisory services really shine! Advisors can shed light on necessary tasks that might not be anticipated by someone new to the transformation process. This includes tasks like data cleansing, restructuring, policy changes and business process adjustments. Advisory service consultants can pull their experiences from previous client engagements to help companies plan ahead and eliminate the stress of unexpected challenges.

Staffing the Transformation – Undergoing a large-scale transformation can be daunting to your team if they do not feel fully supported in the transition. Advisory services experts can help you plan the realistic staffing needs for your project. This not only helps you to keep the project timeline on track but will also help with user adoption.

Building and/or expanding a successful procurement infrastructure is similar to building a new home. In order to obtain a successful result, a thorough blueprint must first be put into place. This plan includes everything from the solid foundation to the small and intricate details of the build. When building a new home, a trained industry professional is the one who develops the official blueprint – the same should be true for the development of your procurement infrastructure. Let advisory services provide you with the blueprint of your transformation and you will see sustainable success.

Jessica Vazquez, Senior Consultant