Most companies overcomplicate procurement, and it's costing them.
I've spent 20 years in procurement, and I can tell you: most businesses have no clue what they're doing. I've seen executives throw together clunky "matrix" structures because they didn't have the backbone (or the know-how) to build a real procurement function. That trickles down, creating confusion, finger-pointing, and missed savings, while the C-Suite shrugs it off as a "middle management problem."
Here's the truth: procurement should be simple, focused, and laser-aligned with ROI. Done right, procurement isn't a cost center—it's a profit center.
The Problem With Traditional Procurement
Too many companies waste time on low-value tasks and office politics. Some want procurement for appearances. Others need it but don't know where to start.
Both paths lead to the same outcome: complexity, disruption, and diluted margins.
According to Gartner and Supply Chain Digital, supply disruptions, from natural disasters to transport issues, are the #1 threat to procurement's future success, cited by 42% of procurement leaders as a top concern (Gartner, 2024). Companies can't afford to let bureaucracy make them slower and more vulnerable.
Procurement as a Precision Tool
Procurement doesn't have to be a sprawling in-house department. It can be lean, strategic, and results-driven.
A focused external partner:
In short: let your business do what it does best, while procurement amplifies your margins behind the scenes.
Leaders Know This (But Rarely Admit It)
Let's be blunt: fear runs corporate procurement.
Leaders extend vendor contracts because they're afraid suppliers will backslide the second procurement leaves.
They avoid supplier negotiations because they don't have the stamina for the back-and-forth.
They tolerate bad procurement functions because challenging the status quo feels risky.
Fear is fight-or-flight, and most companies pick flight.
Companies without procurement want it, and those with procurement often wish it was less invasive. The sweet spot is a model that protects your business without becoming a nuisance.
Stop Reinventing the Wheel
The best procurement doesn't force businesses to rebuild communication structures or overhaul operations. Instead, it blends in. Vendors and customers shouldn't notice a thing—except smoother execution and stronger margins.
But communication is a frequent failure point: 98% of procurement professionals say they need better alignment with their biggest customers (SCMR, 2023). No wonder so many procurement functions turn into roadblocks instead of revenue drivers.
What Businesses Really Want
Businesses don't want "strategic alignment workshops" or more red tape. They want one thing: better margins without distraction.
Procurement has the potential to deliver exactly that:
Most procurement teams are overworked, under-resourced, and still trying to carry the weight of inflation, supply chain shocks, and corporate politics. That's not strategic—that's survival mode.
Less Is More for Your Bottom Line
Procurement should never be about endless meetings, complex hierarchies, or internal politics. It should be about clear financial impact.
If you're forcing in-house procurement when you don't need it, you're wasting time, burning cash, and distracting your team. If you want results, you need procurement that works smarter, leaner, and outside the noise.
That's exactly what we do at Maverick Procurement. We cut through the BS, strip procurement down to its essentials, and deliver measurable savings without disruption. We've been on all sides of the table—corporate, vendor, advisor—and we know how the game is really played.
If you're ready to boost profits without the politics, it's time to stop overcomplicating procurement and start winning with it. Let's talk.