Digital procurement transformation is no longer optional, it’s a necessity. Modern businesses depend on speed, transparency, and control, and digital procurement solutions promise to deliver that.
Yet in practice, results often fall short of expectations. Systems may be in place, but costs don’t go down, procurement processes don’t accelerate, and teams remain frustrated.
Why does this happen? And what separates successful transformations from ineffective initiatives?
In this interview, Joe Wolin, Co-Founder of Team Procure, shares his professional perspective on what truly drives effective digital procurement transformation. He discusses common mistakes, early warning signs of failure, and the actions that help organizations move from surface-level implementation to real, lasting changes.
What Is Digital Procurement Transformation?
Digital procurement transformation is a strategic rethinking of the procurement function, built on modern technology. It’s not just about automating tasks, it’s about systematically redesigning procurement processes, tools, and decision-making frameworks to ensure control, transparency, and alignment between procurement and the company’s broader business model.
At the core of this shift is the move from fragmented tools to an integrated digital architecture that includes:
- Centralized request and approval workflows
- Contract lifecycle and compliance management
- Advanced analytics on spend and supplier performance
- Execution tracking and supplier accountability
- End-to-end integration with ERP and financial systems
The goal of transformation isn’t just to speed things up. It’s to enable faster, data-driven decisions, reduce risk, and reinforce financial discipline.
For companies that view procurement not just as a cost center but as a driver of growth, digital transformation becomes a long-term source of competitive edge.
The Perspective of Procurement Automation: Where Are We Now?
Q: Joe, how would you describe the current state of digital transformation in procurement?
I’d say we’re at a point where a lot of companies have experimented with digital procurement tools but few have really transformed. There’s still a gap between installing a platform and actually using it to improve how teams work.
Some teams are still dealing with manual approvals, siloed processes, and fragmented supplier data. So even with technology in place, the transformation hasn’t fully landed because the workflows and people around the tool haven’t adapted yet.
Q: In your experience, why do even the best technologies often fail to deliver the expected results?
The tool isn’t the problem most of the time, it’s how it’s implemented. You can have a great product, but if the team isn’t onboard, if the workflows aren’t mapped, or if the provider isn’t asking the right questions, it’s going to fall short.
It takes time and planning to make sure a tool actually fits how the company works. Not just in theory, but day to day. When that doesn’t happen, results don’t follow.
Q: How realistic are companies’ expectations about digital procurement tools?
How realistic is it? Yeah. I think it's very realistic. If a tool can't improve the procurement workflows and processes within an organization, then it's probably not a tool that's been designed well. Or the team delivering the tool hasn’t tailored it to the needs of the customer.
As we talked about just before, the tool and the team delivering the tool are integral. You can't just send the tool over to the customer without a level of customization and onboarding. You have to get the customer fully dialed in and make sure the system is solving their actual needs. So yeah, those expectations are valid. And with the right team, I think they’re totally achievable.
Sometimes companies believe they’ve started a digital procurement transformation simply by adopting new tools. In reality, most are still stuck in outdated processes because the technology hasn’t been fully integrated into daily procurement operations.
Success depends not so much on the tool, but on how well it is implemented. When teams and vendors treat implementation as a collaborative process, expectations around operational efficiency can be realized.
Start With Purpose: What Are You Trying to Solve?
Q: What are the typical consequences when companies launch digital procurement transformation initiatives without a clear goal?
The consequences are going to be a lot of inefficiencies in the company. You're going to get frustrated. The tool, instead of being something that adds value, becomes a detractor. People get annoyed, processes break down because the tool isn’t aligned with how the company works.
If the planning, onboarding, and relationship with the procurement software provider aren’t solid, the company is taking on a lot of risk. And once the system is in place, it's not easy to pull it back out.
Q: What are the signs that a company doesn’t really understand what it wants from transformation?
I'd say a major red flag is when there's no key stakeholder who understands the full workflow. If you're solving just a small piece without that full-picture context, it's a problem.
In procurement, for example, you need someone who sees the entire procurement cycle. If the organization can’t bring the right people together for the implementation phase, that’s a risk in itself. Lack of alignment internally is a signal that they’re not ready.
Q: Why is it critical to analyze and evaluate procurement processes before trying to digitize them?
That’s the job of whoever’s leading the implementation inside the company. They need to understand what the system should actually support. Then it’s the provider’s role to ask the right questions and make sure the platform can deliver on those needs.
If those two sides — customer and vendor — aren’t aligned, the expectations won’t be met. Both have to be on the same page about the key outcomes, whether that’s improving throughput, cost savings, or something else. The goals need to be clearly defined and owned by both sides.
Digital transformation without a clearly defined objective leads to friction, wasted effort, and low adoption. Lack of strategic purpose and stakeholders who understand the entire procurement lifecycle is a major risk factor.
Effective transformation starts with understanding existing workflows, aligning internal stakeholders, and clearly defining what success looks like. Without that groundwork, even the best technology will fail to deliver measurable outcomes.
Procurement’s Role: What If It Has No Power?
Q: What happens when procurement teams are expected to drive change but aren’t given the authority to do it?
Yeah, that's a challenge for sure. The top leadership of a company really needs to recognize the value of the procurement team. Without executive support, the team won’t get the resources or authority to solve the real problems.
If they’re trying to lead a digital transformation, for example, they need budget and backing to roll that change out across the organization. Without that support from leadership, their efforts are going to stall even if the procurement strategy is solid.
Q: What should procurement teams do if they’re disconnected from the company’s decision-making process?
That’s where metrics come in. The data speaks for itself. Leadership wants to see numbers, so procurement needs to show how the current situation is creating risk or inefficiency.
They can use data to highlight delays in purchasing, unmanaged supplier risks, or cost savings that are being missed because they don’t have the tools or workflows in place. That kind of visibility makes a strong case for investing in change.
And look, if leadership still says no, that’s their call but the data should make it clear that transformation isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a business need. Procurement can’t drive meaningful transformation without the authority to act. Without budget and strategic alignment from leadership, even the best plans won’t progress.
When procurement is excluded from decision-making, data analytics becomes its strongest asset. By quantifying inefficiencies and missed opportunities, teams can reframe transformation as a business-critical initiative. Metrics shift the conversation from opinion to evidence and that’s how procurement earns influence.
Show the Value: Making Procurement Metrics Work for the Business
Q: How can teams make sure their procurement KPIs support broader business goals?
I can’t speak for every company, but the key to running a strong procurement function is knowing your metrics. You need to track how long approvals take, where risk exists across your supply chain, and how many supplier options you actually have.
You’ve got to understand geographic risks, supply chain vulnerabilities, price exposure, especially when conflicts or local conditions impact your categories.
When procurement teams rely on digital systems to collect and analyze this data, they can spot potential risks early and act on them. That’s how you build alignment with business goals: by profiling risk, improving procurement efficiency, and making decisions based on real operational data.
Q: How should procurement respond when CFOs focus only on hard cost savings like purchase price variance (PPV)?
PPV is just one metric. It doesn’t tell the whole story. You’ve got to look at supplier quality, long-term performance, integration with internal workflows — all of that matters. Procurement needs to make a strong case to leadership by highlighting what really moves the needle for the organization beyond just price.
There are dozens of things that matter: supplier reliability, compliance, contract terms, delivery timelines. It’s on procurement to bring those insights to the table.
Q: What’s the best way to shift the financial perception of procurement and demonstrate its real business value?
Reporting. That’s the way to do it. Show hard numbers and also how the team is managing complexity. If you’re negotiating better rates than the market, show that. If you’re managing 1,000 vendors across five regions without service disruptions, show that too.
Procurement has to be seen as central to the business. The more clearly you can communicate how many variables your team manages and how critical that work is, the more leadership will understand the value you’re bringing.
To elevate procurement’s role in the business, teams should move beyond narrow metrics and present a comprehensive performance narrative.
Effective reporting not only proves cost savings but also showcases risk mitigation, supplier stability, and execution reliability, demonstrating procurement as a key driver of business performance.
Technology as a Tool, Not a Solution
Q: Why is buying procurement software not the same as driving transformation?
Software is just a piece of the puzzle. Digital transformation is a process. It’s about figuring out how that tool will actually work inside your organization. How will it be rolled out? Who are the stakeholders? How do you get suppliers, approvers, and directors all using the same platform?
You’ve got to customize workflows, onboard users, and align processes. That’s transformation. Procurement software is just what enables it — not the transformation itself.
Q: Which technologies in procurement tend to be overhyped?
AI is definitely the hype right now. It’s exciting, sure, but let’s not forget the fundamentals. At the end of the day, your team needs to be able to buy what they need from suppliers, efficiently and consistently. That’s the core.
AI is great when it adds value on top of a well-functioning base system. But by itself? It’s not a solution. It’s an add-on. Don’t get too caught up in the buzzwords before making sure your operations are solid.
Q: How do you convince executives to invest in digital procurement after failed attempts in the past?
It comes down to trust and fit. You’ve got to trust your solution provider, and that starts with understanding their track record. Look at their case studies: what industries have they worked in, and how successful were those implementations?
If you’re in manufacturing, you want a provider that knows that space. Same with construction or logistics. It’s a relationship. Both sides need to commit to the success of the rollout. I think that's fundamental to the operation, making sure that both sides are willing to help each other achieve success.
Digital procurement tools are only one element of transformation. They enable change but don’t deliver it on their own. True transformation requires tailored workflows, structured onboarding, and strong stakeholder alignment.
Hype around new technologies like artificial intelligence can distract from operational basics, which must be solid before any advanced features can deliver real value.
When past implementations have failed, success depends on selecting a partner with domain expertise and a proven track record. Transformation is first and foremost a collaborative relationships based on mutual commitment and trust.
Is Your Team Ready for Transformation?
Q: What matters more today: hiring new talent or upskilling your existing team?
I think promoting from within is always a great opportunity. You already have people who know the company, and if you give them the tools and support they need, they can really thrive.
Bringing in new talent can help, but honestly, rolling out something like a digital procurement platform already brings new energy into the team. It gives everyone a reason to align, share information, and work more efficiently. I'm a big proponent in investing in the team you already have.
Q: How can you tell when a procurement team isn’t ready for digital change — and can that be fixed without replacing people?
Yeah, you’ll see resistance — arms crossed, people skeptical of new tools. That’s normal. The way to get past that is to take the real problems they’re facing and show, one by one, how the platform makes things easier.
A lot of tools actually create friction. But if you walk people through the pain points they already know and show how the system helps, they’ll get it. Break it down step-by-step, make it tangible. That’s how you shift the mindset without needing to replace the team.
Q: What does it say about procurement if the team spends most of its time on administrative work?
It says they’re good at their jobs but maybe not working in the most efficient way. The processes are clearly functioning, or the company wouldn’t be running. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement.
You have to respect what’s already in place and then gradually pull it apart and show: here’s what’s working now, and here’s what it could look like with better tools. The opportunity is there. It’s about helping people see what more is possible.
Successful transformation starts with the team you already have. Developing internal talents is often more effective than hiring external, as existing employees already understand the context of the company and can more easily adapt with the right digital tools.
Resistance to change is a signal for engagement. When leaders respond to real dissatisfaction with practical solutions, teams become more open and motivated. Even if procurement is bogged down with administrative tasks, it's not a sign of failure — it's a sign that better systems can deliver greater value. Transformation is about enabling people, not replacing them.
Culture and Internal Resistance
Q: Can a digital procurement transformation succeed in a toxic culture or an organization that undervalues procurement?
That’s definitely a challenge. Any organization that resists change is going to be tough. But the goal is to get those naysayers on board. In a lot of cases, they do come around once they realize the system actually makes their life easier. If it works, people stop missing the old way of doing things. Nobody enjoys sending endless emails or filling out paper forms if they can click a button and be done.
Sometimes people expect failure because they’ve seen it before. But if you do it right, they’ll be glad those old, tedious processes are gone.
Q: What are the warning signs that the real blockers are cultural, not technical?
It’s usually both, honestly. These are complex systems. Any time people are involved, it gets complicated — because now it’s not just about procurement software, it’s about coordination, communication, and adoption. If a company can’t align people around a shared goal or doesn’t give them a framework to work within, then the tool alone won’t solve anything.
The system has to support the people, and the people have to support the system. Both sides need to commit to making it work. That’s where transformation actually happens.
Culture is often the biggest barrier to digital procurement success. Skepticism and resistance typically stem from past failures, not from the tool itself. When teams see clear benefits in their daily work, attitudes shift quickly.
Lack of alignment, weak communication, and absence of shared goals are cultural signals that must be addressed. Sustainable change happens when both the system and the people are aligned, committed, and supported. Without that dual focus, even the best procurement software won’t deliver results.
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Summarizing
The real key to successful procurement transformation is the relationship — between your team and the solution provider. If something’s not working, there has to be a clear way to surface issues and solve them together. That means open feedback, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to making the system better over time.
Transformation isn’t a one-time rollout, it’s an ongoing partnership. That’s how teams improve and systems actually evolve with the business.
Digital procurement transformation only works when it’s grounded in clarity, ownership, and the right partnerships. Transformation is not just about implementing tools but about aligning people, systems, and priorities around outcomes that matter.
At Team Procure, we help organizations move from fragmented, manual processes to connected, intelligent procurement. Our platform streamlines core procurement processes, while our team supports you during onboarding and throughout your usage experience.
Ready to drive real transformation? Schedule a demo and see how the right platform and the right partner can turn your procurement strategy into measurable results.
