Hi {{FIRST_NAME|readers}},
Let's be real for a minute: a procurement transformation initiative is nothing without a business case. It needs to be solid.
BUT what happens when you've spent weeks crafting the perfect ROI calculations, gathered all the vendor demos, and built a bulletproof presentation only to watch executives nod politely and shelve your proposal?
(FRUSTRATION! 😠)
I've seen this story play out dozens of times.
The numbers are compelling. The logic is sound. But somehow, the urgency just isn't there.
Often, it's because you haven’t been able to make the pain and your project feel real...
Sometimes, the most persuasive business case isn't a document at all.
Strong business cases = convinced and engaged stakeholders.
It's that simple.
In tonight’s post, I'm breaking down:
My favorite "nuclear option" for winning over skeptical executives
Why traditional business cases often fall flat (and what to do instead)
How to turn your biggest skeptic into your strongest champion
Whether you're pushing for a new P2P system, category management software, or supplier portal, if you can't get buy-in from the C-suite, nothing else matters.
Onwards!
📰 In this week’s edition:
🦅 ProcureTech Change Management Tactics Webinar (sponsored)
📋 5 procurement jobs that caught my eye
🌙 Your Procurement Function Isn’t Broken (You Just Think It Is)
Note: Some of the content listed above is only available in the email version of this newsletter. Don’t miss out! Sign up for free to get the next edition.
👀 In Case You Missed It…
My Best Linkedin post this week:
A Simple Trick to Create Executive Buy-In
A great business case does three things:
Grabs Attention → "Wait... What Did I Just Experience?"
Signals Value → "This Is Relevant To Me."
Builds Urgency → "I Need To Act On This."
If your traditional PowerPoint + Excel presentation method isn’t achieving this for your ProcureTech investments, here’s something different you can try.
The Proof Is in the Pain
When executives don't feel the problem you’re trying to solve firsthand, your business case is just another document in their inbox.
But pain? Pain gets attention.
Your CFO might not understand why the Requisition-to-Pay process takes 3 weeks when you explain it in PowerPoint.
But when they sit down themselves to buy office supplies through your current system? That's when the lightbulb goes on.
Most executives never buy anything themselves. They sign contracts but the day-to-day specifics are carried out by their teams.
So, if you feel you’re “losing them” at any point during your standard pitch, say so explicitly and open the door to your next step:
📧 For skeptical executives*:
"I feel like I may be drowning you in the details... As a next step, can you spare 30 minutes to help me test our procurement system? I'll give you the same training our occasional users get, then ask you to buy a few things. Nothing fancy but you’ll see how it feels to buy from the perspective of your teams. I think that will tell you everything you need to know."
💼 For budget-conscious leaders*:
"Before we talk further about spending money on new systems, I want you to experience what our people deal with every day. Mind if I take 30 minutes to walk you through a few purchase scenarios using our current tools?"
🎯 For efficiency-focused executives*:
"As a next step, why don’t we do this… I’ve prepared five simple purchase requests scenarios our people deal with every day. Everyone tells us it’s too complicated to buy. You’re a smart person! Let's take 30 minutes to see how long it takes you to complete them using our current system. I'll time it."
These are direct, funny and instantly tells them what the session is about: experiencing the pain behind the business case firsthand.
This format makes it extremely easy to understand what you’re trying to do while using very few words.
*Adjust level of cheekiness based on your relationship/culture 😅
The Logistics of Making Your Case
Let's clean house. Here's how to run that 30 min session:
Step 1: The Setup
Book 30 minutes with your executive(s)
Set expectations that they will be “hands to keyboard” to create purchase requests
Step 2: The Meeting
Prepare use cases which are applicable to their team’s work and the scope of your business case, for example:
Buy office supplies via catalog
Purchase materials for a work order
Procure production supplies
Buy professional services
Purchase IT software
Prepare and hand them credentials to login to your existing procurement system
Give them the exact same documentation you give to occasional requesters
Standard operating procedures
Intranet guides
Videos
Etc.
Step 3: The Reality Check
Let them loose under the same conditions as all your other “occasional requesters” (folks who aren’t buying things every day) but with the added bonus that you’re right there to answer any of their questions.
Stress the point that while users may have received one-time training on these processes, the great majority of them will have weeks or months go by between the different times they execute this process… So their current experience is very similar to their team’s experience.
The hope?
This exercise makes them realize that, in our example, creating a requisition under the current system/process is a nightmare… Hopefully the questions start flowing:
“How many people are doing this?”
“How long does this take on average?”
“What’s the vision to make this better?”
“How much would it cost to improve this experience?”
“And… The benefits?”
Now you’re talking to an engaged stakeholder!
The hardest part of all this?
Getting your execs to sit down and authentically do it.
The first times you do this, I advise doing in 1-on-1 or in very small groups to ensure these are “safe spaces”. You’re not trying to make anyone look silly… This is all about creating understanding!
Now contrast the above with the typical approach…
"Today, we're going to review our procurement system efficiency metrics and demonstrate how our proposed solution will optimize Requisition-to-Pay cycle times..."
🔴 Boring. Vague. Forgettable.
Final Thoughts: Show Don't Tell
I used the Requisition-to-Pay scenario in the above illustration but you can use this approach for any change you seek to make.
Your challenge is the first impression (and sometimes the only impression).
You don't need to be a change management expert to pull this off. You just need to:
Understand where the value comes from well enough to know what to show executives
Know your executives well enough to design relevant scenarios that will resonate with their expertise/reality
Create genuine urgency through firsthand experience
Sound like a human who understands their world
A simple 30-minute system walkthrough can turn a skeptic into a champion!
Good change management is about creativity. And sometimes the most creative approach is the most obvious one: let them feel the pain themselves.
So next time you're tempted to lead with a 40-slide deck, consider this instead: book a conference room, fire up the system, and watch the magic happen.
What unconventional Change Management tactic have you experimented with before? Hit reply and let me know or leave a comment.
👀 In Case You Missed It…
The Last 3 Sunday Night Notes:
1/ Your Procurement Function Isn't Broken (You Just Think It Is)
2/ Turning $300 Into $55,000 Overnight
3/ Nobody Wants an "Amazon-Like" Buying Experience
There is no coming to consciousness without pain.
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