Procurement transformation 2025: Why invest in procuretech and how to make the case – Onventis

In readiness for our Q1 2025 theme of Procurement Transformation, which will include how to even start your digital journey, how to make the case for it, how to shape your digital roadmap and how to survive it, we have received input from some solution providers on their own customers’ journeys.

Alexandra Arens, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Onventis, shares what their customers are looking for from their digital procurement investment based on the 2024 Procurement Barometer study results and the DACH SME Procurement Barometer 2024.

What do your customers prioritize when investing in procuretech?

Increasing spend under management (SUM) is a frequent goal, with many customers targeting a 25%–30% boost. By consolidating spend through our system, customers are looking to gain clearer visibility and control over procurement.

Metrics around supplier consolidation and spend concentration are also common. Customers use Onventis to consolidate suppliers and negotiate better terms. Because the continuity and stability of the supply chain is the S2P aspect most vulnerable to crises, they highly value risk reduction, though the top priority for procurement teams remains cost reduction, such as decreasing maverick spend and lowering average purchasing costs, and increased efficiency in terms of cycle time reductions and speeding up approval processes.

How customers justify procuretech investment to stakeholders

Cost savings and efficiency: Direct savings and operational efficiency metrics resonate strongly with financial stakeholders. By automating routine tasks, procurement teams can focus on strategic initiatives, which appeals to CFOs and finance teams.

Risk reduction: The platform’s compliance features (e.g., GDPR alignment, secure data storage) reduce organizational risk. Customers emphasize how procurement technology safeguards against non-compliance penalties and helps maintain preferred supplier standards.

Scalability and future-proofing: Onventis also appeals to organizations anticipating growth. It’s easier to scale a digital procurement process than a manual one, which makes it a strategic asset in long-term financial planning.

Making the business case and implementing the solution remains challenging

Data integration with existing systems: Integrating procuretech with existing ERP and finance systems is a common challenge. However, our integration team is experienced in building connectors for most major systems, which helps minimize disruption.

Internal change management: Transitioning to a digital platform often involves shifting established processes. We support clients with thorough onboarding and training, which has proven to reduce adoption resistance.

Data standardization: Many organizations come with disparate procurement data, making standardization a challenge. Our tools can clean, map and categorize data, helping customers get a consistent view of their procurement operations.

Building the business case: Quantifying procurement’s value can be difficult for teams unfamiliar with it. We provide customers with ROI calculations, use cases, and other tools to help quantify the potential savings and efficiency gains.

Industry trends and regulatory shifts driving urgency

Sustainability pressures are high, and companies need to track and report on supplier compliance with ESG criteria. We partner with compliance platforms like EcoVadis to make it easier for companies to align with sustainability regulations.

The need for resilient supply chains is also a key factor driving procurement digitalization. Customers want to quickly adjust sourcing strategies and build agility into their supply chains.

On regulatory compliance, data protection regulations such as GDPR continue to influence procuretech investment. We have Europe-based data storage and robust compliance controls for companies prioritizing data protection.

Digital transformation is no longer optional, especially for mid-sized companies wanting to compete with larger, tech-enabled organizations. We position our solution as right-sized and accessible yet powerful, to meet the growing demand for automation.

Many thanks to Onventis for sharing this insight with us.

Members can read our in-depth analysis of Onventis’ solution here.

As always, reach out to discover how Spend Matters can help with your procuretech ambitions for next year.

Consult TechMatch – our tech selection tool that helps procurement and finance technology buyers quickly explore the market and identify best-fit solutions.