627: Adopting a Challenger Attitude in Complex Spend Categories w/ Ben Lambert

Art of Procurement

“If you look at the strategic sourcing process, I think it was made for complex categories. That’s one of the things that makes this so exciting as a potential lighthouse project. It’s a great opportunity for procurement to say, ‘This is why we do this. This is all of the value we can add.’” – Benjamin Lambert, Principal at Efficio

Navigating complex spend categories can be challenging for procurement – the stakes tend to be high, stakeholder resistance is real, and the category may be nuanced or unfamiliar to procurement. At the same time, complex spend categories give procurement some of the best opportunities to flex their strategic muscles and demonstrate the depth and breadth of value they can provide across the business.

To understand how procurement should leverage the opportunity associated with complex spend categories, Philip Ideson spoke with Ben Lambert, Principal at Efficio. According to Ben, procurement needs a mindset shift when it comes to complex spend - it is time for procurement to get excited about complex spend categories rather than fearing the potential risks.

In this episode, Ben and Phil talk about:

• What makes a category “complex”
• How procurement can establish their reputation as a true strategic partner beyond tactical execution
• Ways procurement can deliver maximum value even when the category is unfamiliar

Links:

• Ben Lambert on LinkedIn
• Whitepaper: Unlocking Procurement’s Opportunity in Complex Spend Categories