Dealing with Procurement
Stop losing margin and start winning more business
Your sales team has built strong business relationships, demonstrated value and secured stakeholder support. Then the deal reaches procurement.
Suddenly the conversation changes.
Procurement professionals are highly trained negotiators. They have access to market intelligence, competitor pricing, supplier performance data and proven negotiation strategies designed to secure the best possible commercial outcome for their organisation.
For Sales Directors, this creates a familiar challenge:
- Procurement challenging commercial assumptions and pricing structures
- Sales teams making concessions too early in negotiations
- Pressure to justify value rather than defend price
- Margins being eroded through unnecessary discounting
- Opportunities stalling when procurement becomes involved
- Competitors winning on price despite offering less value
The reality is that many sales teams are highly effective at selling to operational stakeholders but less confident when negotiating with experienced procurement professionals. As a result, opportunities can be delayed, discounted or lost altogether.
But, the balance of power does not have to sit with procurement
The most successful sales organisations understand how procurement thinks, what drives buyer behaviour and how to protect value throughout the sales process.
When your team understands procurement’s objectives, strategies and negotiating tactics, they can:
- Defend price and protect margin
- Position value more effectively
- Reduce unnecessary concessions
- Strengthen commercial negotiations
- Build more effective account strategies
- Increase win rates on major opportunities
Helping sales teams succeed when procurement gets involved
At JA Consulting, we’ve combined extensive understanding of best practice in procurement expertise with proven sales and account management best practice to create a practical approach that helps sales professionals engage confidently and effectively with procurement departments.
Rather than simply reacting to procurement’s demands, we help sales teams understand how to influence the process, navigate complex negotiations and create stronger commercial outcomes.
Dealing with Procurement webinars
Our live webinars provide an introduction to the mindset, objectives and tactics of professional buyers.
Join us as we explore questions such as:
- Who really holds the power in your negotiations with procurement?
- Are your sales teams influencing procurement or reacting to it?
- What are the common procurement tactics that undermine value and margin?
- How can you create a stronger commercial position before negotiations begin?
If you’re looking for practical ways to improve sales performance and protect profitability, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
Rather than simply reacting to procurement’s demands, we help sales teams understand how to influence the process, navigate complex negotiations and create stronger commercial outcomes.
Procurement Masterclass workshops
More than 300 global sales professionals have attended our Procurement Masterclass workshops, delivered both virtually and in person.
Designed for Sales Directors, sales leaders, key account managers and business development professionals, these highly practical workshops provide a clear understanding of how professional buyers think, negotiate and make decisions.
Using live opportunities and real customer accounts, participants develop actionable strategies that can be applied immediately. The programme combines:
- Procurement best practice and buyer psychology
- Advanced sales and negotiation techniques
- Account planning frameworks
- Practical tools and templates
- Real-world coaching and expert guidance
The result is a more confident sales team, stronger commercial negotiations and improved business outcomes.
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Lots of salespeople, be they junior or very senior, shy away from engaging with procurement. Maybe they view them as some sort of ogre. They aren’t, they are human beings. However, their agenda is very different to that of the salesperson. You need to get ready for the right conversation.
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