Daily struggles in finance & procurement (part 2) - Everyone does things differently
Recognizable? Lack of process discipline and maverick buying are daily challenges for many organizations. In this blog, we delve deeper into three common frustrations and how to address them.
Struggle 1: orders outside the contract
"I saw your order pass by – did you know we already have a good deal for that through our regular supplier?"
Despite clear agreements, employees place orders with suppliers without a contract. This leads to missed discounts, unclear conditions, and a lack of control over expenses.
What happens then?
- You miss out on agreed discounts and conditions.
- The overview of expenses and suppliers becomes lost.
- The administration becomes more complex and error-prone.
How can it be improved? Prevent maverick buying by creating an ordering environment that helps employees make the right choices. Work with catalogs of approved suppliers, linked to current contracts and prices. Set up the system to automatically follow the correct steps and approvals, depending on, for example, the expenditure amount or department. By showing only relevant options and limiting free input fields, you prevent deviations. With real-time insight into orders, you can immediately see where adjustments are needed. That way, the desired behaviour naturally becomes the easiest route.
Struggle 2: complex ordering applications
"Every time I ask myself: how did it also work again?"
An overly complex or technical system can intimidate users. They look for alternative routes, which leads to inconsistent processes and frustration.
What do you notice from this?
- Low adoption of the system.
- Users find workarounds outside the system.
- Frustration and errors increase.
How do you solve this? Choose software designed with the end user in mind: intuitive to use, with clear workflows and a logical interface. When employees find their way effortlessly, frustration decreases and adoption naturally rises. Combine this with good onboarding and personal support, so users feel supported from day one. Trust and ease of use go hand in hand — and together form the foundation for success.
Struggle 3: time-consuming ordering processes
"It takes me so much time and effort to place an order, and I still have so much to do for my own job!"
If ordering takes too much time, employees look for faster (but undesirable) routes. This leads to errors, frustration, and wasted time.
What are the consequences?
- Employees spend unnecessarily a lot of time on administrative tasks.
- Errors and duplicate orders occur more frequently.
- The focus on core tasks diminishes.
How can you work more efficiently? Ensure that ordering becomes a natural act rather than a barrier. By using punch-out catalogs and smart automation, employees only need to select what's necessary — the application handles the rest. This way, the focus remains on the real work, while the ordering process remains quick, error-free, and compliant.
Stay in control
Do you recognize these situations? Then it's time to take a critical look at how your ordering process is set up. By opting for a user-friendly approach that supports employees rather than hinders them, engagement increases and discipline improves. Orders are executed as agreed, clarity is restored, and unexpected costs are avoided.
In short: if everyone follows the same process, work becomes much easier — and that's exactly what our finance and procurement software is designed for.
Let's get in touch!
How can we assist you?
Get in touch and we’ll hear from each other soon!