Our Webinars
Our ND90 webinars at the Shelf Procurement Solutions Ltd. (TSPSL), is a space where procurement and supply chain practitioners can learn, grow and share best practices while having coffee at their desk!
Participant's Comment
In one of The Shelf’s recent ND90 webinars, a participant raised a great point:
“These negotiation concepts are very compelling, and I have long been interested in making them a core component of our procurement process. However, how do you secure buy-in within large procuring entities where procurement departments are critically understaffed—often with a single officer managing 50 or more projects simultaneously, many requiring PPC or Cabinet approval? In such environments, the primary focus is often on obtaining approvals to meet internal and external mandates, leaving little room for meaningful negotiation. Procurement staff may view it as an added administrative burden, while end users are primarily concerned with completing the process as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this is the reality on the ground in some high-volume PEs.”
What We Propose
Our Team reflected on these comments and here’s what we propose. Securing buy-in for implementing negotiation concepts in large procuring entities with critically understaffed procurement departments is indeed a challenging task. However, here are some practical strategies that might help navigate this reality:
- Streamline Processes to Create Room for Negotiation: Consider integrating negotiation practices into existing workflows without adding significant administrative burdens. Automated tools or frameworks that simplify routine tasks can free up time for staff to focus on negotiation. Think of your mundane, repetitive tasks, and automate them!
- Training and Capacity Building: Provide targeted training to procurement officers, emphasizing how a planned negotiation can save time and improve outcomes in the long run. Practical examples and success stories can help convey the tangible benefits of negotiating effectively.
- Leverage Technology: Invest in procurement software that supports negotiation strategies, such as automated analytics tools for assessing supplier proposals or collaborative platforms for managing high-volume projects. Historical data provides rich insights for negotiation planning.
- Secure Leadership Support: Advocate for resources with top management to secure their buy-in. When leaders prioritize and champion negotiation, it often translates into operational support across the entity.
- Communicate the Value Proposition: Present negotiation not as an "added task," but as a powerful tool that enhances efficiency and maximizes the value of procurement—benefiting both the entity and the end users. Many transactions may be planned via restricted bidding or open bidding, with pre-determined evaluation points. Others, however, can be designed to include a requirement to negotiate. Not all fifty (50) projects being managed, will require negotiation. Choose the few that best fits this need.
- Pilot Program for Proof of Concept: Implement negotiation strategies in a small subset of projects as a pilot program e.g. a specific category of spend where there is a lot or even little competition. Use the results to showcase successes and build momentum for broader adoption.
- Foster Collaboration Between Stakeholders: Encourage open dialogue between procurement staff and end users to address concerns and identify mutual benefits. Collaboration can lead to smoother implementation of negotiation practices.
- Prioritize High-Impact Projects: Focus negotiation efforts on high-impact, high-value projects where the benefits of negotiation will be most visible. Again, choose the few that best fits this need.
By demonstrating how negotiation aligns with both internal mandates and external demands, while offering long-term advantages, you can work toward gradually securing buy-in even in resource-constrained environments.
What’s next? Join us!
- April 25, 2025 – register for the finale in this FREE webinar series focused on negotiations.
- May 16, 2025 – register for our practical workshop day on negotiations planning, simulations, culture in negotiations and emotional intelligence.
Organizations are increasingly affected by artificial intelligence and the pace of accessing information needed to make a deal. With an interesting shift in information asymmetry, what is next? Getting the best deal has become increasingly important in day-to-day negotiations. Organizations seek to deliver increased value to customers and shareholders. Most people use this skill to influence others and achieve business objectives.
Our Team analyses data to lead conversations on increasing value for money in procurement competitions. We are seeking to bring professionals together to:
✓ Engage and collaborate to understand relevant negotiation theories, tools, and best practices.
✓ Share expert opinion with peers and build your professional network.