Automate the chaos, not the strategy

The Procurement Blueprint - Issue #2

Author

Tanya Wade
June 01, 2025

Hey, you came back!

That means a lot.

Thanks for reading. Truly.

I’ve had a bit of time to think about what this newsletter is actually for.

And no, it’s not about thought leadership (whatever that means today).

And I’m not here to sound clever either.

I just want to share the stuff that’s helped me, and might help you too.

Procurement can be hard to break into. Harder to grow in.
(And somehow even harder to explain at dinner parties).

So this space is simple:

Each issue = something genuinely useful.

And a free resource. Always.

Sometimes it’s an existant template I have. Sometimes it’s new. Either way, it’s yours.

(If you’re here for that, it’s at the bottom—no scrolling Olympics required.)

So for now, here’s what to expect each time:

Each issue brings you The Quiet Fix—a small process change you can do for free with big impact, The Tech Bit—a plain-English take on a procurement tool or trend, My Best Post Lately—a recent favourite from the community, and Freebie of the Week—a useful resource you can put to work straight away.

With that out of the way, this is is what’s in today’s issue

  • The Quiet Fix - How to stop pushback before it starts

  • The Tech Bit - The truth about procurement agents (what they are, what they aren’t)

  • My Best Post Lately - The Storytelling Canvas

  • Freebie of the Week - A free template to clean up your category planning

The Quiet Fix

Pre-Write the Objection

Most procurement changes die in the inbox.

  • The form update no one reads.

  • The policy link no one clicks.

  • The “quick guide” that doesn’t feel that quick.

But it’s not the change that fails. It’s the delivery.

Here’s the fix (borrowed from Sales techniques):

Write the pushback before it happens.

Then include it in the header, the email, the form description… wherever eyes land first.

Like this:

❝

“You’re probably wondering why we’re asking you for more supplier details, especially when it feels urgent. Here’s why…”

That line does more than explain.

It shows empathy.

It shows you thought about their frustration.
And it defuses resistance before it has time to build.

Many teams build a policy.

Only the smart ones build a narrative around it.

The Tech Bit

Procurement Agents

You’ve probably heard the term: “Procurement agent.”

It may sound like someone with a badge and a spreadsheet.

Or another chatbot with a new outfit.

But they’re starting to show up in the real world.

And unlike most things labelled “disruptive,” I believe these actually help.

Agents are designed to handle the work that blocks strategic progress:


→ Triage
→ Intake
→ Low-risk sourcing

Not just automate it. Own it.
Start to finish. No handholding.

This is what I believe makes them different:

  • Instruction-driven: Unlike RPA, they don’t need to be told what to do, step by step

  • System-independent: They don’t live inside one tool but rather they move across platforms

  • Outcome-focused: They don’t just “complete a task,” they return a result

In short, they behave more like a team member than a script.

That’s why they’re gaining traction, not because they’re shiny, but because they buy you time.

Time to think, to plan, to get involved before everything’s already on fire.

Of course, they're not a silver bullet.

  • Scrappy data? They won’t fix that

  • Already buried in tools? They’ll just join the crowd

  • Hoping to solve stakeholder chaos? That’s still your job

But if you’re buried in admin and want breathing space (without a six-month transformation) agents might be the lightest lift you’ll get.

Just make sure they’re clearing your path, not adding to the pile.

PS: A big thanks to Clemens Komorek from Zalion.ai for his input on this piece.
Zalion is building real procurement agents (not the theoretical kind) and his kind insight helped shape this (non-sponsored) section.

My Best Post Lately

This one hit a nerve, perhaps because we’ve all been there.

You’ve done the work.
The results are solid.
But no one’s listening.

This post was about how I learned to stop reporting effort, and start storytelling impact.

Freebie of the Week

Built from one of my most-shared posts: The Only 10 Slides You Need in Your Category Plan.

I’m including: an actual PowerPoint Category Strategy, a userguide, and my post’s infographic as a hi-def pdf.

If you’ve got a strategy doc gathering dust (or nothing at all) this one is for you.

PS: This one is only available for a week before it disappears so get it soon!

That’s all for now.

And as always, if something stood out (or didn’t), just hit reply. I read every one.

See you in two weeks, same time, same inbox.