Technology spending continues to be one of the largest investments most organizations have to make. Despite that, there are still companies approaching IT procurement with outdated processes, poor visibility, and reactive decisions. As a result, they overspend, underdeliver, and expose themselves to unnecessary risks. In case your procurement strategy still runs on email threads and last-minute requests, it’s time to ask: Are you taking it seriously enough?
Here are some of the most common procurement bad habits and how modern tools and a data-driven approach can help companies get it right.
Bad Habit #1 Last Minute, Reactive Buying
Buying on impulse or under pressure is one of the most damaging procurement habits. Whether it’s onboarding new hires without forecasting device needs or purchasing cloud services in response to sudden workload spikes, this reactive approach inflates costs and generates other issues along the way (poor vendor terms, compatibility issues, etc.).
Some of the latest solutions use demand forecasting powered by AI in order to anticipate refresh cycles, software license renewals, and even staff changes. Using these tools, IT procurement teams are notified ahead of time, making purchases in a proactive manner.
Bad Habit #2 Decentralized and Untracked Purchases
Procurement teams lose control and visibility when multiple departments purchase IT assets independently. Duplicate purchases, misaligned standards, and difficulty tracking total cost of ownership emerged due to decentralization. It also increases the risk of vendor lock-in and non-compliance with security policies.
Today’s IT procurement platforms offer centralized dashboards that aggregate all purchasing data – from hardware to SaaS contracts – giving decision makers a unified view. Every dollar spent is tracked when there’s integration with finance and asset management systems.
Bad Habit #3 Ignoring Total Lifecycle Cost
The focus continues to be only on upfront costs, failing to consider support, maintenance, energy use, and disposal. A cheaper device might end up costing more over time if it’s less efficient or lacks vendor support.
Using technology, companies now have access to a complete lifecycle cost analysis as part of the procurement process. Smart tools compare products not just by sticker price but by five-year ownership costs, warranty coverage, and environmental impact.
Bad Habit #4 Manual Approval Bottlenecks
Procurement slows to a crawl when approvals sit in inboxes or require multiple signatures. Teams either wait too long or bypass the process entirely, both of which can create risks. Delays cause missed opportunities or rushed purchases at unfavorable terms.
Automation tools offer customer approval workflows with policy-driven routing. These systems can streamline procurement while maintaining tight control. Approvers receive real-time alerts, and audit logs ensure accountability.
Taking IT Procurement from Administrative to Strategic
IT procurement is too often treated as a back-office function rather than a strategic lever. Leading organizations, however, see it as a core part of business agility, security posture, and sustainability.
By ditching bad habits and adopting modern procurement platforms, companies can improve cost control, reduce risk, and empower IT to better serve the business. The goal isn’t just to buy; it’s to buy smart, at the right time, from the right vendor, with full visibility from end to end.
