Indirect Procurement represents a significant portion of expenditure for many companies. However, successful indirect procurement management can be a challenging task, requiring a keen focus on ongoing trends and potential risks. It focuses on optimising costs and supplier relationships to support overall organisational efficiency and effectiveness.
Organisations face challenges such as managing complex sourcing needs, effective supplier management across diverse categories, and maintaining regulatory compliance with integrated procurement technologies. However, advancements in technology present opportunities to significantly improve efficiency and enhance business continuity amidst diverse market conditions.
In this lively hour-long webinar, Greg Anderson of WNS Procurement and Graham Crawshaw of CASME were joined by Justin Virden, Executive Director & Global Head of Indirect Procurement, Global Strategic Sourcing at Amgen, and Aditya Jain, Senior Director at Visa to discuss the complexities of indirect spend management. Together, they delved into the current landscape of Indirect Procurement, covering:
The impact of rising inflation on contracts and suppliers
Labour and talent shortages in multiple industries and indirect categories
The evolving risk management dynamic and how to stay ahead
Engaging the right stakeholders to leverage support and decision-making power
Watch the full webinar to discover how we can create continuous value, optimise indirect spending, and turn ongoing challenges into opportunities.
FAQs
1. How does WNS Procurement help organizations optimize indirect procurement spend and manage supplier relationships?
WNS Procurement optimizes WNS Procurement Indirect Procurement by transforming fragmented, ad-hoc purchasing into a unified, strategic growth engine. They utilize deep category expertise and AI-driven analytics to pull back the curtain on hidden costs and consolidation opportunities. For supplier management, WNS facilitates proactive monitoring and innovation enablement, shifting relationships from purely transactional to value-based partnerships that reduce operational risk and improve cross-functional performance.
2. What frameworks or technologies does WNS Procurement use to mitigate risks and improve efficiency in indirect procurement?
WNS leverages its WNS Procurement Indirect Procurement Solutions through a "Category-Driven, Insights-Led" operating model powered by the AI+HI (Artificial Intelligence + Human Intelligence) framework. Key technologies include the Category Manager Workspace for end-to-end monitoring and PIA+ (GenAI search) for intelligent intake. To mitigate risk, they employ the Event Risk Impact Mitigation (ERIM) tool and real-time supply chain monitoring to ensure resilience across diverse indirect categories.
3. How can companies adapt their indirect procurement strategies to manage inflation and supply chain disruptions?
A resilient Indirect Procurement Strategy in 2026 requires shifting from static cost-first models to fluid, multi-region supply networks. To combat inflation, companies should implement flexible pricing indexed to recognized benchmarks and conduct scenario-based contingency modeling. Prioritizing financial resilience over immediate margin and diversifying the supplier base across different geographies ensures that operations can flex as global economic conditions or regulatory dynamics evolve.
4. What are best practices for stakeholder engagement in indirect procurement decisions?
Effective Indirect Procurement Stakeholder Management relies on early and continuous engagement to align procurement goals with departmental needs. Best practices include stakeholder mapping to tailor messaging based on influence and interest, and fostering transparency by clearly explaining decision-making criteria. Using collaborative workshops and cross-functional teams ensures diverse perspectives are considered, while documented feedback loops demonstrate how stakeholder input directly impacts final procurement outcomes.
5. How can organizations identify opportunities for continuous value creation in indirect procurement?
To drive Continuous Value in Indirect Procurement, organizations must move beyond "quick win" savings to a structured opportunity assessment framework. This involves using Spend Cubes and advanced analytics to uncover hidden potential, alongside regular demand management reviews. By centralizing indirect spend on a unified AI platform, teams can identify recurring "maverick" spend and re-negotiate contracts through bundled volumes, ensuring that value is captured sustainably across the entire enterprise lifecycle.