In an increasingly complex and competitive landscape, procurement has evolved from a back-office function to a strategic driver of business performance. Whether you’re aiming to optimise costs, enhance supply chain resilience, embed sustainability, or harness digital tools, working with the right procurement consulting provider can make all the difference.
But with countless firms offering similar-sounding services, how do you separate the best from the rest?
Here’s what to look for in a procurement consultancy that will truly move the needle.
1. Proven sector experience
Look for a consultancy with experience in your specific industry. This might be the oil and gas sector, life sciences, retail, HR… if a procurement consultancy has experience in your sector, they’ll understand your regulatory landscape, supply market dynamics, and operational challenges, meaning you spend less time explaining and more time solving. Ask for case studies and references that show real results in your sector.
2. Depth of expertise, not just buzzwords
Procurement buzzwords are everywhere, but what matters is whether the consultants can translate these into practical, measurable improvements. Look for teams with a strong blend of operational experience and strategic thinking. Can they roll up their sleeves when needed? Do they understand the tech and the human factors?
3. A collaborative approach
You’re not just buying a report: you’re engaging a partner to help shape internal processes, influence stakeholders, and deliver sustainable outcomes. The best procurement consultants will work alongside your teams, not over them. They’ll listen, challenge respectfully, and focus on long term capability building and leaving a lasting legacy, not just quick wins.
4. Track record of value delivery
Whether it’s cost savings, risk reduction, improved compliance or supplier innovation, results matter. Look for firms that measure their success by the tangible outcomes they help you achieve. Be wary of vague ROI claims: a good provider will be confident in providing benchmarks, KPIs, and evidence of real-world impact.
5. Technological understanding
Today’s procurement function is increasingly digital. From spend analytics platforms to contract lifecycle management and AI-powered sourcing tools, a good consultant must understand the tools available, and more importantly, how to implement them effectively.
Your procurement consultant doesn’t need to be a software provider themselves, but they should know the landscape, be platform-agnostic, and help you make the right decisions for your organisation.
6. Focus on sustainability and ESG
Sustainability is now a core procurement consideration. Your consulting partner should understand how to integrate ESG criteria into sourcing, supplier selection, and contract management. Whether it’s supporting net-zero goals, local supplier inclusion or ethical risk management, sustainability should be embedded, not an afterthought.
Choosing a procurement consultancy: final thoughts
Choosing a procurement consulting provider is a strategic decision. It’s not just about finding the most cost-effective solution, it’s about finding a partner who understands your business, challenges your assumptions, and delivers lasting value.
When you find a procurement consultancy that combines deep expertise with genuine collaboration, the potential for transformation is immense.
At Accelerate, we are experts in building better partnerships. However, we believe that the most meaningful partnership of all is that between us and our client. We have walked in your shoes, which means we understand the challenges you face each day, and we bring the knowledge and expertise to help you work through them and come out stronger. We are supportive, we understand, we’ve been there. It’s this experience that allows us to be a true partner to our clients. We want to help you become the very best you can be.