A recent Spend Matters webinar, "The Power of Orchestration in Supplier Management," explored the...
When I was a kid—long before iPads, smartphones, or even Mario Kart—Chutes and Ladders was a household staple. The rules were simple: roll the die, move your piece, climb ladders when luck is on your side, and hope to avoid the dreaded chutes that send you sliding backward.
And yet, I never actually enjoyed it.
Losing was frustrating—but even when I won, my main feeling was relief. Relief that I’d survived the journey without tumbling too many times down a chute that wiped out my progress.
Years later, I’ve realized that many employees feel the exact same way—not about a board game, but about the procurement process.
The Modern Chutes and Ladders of Procurement
Let’s say you’re a requester trying to get a contract approved, to buy new software, or onboard a vendor. You initiate the procurement intake process—maybe through a form, an email, or just by asking around. You start making progress.
You’re climbing that ladder.
Then, suddenly—you hit a chute.
- “You’re missing a contract.”
- “That vendor hasn’t completed compliance review.”
- “We need a security assessment.”
- “Oops, this hasn’t been budget-approved yet.”
Down you go.
And not just a few steps. Sometimes, it’s all the way back to the beginning. You’re chasing down documents, involving new stakeholders, re-entering information, and re-submitting forms. All your momentum? Gone.
Eventually—if you’re persistent—you reach the finish line. But the feeling isn’t celebration. It’s relief that you survived the gauntlet.
Just like the game.
Procurement Isn’t a Game
That’s the real problem: procurement isn’t a game, but it often feels like one—a game where the rules aren’t clear, the process is fragmented, and your success depends more on navigating hidden pitfalls than on doing great work.
And that’s not okay. In business, time is money. Delays in procurement workflows cost productivity. Redundancy kills morale. And trust in the procurement process erodes with every unexpected setback.
When teams are just trying to get what they need to move the business forward, they shouldn’t feel like they’re on a chaotic game board. They should feel confident, empowered, and supported by a streamlined procurement process.
Rather than ripping and replacing existing systems – an expensive and highly disruptive approach – procurement orchestration offers a more elegant solution. ORO Labs has developed an AI-powered platform that creates a single “front door” for all procurement-related activities.
Why This Keeps Happening
Why do so many procurement processes feel this way? It usually boils down to three main issues:
- Lack of Guidance:
Requesters don’t know what’s needed until it’s too late. They’re not given a full picture of requirements—contracts, reviews, approvals—up front. - Disconnected Processes:
Even when the steps are known, they’re scattered across tools, teams, and timelines. There’s no orchestration or workflow automation tying it all together. - Process Bypass (people cheat!):
When the procurement process is too confusing or painful, users go around it. They bypass intake management, purchase with a credit card, or skip steps and hope no one notices.
And everyone loses. The requester is frustrated, the procurement team lacks visibility, and the business carries more risk than it realizes.
The Fix: Intake and Procurement Orchestration
Fortunately, there’s a better way—one that removes the chutes and builds only ladders. The secret? Two words: Intake and Orchestration.
🎯 Intake: The Smart Front Door
A good procurement intake process meets the user where they are. It understands the nature of the request and dynamically gathers the right information up front. It asks the right questions, points the user to the appropriate policies, and ensures that everything needed to move forward is captured from the start.
That means no nasty surprises, no hidden requirements, and no painful rework.
🔄 Orchestration: Connecting the Dots
Once intake is complete, procurement orchestration ensures that the request flows seamlessly through the necessary steps:
- Legal review? Automatically triggered.
- Security check? Assigned with the right context.
- Budget validation? Routed to Finance with no manual chasing.
Stakeholders get what they need when they need it, and the requester doesn’t have to manage the chaos. Everyone gains visibility, accountability, and momentum through a streamlined procurement workflow.
No more rolling the dice.
From Relief to Joy: The Future of Procurement
Here’s the kicker: it’s not enough to simply remove frustration. A great procurement experience should deliver joy.
Why? Because getting the tools, vendors, and support you need to do your job well should feel empowering. It should feel like progress—like the business is working with you, not against you.
We need to move beyond designing systems that people simply tolerate. It’s time to design procurement processes people truly appreciate.
When procurement is powered by intelligent intake management and seamless orchestration, there are no chutes—only ladders. And the goal isn’t just to make it to the end. It’s to enjoy the climb.
Let’s build a procurement experience that lifts people up—without ever sending them back down.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is procurement orchestration?
Procurement orchestration is the process of connecting and automating all procurement steps—such as intake, approvals, compliance checks, and vendor onboarding—into a seamless, efficient workflow. Learn more
How does intake management improve procurement efficiency?
Intake management ensures that all necessary information and documentation are collected at the very beginning, reducing bottlenecks, minimizing errors, and streamlining the procurement process.
What are the benefits of digital procurement transformation?
Digital procurement transformation leverages automation and workflow tools to improve visibility, compliance, and efficiency, ultimately reducing risk and enhancing the user experience.
Ready to streamline your procurement process?
Discover how ORO Labs can help you build a smarter, more joyful procurement experience. Request a Demo
