We are asked all sorts of questions as consultants but there are a few that agencies ask about repeatedly.  One that comes to mind is the role of procurement and if we see them having a more impactful role on a client’s marketing.   The answer is yes, just like the agencies experience, we also see procurement taking a larger role than in years past.  But should they?  

ANA Study Shows Wide Disparity on Procurement Value (AdAge, June 21) was quite interesting.  It’s not overly surprising that there is a gap in perception between agencies and procurement but it is surprising that there is such a gap between procurement and the marketing teams.  We often find that the challenge for procurement is wanting the ability to put a price on talent.   Unlike operations or finance, agencies’ offerings are hard to quantify; talent is not a commodity.   To solve this problem, agencies, marketing departments and procurement departments need to be in constant communication and educate each other about goals, objectives, capabilities and needs from the first day of any relationship.  And if it’s an existing relationship, it’s never too late to engage procurement with the team.