10/04/2026
Question for procurement teams: Have you ever lost a vendor because your internal process was too slow or painful for them?
No shame. It happens more than anyone admits.
The vendor calls it a “red flag.” Your team calls it “just how we do things.” But in a supply chain where good vendors have options, friction is a silent killer.
We’ve heard this story a dozen times:
- Vendor submits quote
- PO gets stuck in approvals for 6 weeks
- Vendor either pulls the quote or stops responding
- You never see it coming because they don’t complain—they just move on
What’s really happening: They’re comparing your process to their other customers. And if you’re slower, harder to work with, or less predictable on payment, you lose.
The cost isn’t just the vendor swap. It’s the smaller pool of suppliers you can choose from. It’s your team stuck in manual workarounds. It’s price premiums from vendors who factor in your admin friction.
So here’s the real question: How many vendors have you quietly lost this year? Not to price. To process.