How Ramp’s 2025 Procurement Report can help you become a more strategic leader

There’s never been a better time to be in procurement.

The field is in hyper-growth: there’s more mindshare, available roles, technology, and opportunity to drive strategic value than ever before. Amid trade wars, supply chain disruptions, market volatility, and high interest rates, business leaders are craving efficiency. For procurement professionals, this is a moment to emerge from the back office and drive impact.

As the group responsible for buying the goods and services a company needs to stay in business, procurement teams are well-positioned to drive cost efficiency across the organization. Long considered a cost savings center, procurement is taking on a new identity as a strategic lever. The best procurement leaders are capitalizing on this moment, becoming voices of authority in high-level decisions. However, many continue to struggle with familiar challenges.

These procurement practitioners are often portrayed as the “bad cops” and face roadblocks because of it. They struggle to become more strategic because they lack the support and tools they need to pivot from their transactional roots. Without the tools they need for breakthrough improvements, they get bogged down in the same administrative work: chasing approvals and people through disparate systems and workflows.

We surveyed business leaders to better understand the major challenges that procurement professionals face today. The results are telling and suggest procurement teams remain focused on day-to-day operations:

• 75% of respondents feel manual processes and inefficiencies are still a big problem.
• 63% see lack of visibility into company spend as a major issue.
• 52% report that employee purchasing volume has become unmanageable.

But the numbers also suggest that procurement pros are looking for a better way. They’re seeking out new efficiencies through technology—more than 90% of respondents say they find automation, insights, and fast implementation to be critical features. It’s a sign that change is imminent.

The Ramp 2025 State of Procurement report is designed to help you identify and capitalize on the technologies and tools available to you. It breaks down:

• Top pains that actually motivate business leaders to uplevel their process
• What decision-makers prioritize as they evaluate solutions
• How companies that have modernized procurement perform in key areas

My hope is that we seize this opportunity and redefine procurement together. That you feel empowered and equipped to help your organization build a competitive advantage.

Start redefining procurement today by uncovering the complete insights and actions in our State of Procurement report.