Top Challenges in IT Procurement for 2025
In today's dynamic IT environment, procurement teams face various challenges that can impact budgets, timelines, and overall efficiency. Proactive approaches through strategic planning, well-defined requirements, and awareness of compliance deadlines are essential for success.
Flow's expertise in managing these complexities ensures that businesses remain ahead of the curve and achieve their strategic goals.
This article highlights today's most significant hurdles in IT procurement and offers actionable insights to help organisations prepare.
1. Lack of Clear Requirements
According to a Forrester study, 55% of IT procurement teams struggle with defining clear requirements, which can lead to unclear specifications, mismatched solutions, increased costs, and project delays.
Flow ensures a detailed understanding of your business needs, validating all equipment interoperability and ensuring stakeholders are involved.
2. Rapidly Changing Technology
Technology evolves rapidly, making it challenging to procure relevant IT solutions. Gartner predicts that 50% of large global companies will implement AI, advanced analytics, and IoT in their supply chains by 2025.
Flow selects scalable, interoperable, and flexible solutions, conducting continuous market research to anticipate and adapt to technological shifts.
3. Vendor Management Issues
According to Deloitte, 60% of organisations struggle with vendor management, leading to service failures, pricing inconsistencies, and compliance risks.
Flow implements a structured evaluation framework, regular audits, clear service-level agreements (SLAs), and risk assessments to build strong supplier relationships.
4. Budgeting & Cost Overruns
Gartner states that 50% of IT projects exceed budget due to hidden expenses and external factors like inflation.
Flow conducts total cost of ownership (TCO) analyses, establishes cost controls, negotiates volume discounts, and maintains financial flexibility to manage expenditures effectively.
5. Supply Chain Disruptions
Geopolitical tensions and global crises expose IT supply chain vulnerabilities. Marketdojo notes that US trade tariffs and China's slowdown drive businesses to diversify supply chains.
Flow enhances resilience by diversifying suppliers, developing contingency plans, and investing in predictive analytics.
6. Logistics & Customs Compliance
Maersk forecasts new tariffs and regulations in 2025, adding complexity to global IT procurement.
Flow leverages leading logistics providers to stay ahead of regulatory changes, ensuring seamless compliance and delivery.
Click here for a list of key compliance updates for 2025.
7. Regulatory Compliance
Navigating regulatory complexities is a constant challenge. Clifford Chance states that starting July 2024, the CSDDD requires organisations to assess human rights and environmental impacts across their supply chains.
Flow integrates compliance into procurement, conducting risk assessments to minimise legal and operational risks.
8. Quality Control Concerns
Choosing unreliable suppliers can lead to defective products, causing system failures, security issues, and increased downtime.
Flow addresses these challenges by emphasising comprehensive technical training and strict adherence to industry standards, ensuring high-quality standards and reliability.
9. Cybersecurity Risks
The increasing interconnectivity of supply chains heightens cybersecurity risks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stresses the need to mitigate risks across distributed supply chains.
Flow minimises these risks with stringent cybersecurity measures, including encrypted communication and third-party risk assessments.
10. Cultural & Communication Barriers
Global IT procurement requires collaboration across multiple regions with distinct business practices. Keystone highlights that cultural factors can lead to misunderstandings.
Flow bridges these gaps using established local partners, ensuring strong relationship management and streamlined global procurement processes.
With offices in the UK, US and mainland Europe, Flow demonstrates a robust global presence and leverages its network of trusted partners worldwide.
Navigating IT Procurement Challenges with Flow
IT procurement is more complex than ever, but the right strategies can help organisations mitigate risks and drive efficiency.
Flow's experts specialise in helping businesses navigate procurement complexities and ensure optimal technology investments, cost control, and compliance. Please speak to our specialists today to streamline your IT procurement processes and future-proof your technology investments.
In our upcoming blogs, we will explore AI, quantum computing, and networking, focusing on how these technologies are shaping the future of IT, driving innovation, and redefining connectivity. Stay tuned!
Sources
- Brex: Forrester Global Spend Management
- Adam Procure: Procurement Trends 2025
- Deloitte: Global Outsourcing Survey 2024
- Marketdojo: Procurement Trends Revealed: What's New and Surprising in 2025
- Epista: Tips for Successful Data Migrations
- Clifford Chance: CSDDD: The Start of Dutch Implementation
- NIST: Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management
- Keystone Procurement: Cultural Barriers in Global Sourcing
