Case studies
Three tail spend programmes, described as they were scoped and delivered.
Clients are described by sector and scale rather than named, because publishing a client's results needs their permission. We can arrange an introduction to a reference on request, matched to your sector and systems.
Energy management and automation
Replacing a global tail spend provider across the Gulf
A global specialist in energy management and automation · Live since August 2023
5Gulf countries served
3 daysSLA for a quick RFQ
2 daysSLA for supplier onboarding
AED 200kpurchase order ceiling, any category
The situation
Tail spend already ran through a transactional provider, but that provider sat in the United States. Distance was the whole problem: no local presence and no real read on Gulf supplier markets, so quick requirements waited and local suppliers were hard to qualify. The client went looking for a regional replacement rather than a second global contract.
What we run
- Took over the incumbent's scope across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman
- Buying desk team handling non-catalogue and ad hoc requirements to agreed protocols
- Marketplace for the recurring categories, any indirect or direct requirement up to an AED 200,000 purchase order value
- Supplier sourcing and onboarding run locally, against Gulf markets rather than a global supplier list
- Turnaround times written into the service as SLAs, not offered as targets
What changed
- More than 100 transactional procurement activities run through the buying desk
- Scope expanding from the Gulf towards the wider Middle East and Africa region
We had onboarded CollectiveSpend and since then, it is totally a game-changer for us. Their expertise, dedication, and tailored solutions have significantly improved our procurement processes, resulting in cost savings and increased efficiency.
Indirect Procurement Leader at the clientTail spend inside an existing Coupa estate
A Fortune 500 global manufacturer · Ongoing
100%of ordering inside the client's existing Coupa system
AED 50kpurchase order ceiling, any category
Ongoinglong-term partnership
The situation
Low-value purchasing was spread across a long supplier tail, and there was no appetite for a second system to log into. Anything new had to work inside Coupa, which the client's people already used every day, or it would not be adopted whatever it saved.
What we run
- Marketplace integrated with the client's Coupa procurement system by punch-out
- Buying desk service for the non-catalogue requirements Coupa does not cover
- Coverage of any category, indirect or direct, up to AED 50,000 per purchase order
- Pre-vetted, contracted and managed suppliers, so requesters choose from a known set rather than starting a sourcing exercise
What changed
- Supplier fragmentation reduced by consolidating onto pre-vetted suppliers
- A search and order experience the client's internal users compare to Amazon
- Touchless purchase order issue once the client's own approval chain clears
Consumer brands, Middle East and Africa
The same service across two different ERP estates
Two global consumer brands, one in chemicals and personal care, one in sportswear · Ongoing
2ERP estates, one service
AED 200kpurchase order ceiling, any category
MEAcoverage, all indirect categories
The situation
Both had capable regional procurement teams losing a disproportionate share of their week to low-value, high-volume purchases across Middle East and Africa markets, where a global catalogue has thin coverage. Neither would accept a process that sat outside the approval workflow they already ran.
What we run
- SAP Ariba punch-out integration for the chemicals and personal care group, with the existing approval workflow left intact
- Marketplace and buying desk services across all indirect categories for both
- Coverage of any category up to an AED 200,000 purchase order value
- Regional supplier knowledge applied to MEA markets, where the incumbent global catalogues were thin
What changed
- Approval workflows kept as they were, so nothing changed for the requester
- Procurement time released from transactional buying back to category strategy
- Automation and centralisation across categories previously handled one purchase order at a time
Questions we get asked
Why are the clients not named?
Publishing a client's results needs their permission, and we would rather show you the real scope and the real service levels anonymously than a named logo with nothing behind it. We can arrange an introduction to a reference on request.
Which procurement systems do you integrate with?
Punch-out integration to Coupa, SAP Ariba, SAP, Oracle, Jaggaer, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Ivalua. Integration typically takes two to three weeks including testing. Details are passed back to your system for your own approval process before a purchase order is issued.
What size of purchase does this cover?
It is set per client. The ceilings in these three programmes are AED 50,000 and AED 200,000 per purchase order, covering any category, indirect or direct. Above the ceiling, the purchase goes through your normal sourcing route.
Do you work outside the Gulf?
Yes. These programmes run across the Gulf and the wider Middle East and Africa region. We are also establishing a presence in Riyadh to support Saudi clients directly.
