According to the 4th edition of the Digital Procurement Success (DPS) barometer produced by the Conseil National des Achats, the digital transformation of purchasing departments in 2024 will be at a turning point, marked by increased budget constraints but also by the emergence of new technological opportunities.
A transformation context under pressure
The study, which surveyed more than 115 Purchasing decision-makers, reveals a worrying trend: budgets dedicated to the digitalization of Purchasing departments are down on 2023. Fewer than one in five decision-makers believe they have sufficient resources to successfully carry out their digital transformation. This paradoxical situation comes at a time when almost 50% of respondents plan to launch digitalization projects in the next 12 months.
The impact of new regulations
For Jean-Luc Baras, Chairman of the CNA, new regulatory requirements such as the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) and CS3D are profoundly redefining the mission of purchasing departments. These regulatory changes are seen as a catalyst for digital transformation by over 50% of respondents, who see them as an opportunity to strengthen their strategic position within the company.
Generative AI: a revolution in the making
The arrival ofgenerative Artificial Intelligence is the other highlight of this 2024 edition. While 85% of Purchasing decision-makers consider the sharing of best practices around AI to be essential, the approach is still largely exploratory. Laurent Piechocki, Purchasing Digitalization Manager at Orange France, emphasizes that « AI is not just a ready-to-use tool, it is transforming our practices in depth ».
Data at the heart of the issues
The DPS 2024 barometer highlights the crucial importance of data quality in the success of digital transformation. Nearly 40% of Purchasing departments have already set up a governance structure dedicated to data management, while 38% are preparing to do so. However, for Sébastien Charvet, Marketing Director atAltares, « data is at the heart of Purchasing processes: having quality data is the key to making the right decisions ».
Future prospects
Despite budgetary constraints, nearly 60% of Purchasing decision-makers consider it necessary to maintain investment in digitalization to prepare for the end of the crisis. For Michael Bentolila ofInsideBoard AI, « the Purchasing departments that come out on top won’t necessarily be those with the biggest budgets, but rather those that know how to strike the right balance between technology, people and data ».
Identified priorities
The main areas of development identified by the barometer for 2024 are :
– Improvingdata processing
– Updating andadapting existing tools
– Review internal processes
– Developing team skills
Towards a new Purchasing era
This 4th edition of the DPS barometer shows that the digital transformation of Purchasing is at a turning point. For Florence Baiget, Purchasing Director of the Veolia Group, « 2024 must mark the commitment by Purchasing departments to concrete, high-performance use cases with AI ». Purchasing departments that know how to combine technological innovation, operational excellence and data control will be best positioned to meet the challenges that lie ahead.
To find out more about these results, read the full DPS 2024 barometer on the CNA website, or contact Zylio directly to find out how you can optimize your purchasing with artificial intelligence.