True Collaboration – Not Just Influence and Order-Hunting
- Lauri Vihonen
- Apr 29
- 2 min read
Over the past months, I have written several blogs about collaboration between procurement and sales. Now I want to continue the theme—reflecting on two recent observations.
First, I came across a sales training program. Its content focused almost entirely on internal, transactional sales themes: influencing, argumentation, and closing. The word “purchase” appeared only once—at the very end, under the topic “What happens at the moment of purchase decision.” That says a lot: purchasing is seen as a brief transactional moment, not as a foundation for long-term cooperation between customer and supplier.
Second, I read a LinkedIn post by a well-known sales influencer about a dartboard: the cheapest option looked good but turned out to be unusable. The same thing happens every day in B2B purchasing—decisions based purely on unit price often ignore usability, long-term value, and total cost of ownership.
Transactional Sales Does Not Build Partnerships
If sales remains transactional, it turns into simple order-hunting:
The focus is on closing a deal, not building a lasting relationship.
Price and the immediate purchase decision dominate, while long-term value is forgotten.
The joint goals of procurement and business are overlooked.
Without understanding the full picture, sales loses the opportunity to build trust and strategic partnerships.
Procurement Enables Business Value
Good procurement does not block progress—it enables it:
It ensures that solutions genuinely support business goals.
It analyzes total cost, usability, and lifecycle benefits—not just the purchase price.
It builds contracts that support the success of both parties.
In addition, procurement works closely with business stakeholders—because procurement’s mission is to safeguard business value and ensure contracts are fair and balanced for everyone.
Summary: Building Value Together
When sales, procurement, and business teams collaborate properly:
They better understand each other’s logic and goals.
They create solutions that genuinely deliver value—not just fill budget lines.
They establish true partnerships, not just individual deals.
It’s not about who can close the sale fastest. It’s about who can create sustainable, business-driven collaboration.
Do we want to remain transactional order-hunters—or become value creators and trusted partners?
The choice is ours.
Do you want to develop true collaboration?
.
📅 Book a free strategy session
No obligations – but it might open a new direction.
📧 Contact me directly:
Phone: +358 50 4381912
Website: www.leadersbeacon.fi
Best regards,
Lauri Vihonen
Author of True Collaboration Blog
I’ve written more than 200 blogs on procurement’s role, challenges, and opportunities – always grounded in real-world experience, successes, and lessons learned.
If you’re considering improving your procurement or recognized some familiar challenges, I recommend browsing my writings. You’ll find practical tools, insights, and ideas tailored to different industries and situations.
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