How procurement teams can drive long-term value through data visibility

Procurement teams face constant challenges: balancing costs, managing supply chains, and improving efficiency. Yet one of the biggest barriers to progress often goes unnoticed - a lack of clear, accessible data.

When organisations improve visibility over their purchasing, processes, and suppliers, they can reduce complexity, make better decisions, and build more resilient operations.

Why data visibility matters in procurement

Many businesses generate vast amounts of data, but without clear visibility, teams struggle to identify inefficiencies, realise savings, or plan confidently.

Data visibility gives procurement teams a real-time view of spend, supplier activity, and purchasing patterns. With that insight, it becomes easier to:

• Simplify processes and save time

• Make smarter, more strategic purchasing decisions

• Increase resilience to supply chain disruptions

• Support sustainability by choosing the right suppliers

   

With Amazon Business Spend Visibility, teams can track top-purchased items, monitor purchasing activity by department, and ensure purchases align with procurement policies — all in one place.

How data visibility supports resilience

Leading organisations across diverse sectors demonstrate how data can simplify procurement operations and support strategic goals.

Travel & Hospitality

Costa Crociere, a global cruise operator, faces the complex challenge of managing procurement across both land-based operations and an international fleet of vessels. With over two million guests a year and highly fragmented product categories, delivering consistent, high-quality experiences requires precise coordination. Their procurement teams manage everything from front-of-house items (which directly impact guest satisfaction) to critical back-of-house supplies essential for daily operations.

By enhancing data visibility, Costa has been able to streamline processes, improve supplier collaboration, and optimise decision-making — even in a highly dynamic environment where port schedules, shipping lead times, and multiple purchasing offices must be aligned.

Through their partnership with Amazon Business, Costa Crociere has simplified the management of tail-spend. By leveraging Amazon’s logistics network, they’ve improved delivery times, reduced administrative complexity, and ensured their supply chain runs smoothly both at sea and on land.

Healthcare

In the healthcare sector, East London NHS Foundation Trust, which delivers mental health and community services across more than 200 sites, has also prioritised data-driven procurement to safeguard services and drive efficiencies. The Trust serves over one million people annually, with non-pay spend exceeding £200 million a year — making procurement oversight critical.

At the start of their transformation, the Trust had limited visibility into purchasing, with some staff using personal accounts to buy items or making purchases outside agreed processes. This created inefficiencies, fragmented data, and added complexity.

By consolidating purchasing through Amazon Business, the Trust has gained a real-time view of organisational spend. With tools such as Amazon Business Analytics dashboards, procurement teams now track top-purchased products, monitor purchasing activity by department, and easily identify policy compliance issues.

One example included identifying unexpected spend on items like DIY bead bracelet sets. While these purchases may seem unusual at first glance, are vital therapeutic tools in some rehabilitation settings. This level of insight helps the Trust understand tail spend and make more strategic purchasing decisions.

Standardising products (such as office supplies or white goods) has also reduced costs and simplified processes. For instance, the Trust identified cases where multiple versions of everyday items were being purchased unnecessarily. Using insights from Amazon Business, they created standard catalogues to ensure purchases meet both quality and budget requirements.

The combination of improved visibility and streamlined processes has strengthened resilience and enabled the Trust to redirect savings to frontline care. In a climate of NHS restructuring and financial pressure, procurement data is also helping mitigate the need for headcount reductions — protecting essential roles and supporting long-term organisational sustainability.

Building long-term value through Smart Business Buying

Beyond short-term savings, better data visibility helps organisations plan for the future. With clearer insight into purchasing behaviour and supplier relationships, teams can:

• Standardise processes and avoid unnecessary purchases

• Negotiate more effectively with suppliers

• Track progress towards cost savings and efficiency targets

• Make informed decisions that support sustainability goals

   

What’s next for procurement teams?

Digital platforms and real-time dashboards are reshaping procurement processes. Some organisations are already using AI and automation to take this further, but even simple steps can make a significant difference. For example, Guided Buying policies available with Business Prime help direct employees to pre-approved products, while restricting unapproved categories — reducing off-contract spend and supporting compliance without adding administrative complexity.   

The most effective approach starts with clear priorities. Focus on the data that matters, ensure your teams can access it easily, and use it to support better decision-making at every level.

If your organisation is working to improve procurement visibility, consider:

• Aligning data to clear objectives, such as reducing complexity or improving supplier performance

• Providing simple, actionable insights that support day-to-day decisions

• Communicating the benefits clearly, showing how improvements link to business outcomes

   

Procurement is no longer just about transactional purchasing; it’s central to achieving operational excellence and long-term organisational value. Improving data visibility is fundamental to achieving this.

When procurement teams have access to the right data, presented in the right way, they can reduce complexity, make more informed decisions, and help build organisations that are resilient, efficient, and prepared for future challenges.

Data isn’t just numbers — it’s a tool to unlock your organisation’s potential and drive sustainable, long-term value.