Best Practices for Purchasing Technology in 2016

The B2B buying process can be long, complicated, and fraught with risk. It’d be nice if a single qualified expert could run a simple cost/benefit analysis and choose the “best” option, but enterprise procurement is far from straightforward. Even small businesses must conduct a needs assessment, define their budget, collaborate among various stakeholders, and compare dozens of solutions and service providers. And the bigger the purchase, the longer and more involved the process.

This guide is a resource for professionals in any line of business who are launching a procurement project, whether that be a new software purchase, a hardware purchase, or a new service contract. To guide you through the buying process, we’ll look at six distinct stages and provide tips and best practices based on the latest research. It’s important to note that every business manages procurement differently, so your process may vary depending on company size and the type of product you’re considering.