From Email to SAP Ariba: How LeverX Drove a Successful Procurement Transformation

A European retailer unlocked SAP Ariba ROI with LeverX. Supplier onboarding tripled, sourcing cycle time fell by 40%, and 80% of negotiations moved to the platform through effective change management.

Challenge

A leading European retailer invested in SAP Ariba to digitalize sourcing, improve supplier collaboration, and reduce manual work in procurement.

But six months after go-live, leadership noticed major problems:

• Buyers continued to negotiate via phone calls and emails, bypassing the platform.
• Supplier onboarding stalled, with fewer than 30% of vendors active in Ariba.
• The system was seen as “extra admin work,” not as a productivity tool.

The result: procurement efficiency stagnated, putting the entire digital transformation ROI at risk.

LeverX Solution

LeverX applied its Change Management Framework for Procurement, which focused on aligning people, processes, and technology:

1. Change Readiness & Stakeholder Mapping

• Interviewed buyers, suppliers, and category managers to identify resistance points.
• Found that many buyers feared losing negotiation leverage and supplier relationships if they used Ariba.
• Developed a stakeholder influence map to address these concerns with tailored strategies.

2. Process Alignment & Value Demonstrations

• Designed role-based process simulations, showing buyers how Ariba reduced cycle time by 40% and cut admin work.
• Demonstrated benefits for suppliers: faster onboarding, simplified compliance, and visibility of bids.
• Linked system usage directly to procurement KPIs: spend under management, savings achieved, and supplier compliance.
  

3. Executive Sponsorship & Governance

• Worked with the CPO to embed Ariba usage in official procurement policy mandating (e.g., “all RFQs must be issued through the Ariba platform”).
• Established governance dashboards so leadership could monitor adoption rates and sourcing outcomes in real time.

4. Adoption Incentives & Gamification

• Created a Procurement Excellence leaderboard that ranked buyers on key metrics like platform-based sourcing events and savings achieved in Ariba.
• Recognized “top adopters” at monthly leadership meetings, linking adoption to career visibility.
• Ran targeted coaching for low-adoption teams to bring them up to speed.

Business Impact

Within nine months, the procurement organization achieved measurable transformation:

• Supplier onboarding tripled, significantly expanding the active digital vendor base.
• Sourcing cycle time reduced by 40%, cutting average sourcing projects from weeks to days.
• 80% of negotiations were conducted through Ariba, ensuring compliance and audit readiness.
• The procurement team shifted from transactional administrators to strategic advisors, focused on driving savings and fostering supplier innovation.

Why LeverX

LeverX combines deep SAP Ariba expertise with change management services to ensure technology delivers real business results. We offer:

• 20+ years of experience in SAP transformation projects in procurement and supply chain.
• Proven adoption frameworks that connect Ariba usage directly to procurement KPIs.
• Hands-on guidance for buyers, suppliers, and executives to drive sustainable change.
  
  

Struggling with low SAP Ariba adoption?

👉 Contact LeverX experts to learn how our Change Management services can help your procurement team unlock real value from SAP Ariba.