Photo Credit: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / VadimGuzhva
It’s not uncommon to hear government employees complain about their internal financial processes when it comes to getting things done quickly. There are certain approvals and processes that must be accomplished before funding comes through, and it can be frustrating, but I find it is often the “hurry up” attitude more than anything else that actually slows progress. There is sometimes an urgency assigned to things that may or may not be real, and the buyer/reactor/controller may want to help the requestor to the point that clear thoughts don’t prevail and shortcuts are taken. These inevitably back up on the agency in some way or another, and progress grinds to a halt. You can blame the system, the politics, even the supervisor pushing the project, but the fact is the personalities involved drive the errors more than anything. There’s no replacement for a steady, careful process, which is the mainstay requirement of governmental purchasing integrity.
In visiting many purchasing agencies over my 25+ years in the procurement practice, I find one pattern consistently true. By and large, many small-town governments are using antiquated procedures (I am not saying all, so put your emails down), and the “big wig” major companies are using purchasing/payables solutions that are “top shelf” and usually over-perform to the point of providing many solutions that will never even be used. Due to budgetary constraints and excesses on each end, this is to be expected. But in short, the size and strength of technology is steered by the demand on and affordability of that technology.
So, when trying to find a good technology fit, evaluators must certainly take into account their budget, but also the culture and history of the company. In that mix, evaluators should consider the age of the staff and their attitudes towards development and new technology. If the technology is “too slick” or not slick enough, the improper fit might prejudice the entire exercise and acceptance of “the new way.”