Communication Queen – Not Your Typical Procurement Pro

There’s a step change coming in the procurement technology and software industry. And communication and relationships will be the central pillars of it, says this Millennial.

There is step-change coming in procurement, and the change is going to be keenly felt in the procurement technology and software industry. But for this change to take effect, it needs support on both sides of the aisle – buyer and supplier.

Simona Pop, Head of Partnerships & Global Communication at InstaSupply, is not your typical procurement professional.

She’s one of a new breed of professionals involved in procurement and supply chain, who believes change is on the horizon, and that it can’t come soon enough.

A tattooed Millennial, with a stake (both monetary and emotional) in the company she works for, Simona presents a refreshing view on buyer and supplier relationship management, and believes in creating emotional connections with clients.

Not only that, but she also walks the walk when it comes to leveraging social media in business.

Procurious caught up with Simona, and chatted to her about her career, her approach to social media, and why she believes we shouldn’t have to leave the real-time efficiencies of our personal lives at the office door.

Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you get to where you are today? 

It has to be said, my career trajectory isn’t what you might call straightforward. I got out of school thinking I was going to be in advertising. Then I moved to the UK and started working with Brakes, the food supplier, in a sales role. I then went 180 from that path and started working in events.

Finally, I started working with InstaSupply as Head of Partnerships and Communication. One thing lead to another really, and in the end, it makes a lot of sense.

I love communication and building relationships. That’s what makes the world go round, as far as I’m concerned. My communications background is ultimately the driving force behind my take on business.

You’ve recently won your place at Virgin Disruptors – congratulations!

Yes, I am very excited about it. It was all about presenting my vision on what industry needs disrupting and how I would do it. I went straight to the core and illustrated how ALL business needs disrupting.

You can see my video below. It’s all about changing procurement and finance. They are the engine of each and every business so they need to be as well oiled as possible.

What role did social media play in the award?

As with every bit of communication I put out there, this was also a social affair. I got to chatting with Virgin via Twitter and found out about this opportunity. As everything in social media moved pretty fast, I only had a couple of days to script and create the video in order to stick to deadlines. I then uploaded it on YouTube and shared it via Twitter again.

I am a true believer in the power of social and its ability to not only bring us information in real time but also challenge us to become more creative and innovative. It’s why I am so happy to be part of the Virgin Disruptors community as a technology company.

So many procurement technology implementations fail – why do you think this is?

It comes down to how people interact with the technology and the company providing that technology. Is there a match there in terms of values? Or is it more about ticking a box and signing a three year contract so you don’t have to worry about it?

So many businesses will go for old technology just because someone else in their industry has used it before. Even if it’s not a great fit for them and their staff, they will implement it anyway just to tick that “tech” box and consider it done.

More often than not, businesses pay the price tag of an Aston Martin, and end up using it like a second hand Ford.

The fact that back office operations, procurement and finance technology involve so many different roles and levels of seniority, makes it paramount that the interface and functionality appeals to all age groups.

There shouldn’t be a difference between the way we interact with brands in our personal lives, and brands that we see at work.

What are the key changes you think need to be made? Can we make procurement/B2B software more like B2C counterparts?

The way I see it, every business relationship is a partnership – it’s not a case of sell and move on. As a tech supplier, you are going to be working closely with your client, as they will interact with your product every single day.

You want to allow them to work smarter, be more efficient and ultimately make their lives easier. You need to provide top notch tech, but also real time support. There’s no place for a helpline that keeps people on hold for hours, or an email they get a response to in three months. That would be unacceptable in B2C nowadays!

There needs to be a shake-up. We need to remove the jargon, the boring pages of bland text, the hieroglyphic appendices, and the contracts that tie you into five years, whether you like it or not.

Software providers want partners, not prisoners. We are here to simplify buyer-supplier relationships, and make life easier for everyone involved in running a business, regardless of role and seniority. Ultimately we want to support them in growing their business, and having a better quality of work.

After all, why should we leave all the efficiencies of B2C, our personal life, at the door, when we get to work?