Digitization of Purchasing: Utilizing Digital Means and Practical Tools

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Procurement is no longer just about cost savings - it’s a critical driver of organizational value. This webinar will provide you with the essential tools and strategic insights needed to significantly enhance procurement performance. You’ll explore the evolving role of procurement in the 4th industrial revolution and how embracing new technologies can transform traditional processes into agile, data-driven systems.

Through this session, you’ll gain a practical understanding of the tools available - such as blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics - and how to effectively implement them for measurable improvement. Learn how to identify inefficiencies, manage change, and build strategic supplier alliances that align with long-term business goals. Whether you're looking to drive innovation or simply want to streamline operations, this program is designed to help procurement professionals take action and deliver lasting impact.

Your Benefits for Attending:
  • Understand what the 4th industrial revolution is and how to use it.
  • Learn how to leverage digitization tools like blockchain, IoT,  Artificial Intelligence (AI), Advanced Analytics, and Control Tower.
  • How to establish alliances with particular suppliers.
  • How to address changes/get good change.
  • Identifying non-value-added activity.

This webinar is ideal for procurement leaders and professionals ready to modernize their approach and drive higher value. You'll walk away with actionable strategies and tools to improve efficiency, collaboration, and performance.

Level: Beginner
Format: Live webcast
Instructional Method: Group: Internet-based
NASBA Field of Study: Management Services
Program Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None

  1. Introduction
  2. Outline 00:01:51
  3. Objective 00:02:48
  4. Today’s Competitive Issues 00:04:18
  5. The Impact of Suppliers on Total Company Costs 00:05:56
  6. Simplified Income Statement 00:06:57
  7. Modified Statement - Sales Increase 00:07:47
  8. Modified Statement - Reduce Purchase Cost 00:08:41
  9. Forth (4th) Industrial Revolution 00:09:25
  10. Digital Procurement Issues 00:10:05
  11. Procurement Today & Tomorrow 00:11:06
  12. Self-Assessment 00:16:32
  13. Four Fights - Fighting Ignorance 00:18:16
  14. Four Fights - Fear 00:20:26
  15. Four Fights - Guesswork 00:21:49
  16. Four Fights - Diffusion 00:23:37
  17. What Are The Technologies? 00:25:17
  18. Artificial Intelligence 00:26:40
  19. AI - Application 00:28:11
  20. Blockchain - BC 00:30:45
  21. How Blockchain Works 00:32:23
  22. Blockchain Application 00:33:39
  23. Internet of Things (IOT) 00:34:34
  24. IOT - How It Works 00:35:28
  25. IOT -  Application - Intent  00:38:01
  26. Advanced Analytics (AA)  00:40:50
  27. AA Techniques 00:42:22
  28. Concepts & Practices 00:44:33
  29. Why Improve Supplier Performance? 00:45:19
  30. Guidelines For Supplier Improvement Programs 00:47:52
  31. Goals & Objectives For Supplier Improvement 00:51:29
  32. Goals & Objectives Cont. 00:54:11
  33. Procurement Operational Performance Costs 01:00:57
  34. Supplier Impact - Cost of Quality 01:06:23
  35. Cost of Quality 01:09:03
  36. Cost of Quality Cont. 01:11:11
  37. Opportunities - Waste 01:13:44
  38. Leveraging Technology 01:18:05
  39. Digital transformation Defined 01:18:23
  40. Where Would Procurement Have The Greatest Impact - Utilizing Digital Technology 01:19:15
  41. Where Would Procurement Have The Greatest Impact - Utilizing Digital Technology Cont. 01:19:31
  42. Enterprise Alignment 01:24:23
  43. To Lead Cultural Change 01:24:31
  44. Managements Changing Role 01:29:31
  45. Education and Training Plan 01:31:20
  46. Employee Involvement and Empowerment 01:32:12
  47. Stakeholders 01:33:45
  48. Approaches To Strategic Change 01:34:34
  49. Collaboration 01:36:14
  50. What Is An “A” Customer 01:36:24
  51. Lifetime Customer 01:37:31
  52. CRM And The Lifetime Customer 01:39:03
  53. Collaborative Relationships 01:41:14
  54. Increasing Supplier Involvement 01:43:20
  55. Reducing Effort/Time 01:43:34
  56. You Don’t Understand My Business 01:43:47
  57. Cost Reduction Tools 01:44:51
  58. Supplier Performance Attributes 01:46:36
  59. Performance Evaluation 01:47:59
  60. Evaluation Cont. 01:50:36
  61. Creating Successful Strategic Supplier Relationships 01:52:50
  62. 7 - Tips -Mastering Procurement 01:54:01
  63. 7 - Tips -Mastering Procurement Cont. 01:55:37
  64. 7 - Tips -Mastering Procurement Cont. 01:56:20
  65. What’s Next? 01:58:17
  66. Recap 01:58:34
  67. Closing Remarks 02:02:29
  68. Presentation Closing 02:05:05
  • Michael W. Gozzo

CPE Credit

Continuing Professional Education

Aurora Training Advantage is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.

For more information regarding administrative policies such as complaint and refund, and cancellation please contact our offices at 407-542-4317 or [email protected].

ISM Credit

Institute of Supply Management

This program may be used for Continuing Education Hours (CEH) toward recertification for programs offered by the Institute for Supply Management®, including the Certified Professional in Supply Management® and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity®.

ATAPU Credit

Aurora Training Advantage is offering continuing education points designed to recognize dedication to training and excellence in purchasing.

QPANJ Credit

Qualified Purchasing Agent - New Jersey

  • Advanced Analytics (AA) 00:26:46, 00:40:55
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) 00:28:11
  • Audit 01:13:14
  • Blockchain 00:30:56, 01:22:42
  • Commodity 00:13:50, 01:38:01
  • Control Tower (CT) 01:
  • Cost 00:46:56, 00:55:58, 01:06:23, 01:13:07
  • Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS) 01:06:45
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) 01:39:30
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) 01:39:22
  • Income Statement 00:06:58
  • Internet of Things (IOT) 00:34:30, 00:38:08
  • Inventory 00:46:57, 01:06:59, 01:16:11
  • Lead Time 01:06:04
  • Procurement 00:02:02, 00:06:31, 00:08:51, 00:10:22, 00:45:53, 01:01:55, 01:22:38
  • Profit 00:05:50
  • Profit Sharing 0:14:58
  • Purchase Order 01:22:46
  • Revenue 00:06:36, 00:15:12
  • Stakeholder 01:33:51
  • Supplier 00:06:01, 00:08:54, 00:15:02, 00:51:21, 00:52:06, 00:56:59, 01:05:42, 01:10:40, 01:24:41, 01:41:56, 01:43:25, 01:50:12
  • Vendor 01:41:40

Advanced Analytics (AA): Advanced Analytics is the autonomous or semi-autonomous examination of data or content using sophisticated techniques and tools, typically beyond those of traditional business intelligence (BI), to discover deeper insights, make predictions, or generate recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence is intelligence demonstrated by machines, as opposed to the natural intelligence displayed by humans or animals.

Audit: A formal examination of an organization's or individual's accounts or financial situation

Blockchain: Blockchain.com is a Bitcoin block explorer service, as well as a cryptocurrency wallet supporting Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum. They also provide Bitcoin data charts, stats, and market information.

Commodity: A basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.

Control Tower (CT): A procurement control tower is a modernized, centralized procurement nerve-center. This location acts as a solution designed to unify procurement systems, data, and multiple enterprises within a secure and cloud-native environment.

Cost: The sum of the applicable expenditures and charges directly or indirectly incurred in bringing an article to its existing condition and location

Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS): The direct expenses related to producing the goods sold by a business. The formula for calculating this will depend on what is being produced, but as an example this may include the cost of the raw materials (parts) and the amount of employee labor used in production.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Customer relationship management is an approach to managing a company's interaction with current and potential customers. It uses data analysis about customers' history with a company to improve business relationships with customers, specifically focusing on customer retention and ultimately driving sales growth.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Refers to a type of software that organizations use to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance, and supply chain operations.

Income Statement: One of the three primary financial statements used to assess a company's performance and financial position (the two others being the balance sheet and the cash flow statement). The income statement summarizes the revenues and expenses generated by the company over the entire reporting period. (investinganswers.com)

Internet of Things (IOT): The Internet of things describes physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.

Inventory: A company's inventory typically involves goods in three stages of production: raw goods, in-progress goods, and finished goods that are ready for sale. Inventory or stock refers to the goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate goal of resale, production or utilization.

Lead Time: The number of days from when a company places an order for supplies, to when those items arrive.

Procurement: Procurement is the process of finding and agreeing to terms, and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source, often via a tendering or competitive bidding process. Procurement is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services, or works at the best possible price when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared.

Profit: A financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something.

Profit Sharing: Profit sharing is a compensation program that allows businesses to distribute a portion of their profits to employees. These plans can provide direct or indirect payments, and can be based on factors like the company's profitability, employee salaries, and bonuses. In publicly traded companies, profit sharing plans often involve allocating shares to employees.

Purchase Order: A legal contract between a buyer and a vendor. It lists the materials or services to be purchased on specified terms and conditions (quantity, price / pricing conditions, delivery date).

Revenue: In accounting, revenue is the income that a business has from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. Revenue is also referred to as sales or turnover. Some companies receive revenue from interest, royalties, or other fees.

Stakeholders: A stakeholder is a party that has an interest in a company and can either affect or be affected by the business. The primary stakeholders in a typical corporation are its investors, employees, customers and suppliers.

Supplier: A supplier is an entity that supplies goods and services to another organization. A supplier is usually a manufacturer or a distributor. A distributor buys goods from multiple manufacturers and sells them to its customers. Similar Terms. A supplier is also known as a vendor.

Vendor: A vendor is a person or business that supplies goods or services to a company. Another term for the vendor is the supplier. In many situations, a company presents the vendor with a purchase order stating the goods or services needed, the price, delivery date, and other terms.


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Speakers Performance Based On Past Webinar Survey Results

This webinar received a total of 1 survey responses. Attendees have given an average rating of 3.2 stars out of a possible 5, reflecting the quality and value of the content presented.

Average rating

3.2 / 5
Webinar Presentation
How many of the objectives of the event were met?
4.0 Stars
How useful was the information presented at this event?
3.0 Stars
Overall, how satisfied were you with this event?
3.0 Stars
Speaker Performance
Overall, how satisfied were you with this presenter?
3.0 Stars
How closely did the presenter follow the schedule?
3.0 Stars

Reviews From Past Webinar Surveys

Our webinars are crafted to deliver exceptional value and insight to business professionals. Below, you'll find genuine feedback from attendees, sharing their thoughts on the speaker's performance.

Laura K.
August 21, 2024
4 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
3.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
5.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Michael Gozzo definitely needs to be allotted more time for his presentations. They are full of information, and I believe if he had more time, he wouldn't have to rush through the end.

Jill S.
August 21, 2024
1.5 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
2.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
1.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
The material was very basic - this should be advertised as a "beginners course". The presenter rambled and his phone was constantly ringing in the background which was very distracting

Kenneth W.
August 21, 2024
1 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
1.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
1.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Presenter went way over allotted time which caused major meeting conflicts.

Gabriela O.
August 20, 2024
4 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
4.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
4.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Good reminder of concepts.

Jill S.
August 15, 2024
3.5 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
5.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
2.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
The presenter was not engaging. This was manufacturing foward, where I come from distribution. This was not noted in the description. The material in the presentation was very basic and obvious.

Jessica L.
August 15, 2024
4 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
5.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
3.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
No comments or questions

Maritza R.
July 25, 2024
1 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
1.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
1.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
These events should be a little more interactive instead of just having someone continue to talk without asking questions to see if we are understanding what they are presenting.

George J.
July 25, 2024
4.5 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
4.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
5.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Good topic.

Karen H.
July 25, 2024
3 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
3.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
3.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Three of the screens/print out not legible.Presenter seemed distracted part of the time. Phone rang in middle. Time went over.

Sean F.
July 25, 2024
3 / 5
Satisfaction Rating:
2.0 Stars
Follow Schedule:
4.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
no comment
viewing 11 to 20 of 65

Reviews From Webinar Survey

Our webinars are crafted to deliver exceptional value and insight to business professionals. Below, you'll find genuine feedback from attendees.

Karen H.
October 1, 2025
3.2 / 5
Webinar Rating:
3.3 Stars
Speaker Rating:
3.0 Stars
Do you have any other comments, questions or concerns?
Time ran over which interfered with another commitment. There was little focus on digitalization. Most of the presentation was the same material used in other purchasing webinars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Digital transformation is fundamentally reshaping procurement from a transactional, cost-focused function into a strategic, data-driven organizational asset. The Fourth Industrial Revolution—characterized by the convergence of physical, digital, and biological systems—is introducing technologies that automate routine procurement tasks, generate predictive insights from large data sets, and enable real-time visibility across global supply chains. Traditional purchasing processes built on manual purchase orders, spreadsheet-based tracking, and reactive supplier management are increasingly inadequate in a competitive environment that demands agility and precision. Digital procurement tools allow organizations to move from reactive to proactive decision-making: instead of responding to supply disruptions after they occur, digitized systems provide early warning signals and alternative sourcing options in real time. The shift also enables procurement to demonstrate measurable value beyond cost savings—through risk reduction, innovation access, and strategic supplier partnership—repositioning the function as a key driver of organizational competitiveness.
Artificial intelligence is transforming procurement by enabling autonomous analysis of large, complex data sets at speeds and scales impossible for human teams. AI applications in purchasing include spend analytics that automatically categorize and analyze expenditure patterns to identify savings opportunities, demand forecasting models that improve inventory planning accuracy, and natural language processing tools that review supplier contracts to flag risks and compliance gaps. Machine learning algorithms can identify optimal supplier selections by analyzing historical performance data, market conditions, and risk indicators simultaneously. AI-powered chatbots streamline routine procurement inquiries, freeing buyers to focus on strategic activities. In supplier relationship management, AI sentiment analysis can monitor supplier communications and market signals to anticipate performance issues before they materialize. While AI significantly enhances procurement capability, successful implementation requires clean, integrated data sources, change management investment, and human oversight to ensure algorithmic recommendations align with organizational strategy and ethical sourcing standards.
Blockchain technology creates a decentralized, immutable ledger of transactions that all authorized participants can access in real time, making it a powerful tool for supply chain transparency and integrity. In procurement and supply chain contexts, blockchain enables end-to-end product traceability—from raw material origin through manufacturing, logistics, and delivery—providing verifiable proof of provenance, ethical sourcing compliance, and regulatory certifications. This transparency is particularly valuable in industries where authenticity and compliance are critical, such as food safety, pharmaceuticals, luxury goods, and defense procurement. Blockchain also streamlines payment and contract execution through smart contracts: self-executing agreements that automatically release payment when predefined delivery conditions are verified on the ledger, reducing invoice disputes and payment delays. While blockchain adoption in procurement is still maturing, early deployments demonstrate measurable reductions in fraud, document processing time, and the administrative burden of supplier audits. Integration with existing ERP and procurement systems remains a primary implementation challenge.
The Internet of Things refers to the network of physical devices—sensors, machines, vehicles, and equipment—embedded with connectivity and data-sharing capabilities that enable them to communicate and exchange information without human intervention. In procurement and inventory management, IoT delivers transformative benefits by providing real-time visibility into inventory levels, asset locations, equipment conditions, and supply chain movements. Sensor-equipped shelves and bins automatically trigger purchase orders when stock falls below preset thresholds, eliminating stockouts and reducing excess inventory. IoT-connected equipment monitors its own performance and predicts maintenance needs, enabling condition-based procurement of spare parts before failures occur rather than after. In logistics, IoT tracking devices provide live shipment location data and environmental condition monitoring—critical for temperature-sensitive goods in pharmaceutical or food supply chains. The data generated by IoT devices feeds advanced analytics platforms, enabling procurement teams to identify consumption patterns, optimize reorder points, and build more resilient supplier strategies based on actual operational data rather than estimates.
Non-value-added activities in procurement—manual data entry, paper-based approvals, redundant supplier inquiries, and reactive firefighting—consume significant time and resources without contributing to strategic outcomes. Digitization creates the process visibility and data foundation needed to systematically identify and eliminate these inefficiencies. Process mapping combined with spend analytics reveals where purchasing cycle time is lost, which steps generate the most errors, and which supplier interactions consume disproportionate effort relative to value. Robotic process automation (RPA) can eliminate manual tasks such as purchase order generation, invoice matching, and data migration between systems. E-procurement platforms streamline approvals through automated workflows, reducing the time between need identification and purchase authorization from days to hours. Advanced analytics tools highlight non-compliant purchasing patterns where spend is occurring outside contracted channels, eroding negotiated savings. By quantifying the cost of non-value-added activities and systematically replacing them with digital alternatives, procurement teams free resources for higher-value strategic work including supplier development, category strategy, and stakeholder engagement.