Making smart tech choices: How IT can drive spend management success

For a CTO/CIO, evaluating spend management solutions isn’t just about picking the latest and greatest tech. It’s about making smart choices that deliver on the diverse needs of their senior leadership team, people managers, and employees companywide.  

How can IT leaders leverage their unique expertise and perspective to ensure there are no tech regrets?  

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Let’s take a look. 

Get senior leadership buy-in early 

No one appreciates being treated as an after-thought, especially at the leadership table. When setting technology requirements and evaluating potential solutions, make sure to involve key stakeholders from the start. Gather details from your CFO and other C-suite colleagues on their priorities. These insights can reveal technology requirements you might miss and build support for your decision. Plus, involving them early means smoother implementation later on. 

Here's a great resource worth sharing with your entire leadership team: Why Now Is the Best Time to Digitalize How You Manage Company Spend. 

Find out what great looks like for everyone 

Beyond the leadership team, IT leaders need to understand what everyone in their company really needs. Take the time to talk to different levels within each department to get a clear picture of pain points across your organization. Are employees drowning in paperwork? Does the finance team need better analytics? Knowing this helps you choose a tool that solves real problems, not just looks good on paper. 

Download our ebook on the 5 Benefits of SAP and SAP Concur Integration to learn about how our solutions can boost productivity and efficiency for IT and across your company. 

Start with must-have features and then look beyond 

Sure, flashy features are tempting, but don’t get blinded by them. Think about how the spend management solution will fit into your existing business systems. Will it play nice with your ERP or CRM? Can it scale as your company grows? Look for compatibility and flexibility—it’ll save headaches down the road.  

FYI: Our Expense Management Solution Comparison Checklist itemizes all the features and capabilities our 85+ million users say are must-haves for a future-ready expense management solution. 

Next, take a long view on what the business and technology landscapes might look like in two, five, even ten years down the road. For example, artificial intelligence (AI) has been grabbing plenty of headlines lately, but it’s not new tech. SAP Concur has been using AI and machine learning in its spend management solutions for nearly a decade.  

Curious about where we’re taking AI next? In our latest whitepaper, Artificial Intelligence, Real Solutions for Business, we take a deeper look at AI, how SAP Concur plans to incorporate it further, and how we are committed to a secure, human-centered approach. 

Champion great user experiences 

IT isn’t the only team using business software. Consider how easy—or frustrating—it will be for everyone else. Does it have a clunky interface that’ll confuse people? Or does it come with intuitive features that make life easier? Is there a highly rated mobile app that enables employees to manage expenses, travel, and invoices while on the go? A cloud-based tool that employees love to use will get adopted faster and with fewer complaints. 

In our Tips for a Successful Travel and Expense Implementation ebook, we share six best practice gathered from SAP Concur experts and the implementation specialists at TCG Consulting. 

Look for a long-term technology partner 

Buying software from a vendor isn’t a one-time thing—it’s a technology partnership that can (and should) continue for years to come. Think about the vendor’s track record. Are they reliable? Do they provide good support? Will they keep updating the software to stay relevant? Look for a partner, not just a product, who’s in it for the long haul. 

Many IT professionals are pleasantly surprised at the depth and breadth of the SAP Concur solution ecosystem and our thirty-year track record in technology innovation. See what’s possible at-a-glance. 

Get behind the wheel for a test drive 

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by marketing materials, product feature sheet, and thought-leadership content. Cut through the noise by taking time to test the software yourself. Get a demo or a trial version. Play around with it. See how it handles real-life scenarios. Does it deliver what it promises? Does it fit your needs? Testing it out gives you the confidence that you’re making the right call. Even better? Get other company leaders to take a potential solution for a spin. 

Take a Concur Expense self-guided tour for an interactive walk-through of key features and sign-up for a Concur Expense free trial. 

SAP Concur solutions = no tech regrets 

Choosing the right spend management solution for your business is a team effort. Boost everyone’s confidence and peace of mind by showing them why 85 million users say SAP Concur is the one to beat.