Tail spend solutions help process and fulfill spend on noncritical goods and services, which are supplied by vendors that are not actively managed by procurement. Most procurement organizations only strategically manage part of their spend, prioritizing high-volume and spend categories. This leaves what is referred to as the “tail” of an organization’s spend unmanaged. In addition to providing visibility into all types of spending, these solutions also automate key procurement processes and provide detailed insights into spending patterns through dashboards. Actively managing tail spend improves spend visibility and coverage, operational efficiency, and purchasing controls. The end users can still make one-time purchases to do their jobs without adding to procurement’s workload.

Tail Spend Solutions

3D Print Service Bureaus

3D Printing Workflow Software

4G and 5G Private Mobile Network Services

4PLs

5G Enterprise Data Services

5G Network Infrastructure for Communications Service Providers (Transitioning to CSP 5G Core Network Infrastructure Solutions ; CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions)

A/B Testing Tools

AI Avatars

AI Code Assistants

AI Offerings in CSP Network Operations

AI and Data and Analytics (D&A) Service Providers

AI in CSP Customer and Business Operations

AI-Augmented Software-Testing Tools

AI-Enabled Interview Intelligence

AI-Enabled Translation Services

AIOps Platforms

API Management

API Protection

Absence Management Software

Access Management

Account-Based Marketing Platforms

Account-Planning Tools

Accounting Practice Management Software (APMS)

Accounts Payable (AP) Recovery Audit Services

Accounts Payable Invoice Automation Solutions (Transitioning to Accounts Payable Applications)

Active Metadata Management

Ad Tech Platforms

Ad Verification Tools

Adaptive Project Management and Reporting

Advanced Analytics Service Providers for Marketing

Advanced Contract Analytics

Advanced Distribution Management Systems

Affiliate Marketing Platforms

Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs)

Analytics Query Accelerators

Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms

Analytics and Decision Intelligence Platforms in Supply Chain

Anti Money Laundering (AML) Software

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) (Transitioning to 'Talent Acquisition (Recruiting) Suites')

Application Composition Platform

Application Crowdtesting Services

Application Delivery Controllers

Application Development Life Cycle Management

Application Integration Platforms

Application Platforms

Application Portfolio Management Tools

Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) Tools

Application Security Testing

Application Testing Services, Worldwide

Artificial Intelligence Applications in IT Service Management

Asset Investment Planning Solutions for Energy and Utilities

Asset Leasing Software

Asset Performance Management Software

Audience Intelligence Platforms

Audit Management Solutions

Augmented Analytics

Augmented Data Quality Solutions

Augmented Reality Development Software

B2B Customer Community Platforms

B2B Gateway Software

B2B Marketing Automation Platforms

B2B Profit Optimization Software

BPM-Platform-Based Case Management Frameworks

Background Check Software

Backup as a Service

Balance Sheet Management Software

Banking Payment Hub Platforms

Bankruptcy Software

Barcode Software

Benchmarking Services for Transportation Rates and Logistics Performance

Benefits Management Software

Blockchain Advertising Platforms

Blockchain Consulting and Proof-of-Concept Development Services

Blockchain Platforms

Blockchain as a Service

Brand Advocacy Services

Brand Compliance Software

Brand Protection Software

Brand Strategy Agencies

Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Tools

Business Continuity Management Program Solutions

Business Process Automation Tools

Business Process Management Platforms

Business Valuation Software

Business-Outcome-Driven Enterprise Architecture Consulting

CPS Protection Platforms

CRM Customer Engagement Center

CRM and Customer Experience Implementation Services

CRM in Life Sciences

CSP 5G Core Network Infrastructure Solutions

CSP 5G RAN Infrastructure Solutions

CSP Customer Management and Experience Solutions

CSP Revenue Management and Monetization Solutions

CSP Service Design and Orchestration Solutions

CSP Service and Network Assurance Solutions

Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Capital Investment Management Software

Carbon Accounting and Management Software

Carbon Offset Platforms

Cash Flow Management Software

Honestly anything by a cold call. When you spend 75% of your day in meetings and 25% just trying to get some work done, while trying to fend off the large number of inquiries by email/chat, I find cold calls to be extremely annoying.

I prefer to research and find the right product category for the issue(s) I am trying to address.  Post haste, I would select a few vendors in that category to discuss their solutions. I reserve my phone for conversations with colleagues and those I have designated as a trusted advisors. 

I rebuff cold calls and social media sales attempts. If communication does occur, I would much rather a salesperson ONLY let me know they exist and the general category of their product. Then, when I am ready, I can contact them.

Most newer BDR's fail miserably at cold calls and cold emails. Whenever possible - connecting at industry events or setting up an offsite, low-stakes discussion (coffee) works best in my opinion. 


The goal of the cold call/email is important - I would most likely use both of these to try and set up face to face time.

2021 Q3

2021 Q4

2022 Q1

2022 Q2

2022 Q3

2022 Q4

2023 Q1

2023 Q2

2023 Q3

2023 Q4

2024 Q1

2024 Q2

2024 Q3

I would rather they never contact me. 

I don&#39;t expect my local grocery store employees to call me and ask if I need milk. When I need milk, I will ask if they have milk.

Sales people are unnecessary.

Referral from a trusted colleague that uses that vendor 

If you can convince one of my colleagues to tell me I should take your call I probably would accept the call even if I wasn’t in the market 

I won’t even pick up a call from an unknown number even if a transfer from the front desk

Send me a succinct one page value proposition.

Honestly anything by a cold call. When you spend 75% of your day in meetings and 25% just trying to get some work done, while trying to fend off the large number of inquiries by email/chat, I find cold calls to be extremely annoying.

I think it’s between 35-45% of people say they never want to hear from a sales person,  but a majority later regret their buying decision without one. I want someone who understands the value of what they are selling and what that offering means to me, improving my confidence in the buy.

If that’s best done with cold email, social channels, or a call, it could work but customer advocacy in groups and channels I know is likely to work better. Booths, participation in events, speaking engagements, customer keynotes - it is all better than cold messaging.

I&#39;ve researched &#34;cold-calling&#34; for a good period for our startup. 
My research results show that cold-calling is still working but is highly dependent on the industry and type of business you target (B2C or B2B).
From a personal experience, every time my phone says &#34;spam risk&#34; or an unknown number, I get very annoyed.


Cold emails are being ignored, deferred, and deleted.


LinkedIn is becoming more annoying as the years&#39; pass, with vendors trying to earn your attention. From our own startup experience, LinkedIn advertising is not cheap and is very hard to &#34;compete&#34; for people&#39;s attention due to a massive flood of &#34;marketing&#34; assets. 


Communities like these are what could build the next crowd intelligence re: our best purchasing options. 

The last thing anybody wants is a cold call. Phone calls are intrusive. Nobody is sitting around at their desk thinking, &#34;I wish I had something to do&#34; when a phone call comes in. The caller is actively disturbing the person being called.

What&#39;s worse is many cold call salespeople don&#39;t communicate well.

It irritates when they say, &#34;Is this a good time?&#34; - look, I&#39;ve answered the phone, you&#39;ve got me, make it snappy.

Or, when they ask questions before telling me anything. &#34;What&#39;s your security stack?&#34; - why should I tell you this, you random stranger.

Or when they can&#39;t articulate their product. I remember one salesguy phoning and telling me they had a SaaS solution and this was important to me because it meant I didn&#39;t have to run any servers and blah blah - I had to cut him off and say I know what SaaS is, but what&#39;s *your* actual product?

Or, when salespeople don&#39;t even know where you are. &#34;We&#39;re running fibre optic cable right outside your building&#34; - what, here in Newcastle? &#34;Oh, I thought you were in Sydney.&#34;

So cold-calling is a big no for me because (a) it&#39;s an intrusion on what I&#39;m focusing on, and (b) the great bulk of salespeople don&#39;t even know what their product is, how to describe it, what I do, where I am, or have anything much of value to say.


I&#39;ve almost never bought anything that was advertised via cold email or cold call.
If I need a solution from a vendor I will reach out to them, If I have difficulties identifying vendors for a business problem, I will reach out to our partners or IT professionals that I trust for advice, I will certainly not buy something just because someone read a script on the phone


None of above! Online presence is enough for me to find a tool, solution, or service that I need. There were way too many cold emails and calls. I rarely read those and almost never reply. If I did, it would make another full time job for me.

I find cold calls very annoying.

First, it’s presumptuous to assume that I randomly want to speak to X company. Send an email and maybe I’ll check if it’s brief but despite hundreds of cold calls no one has every magically been able to know what problems I need to solve.

Second, it almost always creates a negative impression. You not only don’t know if there is a problem I need to solve but you also expect me to be familiar with your product as if there aren’t a many like vendors saying they have the best solution.

Finally, as many have pointed out, this often interrupt my day, especially when they call the front desk and interrupt a Teams call.

Cold calls are a relic of the past and need to go away.


Cold calls are very annoying and even worse when you have a busy day.  A referral from a colleague or peer is always a good option, especially if the source is reliable.

Cold calls are the worst, especially when they say they are calling to see if you read their email!

I prefer to research and find the right product category for the issue(s) I am trying to address.  Post haste, I would select a few vendors in that category to discuss their solutions. I reserve my phone for conversations with colleagues and those I have designated as a trusted advisors. 

I rebuff cold calls and social media sales attempts. If communication does occur, I would much rather a salesperson ONLY let me know they exist and the general category of their product. Then, when I am ready, I can contact them.

Cold calling / email all are fine but where they are relevant ( and the caller has done some homework ) on me / my organisation and my role , so there is a “chance”’the call will be valuable. 
I mentor people that have to cold call and i encourage them to understand the role and challenges the individual maybe facing that they are going to call ( ie the Personas )

If you aren&#39;t stacking your touchpoints, especially at the start of your sequences you&#39;re missing an important play. EG. DAY 1 = Email followed by a cold call referencing the email.

I don&#39;t read all my emails, I triage them. There are so many outreaches that I never even read, so email is out. Phone calls are a total interruption. However, with social, I&#39;m in there to learn and interact, so that&#39;s the best way to &#34;engage&#34; me because I&#39;m in the mood for engaging.

The chances of me hearing you out if you&#39;ve called me unsolicited is approaching zero for every second the call goes on

Same with social media, if a salesperson connects and then tries to sell to me before any rapport is built, blocked and message reported for the spam it is 

If you send an email, and it has a value proposition relevant to me or the business, I&#39;ll hear you out for 30 mins on a scheduled call

I know that &#39;sales&#39; is a difficult job and someone has to do it, but I wish sales team would remember that their cold email (or call, or LInkedIn msg) is not going to be the only one I receive today, it is one of many, all of which tell me they have the best product for me (without even knowing my needs) and all of whom &#39;just want to jump on a quick call&#39; or to &#39;pencil in a chat tomorrow&#39;.  


Like I say, Sales is difficult, but as others have said in the comments below, when I want to purchase a product I will do my research and contact the relevant vendors, hopefully with a referral for a particular product.  And, not forgetting that any purchases have to go via a well defined procurement process anyhow.


So, I hate to say it but cold calls and emails go unanswered, otherwise it would be a full time job responding.

Most newer BDR&#39;s fail miserably at cold calls and cold emails. Whenever possible - connecting at industry events or setting up an offsite, low-stakes discussion (coffee) works best in my opinion. 


The goal of the cold call/email is important - I would most likely use both of these to try and set up face to face time.

Send me a high value piece of content tied to a need I have

Trying to contact me is a waste of time. I keep abreast of the industry and technology. When I see something of interest I will reach out. Just be sure you are at industry events, both National and Local.

Which approach would you be most open to if a sales rep was to engage you for the first time?

What expectations were set at the start of the meeting?

Zoom etiquette should be the same as in person etiquette with rules clearly stated up front around use of phones, etc. If you want them on silent and not answered you should state that at the start

There should be allowances for critical calls (what if this is the call from a client that they are intending to spend a lot of money with you). 

In that case the employee should let you know they are waiting on the call and should take it.

We’re all professionals. I aim to value people’s time and attention more than my own by making better presentations. I don’t always nail it, and there are so many important things out there that we are all “competing” with.

Hopefully I can catch up with them later and figure out how I can improve.

2020 Q4

2021 Q1

2021 Q2

2024 Q4

Discuss my concern with that person offline.

It’s important to recognize priorities greater than your presentation exist in this world to others.

My take is that Zoom meeting protocols are essentially the same as those for a normal face-to-face meeting at the office. If my cell phone rang at our weekly executive operations meeting, I'd need to excuse myself first.

Context is important—during a large staff meeting with 20+ participants I’d let ‘em be and discuss offline. But if during a small 3-4 person meeting I would be more likely to politely redirect their attention back to the meeting.

What expectations were set at the start of the meeting?

Zoom etiquette should be the same as in person etiquette with rules clearly stated up front around use of phones, etc. If you want them on silent and not answered you should state that at the start

There should be allowances for critical calls (what if this is the call from a client that they are intending to spend a lot of money with you). 

In that case the employee should let you know they are waiting on the call and should take it.

We’re all professionals. I aim to value people’s time and attention more than my own by making better presentations. I don’t always nail it, and there are so many important things out there that we are all “competing” with.

Hopefully I can catch up with them later and figure out how I can improve.

On occasion if it’s a repeat offender I ask them a question around the topic just covered.   I strive to have engagement from everyone if it’s under 10 people.  Beyond 10 and it’s a one way presentation with questions at key points or only at the end

I will address it in private the first time to understand why that happened. It could be a legitimate reason. A member of the ops team checking an operational alert for example. A family emergency, etc.

Address them later, privately. Always praise in public and punish in private.

Warn him about the importance of this presentation.

I reach out to them privately and let them know that this is not cool.

Since my focus areas are cybersecurity and data privacy, I&#39;d ask the person if there&#39;s something happening. The tone conveys a serious question, it’s not snide. Someone may have received actionable data or earth shaking personal/family news while we&#39;re in a meeting.  It would be best to immediately address actionable information as opposed to waiting for all the previously important information to be conveyed. In other words, something important at the beginning of the call could be pushed down the importance scale by the new data.

You are on a Zoom and presenting something important to the team, and you notice someone you are presenting to on their phone. Do you:

There is this general consensus that cloud is how you get better optimization cost per dollar, and that's not the case. Especially when you look at the evolution and the maturity of companies like Workday and Salesforce. Locking into those contracts is a big deal. You could easily, in year three, start to have a significant portion of the value of your cloud spend just doing nothing for you. It's really based on what you're trying to solve for as a company. Automation Anywhere had a hyper growth phase right before I joined, and they were in the tail end of it when I came on board. There were decisions at that time that I am now unwinding around how to optimize capacity. Where I've been inserting myself into the conversation has more been around value and how we squeeze every dollar out of those decisions that we've made around investment in cloud solutions, and then looking forward from a roadmap perspective to say, "Okay. Let's look across our application landscape and see where we can do consolidation. Where can we put to work what we think our core cloud capabilities are and deprecate this other stuff?" In the absence of having better tools to manage this, you're having to spend more time thinking strategically around how you're moving your users to adopting different ways of working in order to get the value out of that. It's hard to say that there's a blueprint to this but I'm hoping that that's the direction we're going because innately I'm starting to see the same trends, especially back in my consulting days.

There is this general consensus that cloud is how you get better optimization cost per dollar, and that&#39;s not the case. Especially when you look at the evolution and the maturity of companies like Workday and Salesforce. Locking into those contracts is a big deal. You could easily, in year three, start to have a significant portion of the value of your cloud spend just doing nothing for you. It&#39;s really based on what you&#39;re trying to solve for as a company. Automation Anywhere had a hyper growth phase right before I joined, and they were in the tail end of it when I came on board. There were decisions at that time that I am now unwinding around how to optimize capacity. Where I&#39;ve been inserting myself into the conversation has more been around value and how we squeeze every dollar out of those decisions that we&#39;ve made around investment in cloud solutions, and then looking forward from a roadmap perspective to say, &#34;Okay. Let&#39;s look across our application landscape and see where we can do consolidation. Where can we put to work what we think our core cloud capabilities are and deprecate this other stuff?&#34; In the absence of having better tools to manage this, you&#39;re having to spend more time thinking strategically around how you&#39;re moving your users to adopting different ways of working in order to get the value out of that. It&#39;s hard to say that there&#39;s a blueprint to this but I&#39;m hoping that that&#39;s the direction we&#39;re going because innately I&#39;m starting to see the same trends, especially back in my consulting days.

Does transitioning to cloud actually save you any money in the long run?

Oregon Trail on a Mac2e in fourth grade

Grown up in a small town of Pakistan. Done BCS in 2004 and jumped in to programming field. Still working with my  technical teams and also train them .  IT is my passion and love to work with new technologies .Helping the society with new solutions.

Back in high school, we did this "one day in the life" type of activity where we would spend a day working with a professional in a field of our choice.
Since I always liked computers and spent so much time working on one, it made sense for me to spend it with Denis, a programmer my dad had hired to help with his library business. 



3 years later I had my first IT job as a programmer working with the same Denis, and then parted ways to be a technical writer, then BA and then PM.


13 years later, out of the blue, Denis died of a heart attack. His main client needed help and since I had worked for them previously for many years, many of my previous projects still being used, I got the job of IT Director for that company and found out I had some serious leadership skills. 


It's a strange feeling knowing that your big break happened because someone died, so I try to be as appreciative as possible and make the very most of it.

I was majoring in Electrical Engineering in the 70&#39;s but got hooked when I took a required programming course.  Then I did a co-op stint with the government and I was doing data profiling, text analysis and network traffic simulations on mainframes and minis.  I feel lucky to be part of the first generation that found ways to speed up and transform business processes across many industries and disciplines.

Best Tail Spend Solutions Reviews 2024 | Gartner Peer Insights

The overall experience was good. Seamless integration with a lot of different features. All in one platform

I like the UI and how easy it is to use. Overall the experience has been great, organic, and seamless. It is integrated with Slack and also with TravelPerk which we often use, plus with the HR systems.
The initial setup took some time and there was also some learning curve, but it was worth it. 

PayEm

It is a gamechanger in finding and onboarding new suppliers, especially when you have a very dynamic environment where requests pop up every day with new/different requirements. From purchase requests to sourcing to awarding vendors, it all works smoothly.

Tail Spend Solutions Reviews and Ratings

What is Tail Spend Solutions?

Products In Tail Spend Solutions Category

PayEm

PayEm

AnaApp

AnaApp