The Hackett Group, Inc., a leading generative AI consultancy, has released its 2025 Digital World Class® Procurement research, revealing that top-performing procurement teams deliver 2.6X greater return on investment (ROI) than peers. These teams operate with 31% fewer staff and 19% lower costs, leveraging generative AI (Gen AI) and intelligence-driven models to navigate volatility and drive strategic impact.
Digital World Class procurement teams prioritize strategic tasks like spend management and supplier engagement, achieving 58% shorter requisition-to-purchase order cycles and 24% shorter sourcing cycles. “Leading procurement organizations are showing what’s possible when digital capabilities and human expertise come together to drive value,” said Chris Sawchuk, principal and Global Procurement Executive Advisory practice leader at The Hackett Group®. These teams use speed as a competitive advantage, enhancing functional productivity while reducing costs.
Top performers generate 2.03X greater cost savings as a percentage of spend by proactively renegotiating supply agreements and minimizing maverick buying, resulting in 60% less savings leakage. Their advanced processes and stakeholder trust ensure compliance, maximizing financial impact. The research, based on global benchmarks across hundreds of companies, highlights their ability to capitalize on opportunities in volatile markets.
These teams provide twice the annual training hours per employee, focusing on AI proficiency, business acumen, and soft skills. With formal retention plans, they achieve 25% longer manager tenure and lower turnover, fostering institutional knowledge. This investment supports agility and resilience, critical in today’s dynamic supply chain environment.
Digital World Class teams invest 1.8X more in procurement technology, enabling analysts to dedicate 26% more time to data analysis over manual tasks. Their intelligent dashboards support reporting, analytics, and scenario modeling for cost, risk, and sustainability. “These teams are also moving beyond AI and Gen AI pilots to broader solution deployment in 2025 – innovations that will strengthen their resilience and intelligence capabilities even further,” Sawchuk noted. Recent X posts highlight The Hackett Group’s leadership in Gen AI consulting, reinforcing its market position.
The research offers a roadmap for procurement transformation, recommending AI-driven automation for sourcing, contract management, and stakeholder support. It advises strengthening information architecture, treating service providers as innovation partners, and evolving governance for agile operations. With the procurement tech market growing at a 7.6% CAGR through 2030, these strategies position teams for long-term success.
The Hackett Group’s 2025 research underscores the transformative power of Gen AI in procurement, enabling Digital World Class teams to lead with agility and efficiency. As HCKT’s stock trades at $24.754, reflecting a stable market cap of $703.5 million, the firm continues to guide enterprises toward superior ROI and strategic resilience.
The Hackett Group, Inc. is an IP and platform-based, Gen AI strategic consulting and executive advisory firm that enables Digital World Class® performance. Using AI XPLR™ and ZBrain™ – our ideation through implementation platforms – our experienced professionals help organizations realize the power of Gen AI and achieve quantifiable, breakthrough results, allowing us to be key architects of their Gen AI journey.
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