By Aylin Basom, Chief Executive Officer at Supplier.io
There have been significant advances in data, automation, and AI. Yet, many Procurement, Responsible Sourcing, and Supplier Diversity leaders are still relying on manual processes to manage some of their most critical responsibilities, including finding new suppliers, tracking certifications, measuring impact, and reporting progress.
And while these processes may seem “good enough,” the truth is, they’re not just outdated — they’re risky, inefficient, and ultimately more expensive in the long run.
At Supplier.io, we often hear from prospective clients who say, “We’ve been doing this manually for years, and it works.” And we get it, change is hard, especially when the manual program seems to be working. But here’s what we also see, time and time again:
1. Manual Processes Are Hidden Cost Centers
When you add up the time your team spends compiling spreadsheets, chasing certification data, Googling for new suppliers, and manually formatting reports, it’s not just inconvenient — it’s expensive. These activities drain resources that could be spent on strategic initiatives.
Our clients routinely tell us that automating these tasks with Supplier.io saves hundreds of hours annually and reclaims capacity for more impactful work. On average, clients report they were spending up to 73% of their time on these manual activities.
2. You Don’t Know What You’re Missing
Manual sourcing and tracking limit visibility. You may be working with a handful of known suppliers, but you’re missing out on thousands more who could offer better pricing, stronger capabilities, or greater alignment with your responsible sourcing goals.
Supplier.io’s platform connects you to 10+ million suppliers globally, with over 350 million data insights layered with certifications, ratings, risk indicators, and more, updated continuously so you’re never operating on stale information.
3. Risk and Reputation Are at Stake
Manually tracking certifications or relying on outdated supplier information creates real compliance and reputational risk. If you’re reporting on spend with small, sustainable, or diverse suppliers, or need to validate Tier 2 metrics to customers or regulators, gaps in data accuracy can lead to failed audits, fines, or worse, loss of trust.
Our verification and data enrichment tools ensure that the information you’re using is up to date and defensible.
One client recently reported. “They were going to do an audit and asked our process for keeping our data accurate. When we told them we use Supplier.io, they were satisfied and didn’t do a full audit.”
In fact, we typically find between 20-50% in reporting errors from clients who manually track.
4. You Can’t Improve What You Can’t Measure
Impact is no longer a “nice to have.” It is expected. If you can’t show how your supply chain investments support small and local businesses, you’ll struggle to get executive buy in or maintain stakeholder trust.
Supplier.io gives you robust dashboards for economic impact reporting that shows how many jobs you have created, your impact to GDP, taxes and wages, and more. These are great insights you can share with leadership, customers, and communities with confidence.
5. You Deserve Better Tools
Most importantly, your team deserves tools that make their jobs easier, not harder. Your mission, whether it’s supplier diversity, sustainability, or strategic sourcing, requires more than spreadsheets and static lists.
It deserves intelligence. Supplier.io was built specifically for this work, with the flexibility to meet you where you are and scale as your goals evolve.
The Bottom Line
Staying manual might feel safe, but it limits your visibility, increases your risk, and holds your team back from making the kind of impact they’re truly capable of.
With Supplier.io, you’re not just buying a tool, you’re gaining a strategic partner that’s committed to helping you work smarter, move faster, and lead with confidence. Let’s talk about how we can help you make the transition, on your terms, with your goals in mind.