From The Sourcing Paradox series · Week 3: The human barriers · First shared on LinkedIn, October 22, 2026
COVID reminded us how quickly things can change, how drastic shortages and challenges can materialize, and how a supplier relationship secures capacity. These challenges demanded empathy and HUMAN understanding.
A model can rank suppliers, model the shortage, and flag the risk. It can't earn the call back. In my view, that's why the relationship side of procurement gets more valuable as AI takes on the analysis, not less.
When supply is tight, suppliers allocate to the customers they trust, the ones who paid on time, shared forecasts honestly and treated them as partners when times were easy.
People build that trust, one conversation at a time. No tool builds it for you.
In a shortage, who does your top supplier call first: you, or your competitor?
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This post draws on The Sourcing Paradox, a free Procademai™ report for procurement leaders and professionals (section 3.2).
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