How to Handle the ‘I Need to Consult with Our Procurement Team’ Sales Objection

When a prospect says, “I need to consult with our procurement team,” they’re signaling that the deal is shifting from the business decision stage to the formal purchasing process. This isn’t necessarily a roadblock—it’s just a different phase of the buying journey.

What they’re really thinking:

• I’m on board, but we need to follow internal procedures.
• Procurement might have additional requirements or negotiations.
• I don’t know exactly how long this will take.
• We need to check if this fits our budget and compliance standards.

Procurement teams focus on pricing, terms, compliance, and risk. Your goal isn’t just to wait for an update—it’s to proactively support your prospect so procurement approval happens as smoothly and quickly as possible.

How to Respond in a Supportive, Strategic Way

1. Acknowledge & Validate—Procurement Is a Normal Step

Show that you understand procurement involvement is standard and offer to help.

Example:
"That makes total sense! We work with a lot of companies where procurement plays a key role. I’d love to help make the process as smooth as possible—what’s the best way to work with your procurement team?"

GPT Prompt:

Generate a response that acknowledges procurement involvement while offering support to simplify the process.

2. Ask About the Procurement Process—What’s Required?

Understanding how procurement works at their company helps you prepare the right information upfront.

Example:
"Every procurement team has different processes. Just so I can be as helpful as possible, what steps does your team typically follow? Are there any forms, approvals, or legal reviews we should anticipate?"

GPT Prompt:

Create a response that uncovers the procurement process and key requirements.

3. Identify Common Procurement Concerns

Procurement teams often focus on pricing, contract terms, security, and compliance. Find out what they’re most concerned about.

Example:
"From what you’ve seen in the past, does procurement usually focus more on pricing, contract terms, compliance, or something else? I’d love to help address their priorities upfront."

GPT Prompt:

Generate a response that helps uncover the procurement team’s top concerns.

4. Offer Preemptive Documentation

Many procurement teams require specific documentation before they approve a purchase. Offer to provide what they need early.

Example:
"Would it help if I sent over key procurement documents like pricing details, security compliance, or vendor agreements in advance? That way, we can speed up the process."

GPT Prompt:

Create a response that offers to provide essential procurement documents upfront.

5. Offer to Connect with Procurement Directly

If possible, get involved directly instead of waiting for updates from your prospect.

Example:
"Would it be helpful if I connected directly with procurement to answer any questions upfront? That way, we can avoid any back-and-forth delays."

GPT Prompt:

Generate a response that suggests direct communication with procurement in a helpful way.

6. Share Social Proof—How Other Procurement Teams Approved Similar Deals

If procurement has concerns, showing how other companies successfully approved your solution can provide confidence.

Example:
"We’ve worked with procurement teams at [Company A] and [Company B], and they had similar questions. Once they saw [pricing flexibility, compliance, ROI], they moved forward quickly. Would you like me to share how they approached it?"

GPT Prompt:

Craft a response that shares a real-world success story of procurement approval.

7. Lock in a Follow-Up Timeline

Procurement processes can sometimes slow down deals, so it’s important to keep momentum.

Example:
"That sounds great! When do you expect procurement to review this? I’d love to check in after to see if any questions come up—does [specific date] work?"

GPT Prompt:

Generate a response that ensures a follow-up after procurement review.

8. Keep the Conversation Open—Offer Additional Support

If procurement needs more time, make sure they know you’re available to provide extra documentation or answers.

Example:
"Totally understand! If procurement needs any additional case studies, security certifications, or pricing details, just let me know—I’m happy to help however I can."

GPT Prompt:

Create a response that keeps the conversation warm for future engagement.

Cheat Sheet for Handling ‘I Need to Consult with Our Procurement Team’

Final Thoughts

When a prospect says, “I need to consult with our procurement team,” they’re not rejecting you—they’re following internal processes. The best approach is to:

• Acknowledge that procurement approvals are a normal step
• Ask about the procurement process so you can anticipate requirements
• Identify procurement’s key concerns and address them early
• Offer necessary documentation upfront to avoid delays
• Suggest direct communication with procurement to streamline approvals
• Use social proof to show how other companies successfully got approval
• Lock in a follow-up date so the deal doesn’t lose momentum
• Keep the conversation open and supportive

At the end of the day, procurement is not a blocker—it’s just another step in the process that you can proactively navigate.

How DocketAI Can Help

DocketAI helps sales teams handle procurement approvals with pre-built compliance documents, pricing transparency, and stakeholder insights—so when a prospect says, “I need to consult with procurement,” you have everything you need to keep the deal moving.

🎯 See how it works—Book a demo today!