Spend Matters welcomes a guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian.

It's an uncomfortable topic.

There are some people who become irritable, demanding, and yes --somewhat emotional, for about a week at the same time every month. Their physical demeanor changes, they look tired, break out, and sometimes crave chocolate or chips more than usual.

They are accountants.

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Spend Matters welcomes a guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian.

Every holiday season, I think about years ago when I sent personalized coffee mugs to all our customers -- convinced it was a great way to keep our brand top-of-mind (and top-of-morning). A week later, I got a call from a large customer who I also considered a close friend. I eagerly picked up the phone anticipating a warm thank you. He didn't even say hello, he just asked, "Why did you spend $4 to send me a $2 coffee mug?" I didn't have a good answer.

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Spend Matters is pleased to welcome a guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian Technologies.

In part one of this series, we reviewed what 'evidence' you should collect for proper spend analysis. With that in hand, let's review the next steps to crack the case (and reduce maverick spending).

Use the spending evidence you've collected to gain a thorough understanding of the following:

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Spend Matters is pleased to welcome a guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian Technologies.

I have been watching CSI: Crime Scene Investigation since it first aired in 2000. Each episode is a study in procedure, strategy and deep analysis. It's a fascinating show and no surprise that it ranks number 3 in DVR playback (3.07 million viewers). I was watching an old episode last week when a thought occurred to me: spend analysis is not that different than crime scene investigation. It takes a plan, adherence to procedures, an open mind, and the willingness to see some gruesome things.

Inflated invoices for off-contract purchases are a horrific sight. It's like discovering a big cockroach in your house: a disgusting sight, but worse knowing that a hundred others are hiding close by. For large organizations, even a 5 to 15 percent reduction in maverick purchasing can lead to millions of dollars in savings. In this two-part post, we'll play Cost Savings Investigators, rooting out maverick spending with the precision of a modern detective. In part one, we'll review what spending 'evidence' you should collect for analysis. In part two, we'll show you how to use that evidence to crack the case.

An in-depth spend analysis can uncover some interesting (and frightening) information. To do a proper, detailed spend analysis, you need a snapshot of:

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Spend Matters welcomes another guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian Technologies.

As the NFL lockout continues and the hoopla of the NFL Draft has died down, there's not much football left to talk about except memories. Surprisingly, the misaligned relationship between purchasing and accounts payable takes me back to the glory days of the Dallas Cowboys.

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TV personalities Oprah Winfrey and Suze Orman suggest we should deny ourselves simple pleasures like that daily $4 Starbucks latte in an effort to save money, and we've seen this view spill over into the corporate arena as well. More and more organizations are being told they if they tighten controls and reduce corporate "lattes," they will drop at least 1% from OPEX.

Although it seems like sage advice, Ramit Sethi, author of the New York Times best-seller I will Teach You to be Rich, cautions against fretting over a $4 coffee: "Constantly over-analyzing tiny purchases is exhausting and ineffectual." He sounds more like the supply chain professional who focuses more on value than per-unit-cost!

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Spend Matters is pleased to present a guest post from Verian Technologies.

The other day, the Wall Street Journal ran the headline "U.S. Balks at Pakistani Bills." As I read the article I thought of you, supply chain professionals, and how I wish one of you could have been there when the U.S. struck its deal with Pakistan for "services" it required for the war on terror.

In 2004, Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the 9/11 attacks and the United Stated wanted to find him immediately. I am sure many of you faced a similar situation. When there is a crisis, people want action. The desire for a clear course of action is intense, and people want to see immediate results.

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Spend Matters is pleased to present a guest post from Verian Technologies.

Although Kermit the Frog doesn't dress like your average CPO, when he laments "It's not easy being green," he certainly sounds like one.

Kermit's famous ode may have been about fitting in, but when today's CPOs hear the word "green," they worry about controlling costs. We live in an enviro-centric world that expects companies, especially big ones, to support sustainability. That means paper instead of plastic, recycled raw materials, and keeping an eye on your carbon footprint.

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Spend Matters would like to welcome another guest post from Mark Schaffner, VP of Marketing at Verian Technologies.

A few months ago, my father asked me to help him buy a new television. Now fully retired, he was looking forward to spending his Golden Years in HD. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we headed out to Best Buy to pick one out.

We made our way to the television display, stacked three high and ten across, glowing like a neon casino sign. Before we could get our bearings, a pair of eager salesmen started reciting a catalog of acronyms like LCD, LED, HDMI, and DVR. My dad's eyes glazed over as he tried to make sense of what he was hearing. As they continued their sales pitch, I turned to see him slowly making his way for the door. "It's too confusing," he protested as I chased after him. "The one I have is fine for now."

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