How Optimizing Procurement Transforms Furniture Businesses from the Inside Out

In today’s volatile environment, large-scale transformation is more essential than ever for leaders seeking lasting performance advantages. While many furniture dealers and manufacturers focus on improving sales or logistics, research shows that one of the most powerful—but often overlooked—levers for transformation lies in the ordering process.

A recent McKinsey study analyzing over 340,000 business transformation initiatives found a compelling insight: companies that optimize their procurement operations are nearly twice as likely to achieve company-wide performance goals. In our industry, procurement takes the form of complex ordering workflows—quotes, acknowledgements, purchase orders, and change management. Investing in this area is no longer optional; it’s a competitive advantage.

At Avanto, we see the results firsthand. Dealers, reps, and manufacturers using our platform don’t just move faster—they work smarter. The impact isn’t isolated to operations—it reaches sales, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

Here’s what top-performing companies do differently:

1. They Stretch Ambitions—and Eliminate Leakage

Companies that aim high—and back that up with systems that support big goals—outperform the rest. In procurement, value leakage (lost savings or missed opportunities) is common when teams rely on manual or disconnected processes. In furniture, that translates to:

Incomplete quotes

Miscommunications between reps and dealers

Delays in acknowledgements and change orders

In furniture, the lesson is clear: complexity in quoting, approvals, and fulfillment often leads to value leakage. Late-stage changes, manual follow-ups, or misaligned teams chip away at profits and client satisfaction. Starting with bold, realistic expectations—and acknowledging where leakage might occur—helps leaders plan proactively instead of reacting later.

2. They Move Fast—and Win Early

Speed matters. The study shows that companies that made meaningful progress in the first 6 months of their transformation efforts were far more likely to hit their targets long term.

Early wins build momentum. For example, simplifying dealer-manufacturer communication or reducing duplicate data entry can free up hours every week—giving teams more capacity for high-value work. The faster these improvements are visible, the more buy-in they generate across the organization.

3. They Build Skills and Resilience

Transformation isn’t just about adopting new tools—it’s about empowering people. Top-performing companies invest in systems that help their teams adapt and evolve.

When your ordering workflows are simplified and transparent, your teams spend less time firefighting and more time on strategic work. That builds long-term resilience.

4. They Benefit from the Halo Effect of Operational Excellence

Improving ordering, procurement, or sourcing functions often has ripple effects across an organization. When teams can collaborate more easily, track status in real time, and avoid fire drills caused by manual errors, everything improves—from customer satisfaction to cash flow.

These behind-the-scenes wins are often the ones that make the biggest difference.

The Bigger Picture

Improving your ordering process isn’t just an operational upgrade—it’s a strategic advantage. Better visibility, fewer errors, faster execution, and more satisfied customers are just the beginning.

Ordering might seem like an operational detail, but it’s a powerful engine for transformation. At Avanto, we help dealers, reps, and manufacturers take control of complexity—so they can spend less time managing chaos and more time growing their business. Learn how at www.goavanto.com.

‍