A Recap from the EBG | Webinar with Medius
Tail spend has long been viewed as “too fragmented,” “too low in value,” or “just too hard” to manage. But as the webinar host Russell Jaques pointed out, that narrative is changing—and fast.
“If we can’t see it, we can’t control it—and that’s where the risk lies.”
Procurement and finance teams are now recognizing that unmanaged tail spend can lead to significant compliance violations, cost inefficiencies, and missed strategic opportunities.
Re-view the On Demand webinar here
To review the recording click the image or go >>here.
🔎 What did attendees say?
Poll 1: What are your 2 biggest challenges managing tail spend?
- ✅ High volume of non-compliant/Maverick purchases – 62%
- ✅ Difficult to identify and manage supplier risks – 38%
- ✅ Lack of visibility into tail spend data – 35%
- ✅ High level of manual processes and approvals – 35%
- ✅ Limited integration between procurement & financial systems – 11%
📌 Key takeaway: Maverick spending is the number one challenge. Participants also noted that poor visibility and manual processes are ongoing barriers—often a result of disconnected systems and reactive approaches.
Poll 2: Which approach do you believe will have the biggest impact on controlling tail spend?
- ✅ Guided buying to channel purchases through preferred suppliers – 54%
- ✅ Procurement integration with ERP & expense management system – 19%
- ✅ Real-time spend tracking and anomaly detection – 11%
- ✅ AI-driven automation for approvals and compliance – 8%
- ✅ Supplier risk assessment and ESG compliance monitoring – 8%
📌 Key takeaway: More than half of attendees believe that guided buying is the most effective method for regaining control over tail spend. This underlines the importance of enabling employees to make the right decisions upfront—without increasing friction.
💬 Insights shared by Russell Jaques:
Throughout the webinar, Russell emphasized the interconnectedness of spend control, compliance, and usability.
“You can’t simply put more controls in place. You have to make it easier for users to do the right thing—automatically.”
This aligns strongly with the poll results: organizations aren’t just looking for more policy enforcement; they’re looking to simplify and guide behavior toward compliant, value-adding actions.
📈 Key reflections and implications
- Behavioral change is central: Without addressing the user experience, even the best policies fall short.
- Guided buying is not a tool—it’s a strategy: It’s about structuring procurement so that compliant choices are the default, not the exception.
- Visibility matters: Fragmented spend, scattered suppliers, and lack of integration continue to hinder proactive risk and cost management.
- Tail spend is strategic: With upcoming sustainability and due diligence regulations (such as CSDDD and CSRD), it’s no longer acceptable to ignore the long tail of suppliers.
🛠 Final word from the host
Russell wrapped up the session by stressing the need for actionable insights, not just data.
“If you want to control tail spend, start with visibility—but act with purpose. Guide purchasing, automate smartly, and give procurement a platform that works with them, not against them.”
🚀 What’s next?
Want to access more insights like these?
Stay connected via EBG | Network and learn more about how tail spend can become an asset—not a liability.
About Medius
Medius links invoice capture, processing and payment to replace the worry and wondering of managing AP with calm and confidence. Medius goes far beyond basic automation by using artificial intelligence to do most of the work – so invoices get confirmed, coded and paid and businesses can trust their budgets and forecasts. Medius, on a mission to transform the spend management