How LiveRamp Streamlined Procurement Operations with Zip

Based in San Francisco, LiveRamp is recognised as a reliable data collaboration partner for marketers and media owners, helping to deliver and measure customer experiences.

However, following a successful IPO and with an ever-growing workforce now topping 1,300, its 'ad hoc' approach to both sourcing and procurement could no longer keep up with its needs.

As a result, LiveRamp decision-makers looked to Zip in a bid to simplify operations and position procurement as a strategic contributor to the business.

Reshaping financial operations

Without a method or a process to follow, LiveRamp employees were taking decisions around purchasing into their own hands.

"At times, employees weren't sure who they should be working with," explains Mark Zafra, Chief of Procurement at LiveRamp.

"There was a clear need to develop a more streamlined process around contracting and reviews, especially with new vendors."

Realising a need to develop and implement a more consistent purchasing practice which could offer clarity and compliance, LiveRamp sought assistance from Zip, the procurement orchestration specialist. 

Zip got to work to reshape LiveRamp's financial operations. Thanks to its powerful, streamlined spend request process, Zip provided control and oversight across all stages of sourcing and procurement.

Mark adds: "Before Zip, invoices would most often get sent to one-off employees who weren't knowledgeable about the proper timelines for contract execution. Then AP would have to rush to catch up. That is all completely solved today."

Sourcing revitalised

Another area in need of reinvention was LiveRamp's sourcing operations.

While the company has experienced intense growth, its sourcing team stayed the same size. Each sourcing manager had their own approach and process when it came to finding and selecting vendors.

But, through Zip's RFx functionality and built-in contract repository, LiveRamp no longer needs to battle chaotic processes and disorganised documentation with each sourcing event.

With LiveRamp's sourcing and procurement operations integrated into a single, transparent workflow, Zip helped Mark's team cut cycle times, bring more spend under management and take a strategic approach to sourcing.

Transforming procurement into a strategic business function

"The visibility Zip has given us has really allowed our entire organisation to collaborate much more effectively with regards to third party purchases and vendor selection decisions," Mark continues. 

"We're running 99% of our transactions through Zip."

Ultimately, LiveRamp is enjoying a simpler and faster procurement cycle, with Zip helping to reduce the cycle time to just 33 days.

In addition to spend visibility and speed, Zip is also driving compliance lowering risk by consolidating purchase data and surfacing it in whatever way it's needed.

"Our security team is 100% all in," Mark goes on. "We have significantly more collaboration between security and purchasing because of Zip."

Once seen as paper-pushers, sourcing and procurement at LiveRamp are now recognised as strategic contributors to the business.

Mark concludes: "To support an organisation as it grows, you've got to have the right tools and process in place. That's what Zip did for us."