Procurement is the strategic process of acquiring goods, services, and works from external sources in a way that ensures value, quality, and alignment with organizational goals.

Procurement Practice FAQs

Q: What industries do you work with?

We collaborate with organizations across finance, technology, government, and professional services. Our methods are adaptable to any industry that values clarity, precision, and strategic direction.

Q: What is procurement for small business?

Procurement for small business involves the strategic process of sourcing, purchasing, and managing goods and services needed to operate effectively.

Q: What happens if I do not get procurement expertise for my business?

Without procurement expertise, businesses may face inefficiencies, missed cost savings, poor supplier relationships, and increased operational risks.

Q: What can I expect from a discovery call with D1 Advisory?

During a discovery call, we will advise you on strategic opportunities, enhance your understanding of procurement best practices, and inform you about potential improvements and next steps.

Q: What is procurement advisory for small and medium businesses?

Procurement advisory for small and medium businesses provides expert guidance on optimizing purchasing processes, supplier management, and cost control to drive efficiency and profitability.

What is the difference between buying, sourcing, contract management, and procurement?

In practice, buying, sourcing, and procurement are used interchangeably. They all describe the same core activity: working out what your business needs, finding the right supplier to deliver it, agreeing on terms, and managing the relationship. If you have searched for any of those words, you are looking for the same thing. The language changes depending on the industry, the size of the organisation, and who is doing the talking, but the work underneath is the same.

Contract management is a specific part of that process, not a separate discipline. It sits at the back end of procurement and covers what happens after the deal is signed. That includes tracking whether the supplier is delivering what they promised, managing renewals, enforcing service levels, and handling disputes or variations when things change. A contract without active management is just a document in a drawer. It only protects you if someone is paying attention to it.

D1 Advisory is a Melbourne based procurement practice that covers the full cycle. Whether you call it buying, sourcing, or procurement, D1 Advisory helps you define what you need, go to market, evaluate your options, negotiate the deal, put the right contract in place, and manage the supplier relationship after the ink is dry. Sylvia Luchian's approach treats these as connected stages, not separate functions, because in most small and medium businesses they are handled by the same person. That person deserves a process that works as one piece, not four different frameworks stitched together.

What industries do you work with?

We collaborate with organisations across finance, technology, government, and professional services. Our methods are adaptable to any industry that values clarity, precision, and strategic direction.

What types of businesses benefit most from D1 Advisory’s services?

Our services are designed for organisations of all sizes that want to make smarter, more strategic decisions about how they buy. Whether you’re a small business looking to strengthen operations or a large enterprise seeking procurement reform, we tailor our approach to meet your priorities and scale with your growth.

What is procurement for small business?

Procurement for small business means having a deliberate approach to how your business spends money. You might use the term 'buying' or 'sourcing,' but it in effect is the same thing.

Every time you engage a supplier, sign a contract, renew a subscription, or approve a purchase order, you are making a procurement decision. The question is whether you are making it with structure and confidence, or whether you are winging it.

D1 Advisory helps small businesses build procurement capability that matches their size and stage. That might mean learning how to evaluate suppliers properly, negotiating better terms on existing contracts, or having someone in your corner when the stakes are high and the decision is complex.
The goal is simple: buy what you need, at a fair price, without the headaches.

What is Procurement?

Procurement is the process of finding, selecting, and managing the suppliers, contractors, and service providers your business spends money with. It covers everything from working out what you actually need, to going to market, evaluating who can deliver it, negotiating the deal, signing the contract, and making sure the supplier does what they promised.

Most businesses do some version of this already. They just do it without a structured process, that can mean decisions are made on gut feel, relationships, or whoever responds first. That is procurement by accident. D1 Advisory exists to replace that with procurement by design: a clear, repeatable process that protects your money, your time, and your confidence in every buying decision.

What happens if I do not get procurement expertise for my business?

Three things tend to happen. First, you pay more than you should. Without market knowledge and negotiation structure, suppliers set the price and the terms. Second, you carry risk you cannot see. Contracts without clear performance obligations, exit clauses, or escalation mechanisms leave your business exposed when something goes wrong. Third, you spend time on problems that a structured process would have prevented. Chasing underperforming suppliers, resolving disputes, or restarting procurement activities because the first attempt was not scoped properly.

None of this is a reflection of intelligence. It is a reflection of not having specialist knowledge in an area that sits outside your core expertise.
That is exactly the gap D1 Advisory fills. Sylvia Luchian has spent more than a decade handling exactly these situations across sectors, and the pattern is consistent: the cost of not having procurement expertise is always higher than the cost of getting it.

Should I get help negotiating better deals with suppliers?

If you are going into a negotiation without market data, without a clear understanding of your buying power, and without a strategy for what you are willing to accept and what you are not, then yes. Negotiation is not about being tough. It is about being prepared. Most businesses leave value on the table not because they are bad negotiators, but because they do not have the information or structure to negotiate from a position of strength.

D1 Advisory helps businesses prepare for and execute supplier negotiations. That includes understanding market rates, identifying your leverage points, structuring the negotiation agenda, and knowing when to push and when to hold. Sylvia Luchian's approach is grounded in real commercial experience, not textbook theory. The goal is always the same: get you a fair deal that protects your interests and builds a supplier relationship that actually works.

How do I pay a D1 Advisory invoice?

D1 Advisory as a procurement practice based in Melbourne issues all invoices through their accounting software. Each invoice includes payment instructions, and payment can be made via direct bank transfer or card. Before making any payment, verify the invoice is legitimate. Invoice fraud and phishing attacks are increasingly common, and D1 Advisory takes this seriously.

‍How to verify a D1 Advisory invoice:

‍Every genuine D1 Advisory invoice will arrive by email from an email address not publically listed on our website. This is a part of our Cyber Security measures. If the sender address is different to the details provided in our Cyber Security Payment Buddy, do not open attachments or click any links. The invoice itself will display the D1 Advisory logo in its correct position, include our registered business name and ABN, and reflect the payment terms agreed in your engagement. If any of those details are missing, inconsistent, or unfamiliar, treat the invoice as suspicious and contact Sylvia Luchian directly before taking any further action.

Check out our FAQ about the Cyber Security payment buddy.

Why was D1 Advisory started?

Sylvia Luchian started the procurement practice D1 Advisory because she saw the same problem playing out across every sector she worked in.

Businesses were making high-stakes buying decisions without the expertise, structure, or confidence to protect their own interests. The market is designed to sell.
Procurement advisory exists to make sure the buyer is informed, in control, and not paying for things they do not need.

D1 Advisory was built on a straightforward belief. Everyone is too busy surviving to properly handle their procurement. They are juggling a hundred priorities, they do not have time to become procurement experts, and they are vulnerable to being sold things they do not actually need. What they need is someone in their corner who fights for them as hard as they would fight for themselves. That is what D1 Advisory does.

Do you offer ongoing advisory support?

Yes. Beyond individual projects, we provide long-term advisory partnerships, offering continuous strategic guidance for executives and leadership teams.

Can we book a one-time consultation?

Absolutely. We offer single-session consultations to help you assess your current strategy and identify next steps toward measurable progress.

How does D1 Advisory identify profit recovery opportunities?

We use a data-driven, systematic approach that analyses your spend patterns, supplier performance, and internal processes. By uncovering inefficiencies and missed opportunities, we help turn everyday purchasing into a measurable source of profit and long-term advantage.

What can I expect from a discovery call with D1 Advisory?

A discovery call is an opportunity to understand where your organisation stands and where hidden value might exist. We’ll discuss your goals, challenges, and current processes, and identify if our tailored service blocks — Advise, Enhance, or Inform — are the right fit to help you move forward.

What is procurement advisory for small and medium businesses?

Procurement advisory for small and medium businesses is specialist guidance that helps business owners and decision-makers buy better. It is not about adding red tape. It is about giving you the structure, knowledge, and confidence to make smarter purchasing decisions without needing a full-time procurement team on your payroll.

D1 Advisory is a Melbourne-based procurement advisory practice that works specifically with small and medium businesses. Sylvia Luchian, the founder and director, brings more than 10 years of experience managing commercial risk and stakeholder alignment across government, telecommunications, utilities, and healthcare.

D1 Advisory translates that expertise into practical, accessible support that fits the way SMBs actually operate: lean teams, limited time, and high-stakes decisions made under pressure.

Do I need procurement in my business?

Every dollar your business spends on suppliers, contractors, and services is a procurement decision. Without a structured approach, those decisions get made reactively. You accept the first quote. You renew contracts on autopilot. You sign agreements without understanding the risk allocation. Over time, that adds up to money lost, value missed, and problems that could have been avoided.

D1 Advisory's clients typically recover between 5% and 75% in bankable and non-bankable savings across their procurement activities. Bankable savings are direct cost reductions. Non-bankable savings are cost avoidances and efficiency gains created elsewhere in the business as a result of smarter buying decisions.

The range depends on complexity and starting point, and results are usually visible within 3 weeks to 24 months. Procurement done properly is not an overhead. It is one of the fastest ways to recover profit that is already sitting in your business.

When should I get help buying for my business?

There are a few clear signals. You are about to sign a contract worth more than you are comfortable with. You suspect you are overpaying a supplier and you do not know how to verify it. You have a procurement decision coming up and no internal expertise to guide it. You are growing fast and the way you have been buying things will not scale.

Any one of those is a good reason to talk to someone. D1 Advisory offers a free discovery call where Sylvia Luchian will listen to your situation and tell you honestly whether you need help, what kind of help makes sense, and whether D1 Advisory is the right fit. There is no pitch. There is no pressure. It is a conversation designed to give you clarity so you can make your next move with confidence.

How do I know if I am overpaying my suppliers?

The honest answer is that most businesses do not know until someone looks. Common signs include contracts that have auto-renewed without a market review, pricing that has not been benchmarked in more than two years, suppliers who have never been asked to justify their rates, and a general sense that you are spending more than you should without being able to prove it.

D1 Advisory can help you find out. A spend review examines what you are currently paying, compares it against any available market benchmarks, and identifies where savings or better value can be recovered. D1 Advisory's clients have recovered between 5% and 75% in savings depending on the complexity and the starting point. Sometimes the answer is that your pricing is fair. More often, it is not, and the savings are significant enough to justify the conversation.

Do you do DiSC profiling?

Yes.
D1 Advisory uses Everything DiSC, the Wiley platform, as part of its enterprise capability assessment offering. DiSC profiling helps organisations understand how their procurement team members naturally communicate, collaborate, and handle conflict. Sylvia Luchian is a qualified DiSC facilitator and integrates the profiling into broader procurement team development engagements.

DiSC profiling is typically offered as part of D1 Advisory's enterprise webinar and capability assessment pathway. It is not a standalone product. It works best when combined with a skills assessment and a structured improvement plan, because understanding behavioural styles only creates value when it is applied to real procurement challenges within the team.

Why is DiSC a useful tool for procurement teams?

Procurement is a team sport, even if it does not always feel like one. Every buying decision involves stakeholders: budget holders, end users, technical specialists, legal, finance. The way those people communicate, make decisions, and handle disagreement directly affects the quality and speed of procurement outcomes.

DiSC gives procurement teams a shared language for understanding how each team member operates. It surfaces why certain stakeholders resist change, why some negotiations stall, and why particular supplier relationships work while others do not. D1 Advisory uses DiSC not as a personality exercise but as a practical tool for improving how procurement teams work together, manage stakeholders, and resolve the internal friction that slows down good buying decisions.

Do you do capability assessments for procurement?

Yes.
D1 Advisory's procurement practice delivers structured procurement capability assessments for organisations that want a clear, evidence-based picture of where their procurement function sits against recognised capability benchmarks. The assessment covers skills, processes, governance, and supplier management maturity. It produces a findings report with prioritised recommendations that tell you exactly where to focus improvement efforts.

Capability assessments are particularly relevant for larger organisations with existing or nascent procurement teams. The assessment establishes a baseline before any intervention is designed, which means the recommendations are grounded in your actual situation, not assumptions.

D1 Advisory can deliver the assessment as a standalone engagement or as the first phase of a broader improvement programme.

What is D1 Advisory's Cyber-Security Payment Buddy?

‍When you become a D1 Advisory customer, we provide you with a Cyber-Security Payment Buddy. This is a verification tool designed to help you confirm that any invoice you receive from D1 Advisory is genuine. We do not share the details of this tool publicly and we do not share it with anyone other than our customers. That is deliberate. The less a cyber criminal knows about how our clients verify invoices, the harder it is for them to impersonate D1 Advisory convincingly.

If you have received an invoice from D1 Advisory and something does not look right, do not pay it. Contact Sylvia Luchian directly through the details provided during your onboarding, or book a call through the D1 Advisory website. A five-minute check is always worth more than a payment you cannot reverse.

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