When it comes to IT, choosing the cheapest option rarely delivers the best long-term results. For London businesses, effective IT procurement is about aligning technology decisions with growth, risk management, and operational efficiency.

A clear IT procurement strategy helps organisations select the right suppliers, control costs, and avoid short-term decisions that can limit scalability later on. With more flexible alternatives now available, such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), procurement has evolved beyond simply purchasing hardware and software.

In this guide, we explore how IT procurement works, why it matters for London-based businesses, and when modern, service-based models may offer a smarter alternative to traditional asset purchasing.

That’s why in this article we discuss…

• Creating an IT Procurement Strategy
• What Is the IT Procurement Process?
• Why IT Procurement Is Important for Businesses
• IT Procurement Services for London Businesses
• Alternatives to Traditional IT Procurement
• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Explained
• When IaaS Makes Sense for London Organisations
• Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right IT Procurement Approach

Let’s dive right in.

Creating an IT Procurement Strategy

Creating an effective IT procurement strategy starts with understanding how technology supports your wider business goals, not just what needs to be purchased.

London businesses must consider which technologies will enable growth, how suppliers will be evaluated, and whether solutions require ongoing maintenance, licensing, or support. Procurement decisions should also account for scalability, security, compliance, and long-term cost, rather than focusing solely on upfront price.

By approaching IT procurement strategically, organisations can avoid reactive purchasing, reduce risk, and ensure technology investments continue to deliver value as the business evolves.

What Is the IT Procurement Process?

While IT procurement processes vary between organisations, most London businesses follow a structured approach to ensure purchases are cost-effective, secure, and aligned with long-term goals.

A typical IT procurement process includes:

• Defining the technical and business requirements
• Securing internal approval and budget sign-off
• Researching vendors, solutions, and market options
• Evaluating risks, costs, and contractual terms
• Negotiating supplier agreements
• Procuring and deploying the solution
• Reviewing performance and value delivered
• Managing the asset or service throughout its lifecycle

This structured approach helps organisations reduce risk, avoid unnecessary spend, and ensure ongoing value from their IT investments.

Why IT Procurement Is Important for Businesses

IT procurement plays a critical role in how businesses manage cost, risk, and long-term growth.

A well-defined procurement strategy helps organisations:

• Control and forecast IT spending
• Select reliable, high-quality suppliers
• Reduce operational and security risks
• Support regulatory and compliance requirements
• Align technology investments with wider business objectives

Effective IT procurement goes beyond securing the lowest price. 

The quality, reliability, and long-term suitability of technology directly influence productivity, security, and brand perception. By aligning procurement decisions with business strategy, organisations can ensure IT investments actively support growth rather than limit it.

IT Procurement Services for London Businesses

At Lyon Tech, we support London businesses with structured, strategic IT procurement services designed to reduce risk and deliver long-term value.

Our approach goes beyond sourcing equipment. We help organisations identify the right solutions, assess suppliers thoroughly, and ensure procurement decisions align with business objectives, security requirements, and future growth plans.

In addition to IT procurement, we provide a range of professional services to support the full IT lifecycle, including:

• IT governance and advisory
• 24/7 help desk and user support
• Cybersecurity assessment and ongoing monitoring
• Disaster recovery and business continuity planning

This integrated approach ensures procurement decisions are supported by the right operational and security frameworks.

Alternatives to Traditional IT Procurement

While a structured IT procurement strategy helps control cost and risk, many London businesses are now reassessing whether owning IT assets is the most effective approach.

Traditional procurement often involves large upfront investment, long refresh cycles, and ongoing maintenance overheads. In contrast, service-based models such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offer a more flexible and cost-efficient alternative.

IaaS allows organisations to access computing resources on demand, scale infrastructure as requirements change, and avoid the capital expense associated with purchasing and maintaining physical equipment. For growing or change-driven businesses, this shift can significantly improve agility and cost predictability.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Explained

With the IaaS model, a solutions provider hosts all the necessary infrastructure, such as storage, computing power, graphics capabilities, networking resources, and servers, then delivers them through the cloud environment for businesses to utilise.

In contrast to traditional procurement of IT infrastructure, IaaS offers a much more flexible and dynamic approach that can easily be scaled up or down as needed.

For example, if a business in London needs to hire 20 additional temporary workers and set up all the necessary IT equipment for them, this would normally require purchasing the desktop PCs, servers, and networking equipment for each of those 20 team members.

Through the IaaS model, however, scaling up infrastructure requirements is as simple as selecting an option on a bespoke package of services.

Capacity can easily be scaled up or down upon request, without having to go through the outlay and procurement procedure.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right IT Procurement Approach

Choosing the right IT procurement approach is all about supporting long-term growth, managing risk, and maintaining operational flexibility.

For some London businesses, traditional procurement remains the right fit. For others, service-based models such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offer a more scalable and cost-effective way to support modern working practices. In many cases, a hybrid approach delivers the best balance.

At Lyon Tech, we help organisations assess their current IT estate, understand where procurement models may be holding them back, and identify solutions that align with how the business operates today, and how it plans to grow tomorrow.

Eager to put the right strategy in place? Get in touch today to ensure IT procurement becomes a strategic advantage rather than a barrier to progress.

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