Onboarding SMEs
As a micro SME, onboarding with multinationals can be one of the hardest parts of the job, and it’s rarely talked about.
We’re proud to work with large, global organisations on complex social value challenges. But like many SMEs, the onboarding process itself can feel like a significant project before the real work has even begun.
For a small team, onboarding isn’t just admin, it’s time taken away from delivery, clients and growth.
Some of the challenges we experience regularly may seem small but have a large impact, and we know many other SMEs face them too:
A heavy administrative burden for small teams
Supplier portals, long questionnaires and duplicate requests from procurement, finance and information security teams are often designed with large suppliers in mind. For SMEs like Samtaler, this work usually sits with the same people delivering projects, managing clients and running the business.
Complex compliance and accreditation requirements
Accreditations such as Cyber Essentials Plus or ISO standards are important, and we understand why they exist. But they are also expensive, time‑intensive and technically challenging to achieve and maintain, particularly when the requirement is tied to a single contract or client relationship.
Financial and banking evidence hurdles
Requests for bank certificates, audited accounts and bespoke financial confirmations can feel disproportionate to the size and risk of some contracts. These documents often take time (and money) to obtain, and smaller businesses may not fit neatly into standard portal expectations.
Supplier portals that lack transparency
Unclear instructions, rigid document formats and little visibility on where you are in the process make planning extremely difficult. For SMEs carefully managing cash flow and capacity, uncertainty around onboarding timelines can be a real risk.
One‑size‑fits‑all processes that don’t reflect SME realities
Long payment terms, high insurance thresholds and inflexible compliance frameworks are often set at a level that suits large suppliers. Yet it’s often small, specialist teams like ours that bring agility, innovation and deep expertise.
We’re not sharing this to criticise, but to encourage more open conversations..
If organisations are serious about supporting diverse, resilient and where appropriate, local supply chains and unlocking the value SMEs bring, onboarding processes need to be proportionate, transparent and tiered. Small changes like clearer guidance, realistic thresholds, and flexibility where risk is low - make a meaningful difference.
From our perspective at Samtaler, reducing friction at onboarding isn’t just good procurement practice; Better processes don’t lower standards, they make good partnerships (and social value) possible.
👉 We’d love to hear from other SMEs and procurement professionals: what’s worked well, and where could things be done differently?
What’s Next?
At Samtaler, we understand the importance of social value to help businesses become better and stronger. To find out how we can help send an email to hello@samtaler.co.uk or complete our contact form