Randy Jeter, CEO of Procure IT in this Q&A chats about leveraging AI and automation to streamline the procurement process, trends in cloud technology, and automation transforming IT procurement.
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Please share your journey from founding startups to leading Procure IT, and how the “People. Process. Systems.” philosophy guides your leadership?
My journey in the IT procurement space started when I was an employee of PAETEC Communications and began working with entrepreneurs who had consultancies advising businesses on their technology solutions. Later, I joined one of these entrepreneurs, Rick Hand, and four years later bought his company, Premiere Worldwide.
From the time I joined Premiere Worldwide, I wanted to build a scalable technology consulting agency, which we did by using digital marketing techniques to drive opportunities. While at Premiere Worldwide, I also helped Alaris Consulting/PwC build a network and voice assessment model for shared spend capital investment projects. This partnership was crucial to my early success and introduced me to the opportunity in building a managed cloud solutions provider.
I leveraged Premiere Worldwide’s recurring revenue stream to build my own managed cloud solutions provider, RapidScale, and fund its growth for the first three years before we connected with founders at Madison Dearborn Partners and Ballast Point Ventures who sought to invest in early stage companies in the managed cloud services space. With $2.3 million in capital, we grew and scaled RapidScale until we sold it to Cox Communications in 2018.
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In 2023, I launched Procure IT through the merger of four technology companies with the goal of revolutionizing IT procurement.
Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve followed a “people, process, systems” philosophy as follows:
- People: Build high-performing, diverse teams by placing people at the core of the business.
- Process: Focus on efficiency and scalability by creating processes that streamline workflows.
- Systems: Leverage technology and automation to drive business operations and decision-making.
Procure IT simplifies technology sourcing for businesses. How do you leverage emerging technologies like AI and automation to streamline the procurement process?
The end result of the work we’re doing at Procure IT will be AI-driven technology decisions using all aspects of available resources and billing data. When building RapidScale, I recognized lack of data as a gap and one I’ve since learned how to fix. Procure IT gathers data from read-only systems and uses AI to generate customized IT reports that show how to optimize each client’s IT environment better than anything on the market today. These AI-powered tools for SaaS FinOps and Cloud FinOps deliver precise cost control and resource rightsizing.
On the automation front, Procure IT automates procurement workflows to reduce manual labor and increase speed. This is where everything is going. One example is automated quoting from the vendors.
Ultimately, Procure IT provides centralized visibility across procurement, spend and performance management to streamline decision-making. This is another gap that I saw in the marketplace when I led RapidScale. A single pane of glass is crucial for IT Advisors to mature their practices. Data will eliminate the current lack of transparency and enable the IT advisory model to reach its potential.
What trends in cloud technology and automation are you most excited about, and how are they influencing IT procurement?
Two of the major trends that are influencing IT procurement are:
- FinOps and Cloud Cost Management, which place increased focus on maximizing cloud spend and improving efficiency
- AI-driven procurement, which leverages AI algorithms to predict IT needs and automatically source solutions
What excites me most is that the entire procurement lifecycle is nearing a point of transparency, informed decisions and managed outcomes. There’s not been a lot of tech built for IT advisors — agents and brokers — to provide to client. With our managed IT procurement platform, IT advisors can earn recurring revenue by provide the software tool and managed services on top of commissions or margins they’re making from the IT vendors.
How will CCaaS evolve to meet the demands of increasingly digital work environments?
CCaaS is part of the entire customer engagement journey. For example, call transcript data can be put in AI engine to summarize conversations and sentiment, which can be used to improve the customer experience.
I’m also a fan of Dialpad’s use of AI to map CCaaS to business application needs. As the modeling matures, it will be easier for tech advisors to get buy-in for CCaaS, particularly in vertical businesses.
Finally, I suggest anyone looking for a UCaaS provider include those vendors that have a CCaaS platform due to its rising value, including:
- Increased personalization
- Seamless integration with productivity tools and other business systems
- Automated workflows that reduce the need for human intervention in customer interactions
- Omnichannel communication (e.g., voice, chat, video)
With your expertise in systems automation, how do you see automation transforming IT procurement over the next five years?
- People will own the customer relationship but they need to come with far more value than they do today. That means delivering the best data-driven platform and experience.
- There will be a range of managed procurement options —unmanaged, hybrid managed and managed. All three have a place at the table.
- From sourcing to vendor selection and contract management, many manual tasks will be fully automated.
- Advanced AI will provide deeper insights into procurement needs, risk assessment and cost savings.
- Automated systems will enable real-time adjustment of procurement strategies based on business needs and market conditions.
- Systems will anticipate needs before they arise, allowing for preemptive sourcing and purchasing decisions.
Before we close, what advice would you offer tech entrepreneurs on scaling and preparing for potential exits?
- Choose the kind of business you want — lifestyle or equity-focused build. Then get ready for a journey, which I suggest includes seeking executive coaching, reading business-building books (e.g., “Good to Great” by James C. Collins, “Principles” by Ray Dalio and “Start with the Why” by Simon Sinek), and culture building.
- Build a strong team by surrounding yourself with diverse talent to handle both strategic and operational aspects of scaling.
- Focus on incorporating scalable processes and systems early to avoid operational bottlenecks later on.
- Prove your value fast by showcasing the immediate value your business delivers to customers or partners.
- Think about exit from day one by focusing on differentiation, financial health and scalability, which are required to attract buyers.
- Network and build relationships with partners and investors prepare for an eventual exit.
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Randy J. Jeter is the CEO and Co-Founder of Procure IT, an AI-driven IT procurement and management company that empowers tech advisors and their business clients with cutting-edge tools to optimize IT sourcing and management. Procure IT has raised initial funding of $4.8 million to create an industry-first platform for IT procurement, spend, performance and risk management. Launched in October 2024, the Procure IT platform combines IT sourcing, management and cost optimization—all through a “single pane of glass” that centralizes visibility and decision-making.
Previously, Jeter was the CEO of RapidScale, a managed cloud service provider acquired by Cox Communications in 2018. His leadership led to RapidScale’s growth into one of the top managed cloud providers for small and medium business and midmarket enterprise clients.
Jeter’s experience in the tech industry also includes his tenure as Senior Channel Sales Manager at PAETEC Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: PAET) and his role as a contracted partner at Alaris Consulting a PwC company, where he oversaw strategic IT shared spend projects.
Jeter holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management from Vanguard University. A dynamic leader, Jeter is known for his people-first, process-oriented approach and his focus on building high-performing, diverse teams. He is also a sought-after speaker in the technology space. Additionally, Jeter is a member of YPO and actively supports charitable causes.
Outside of work, Jeter is a dedicated husband and father of three, loves to be on the mountain or at the lake and remains passionate about mentorship, team building and motivational leadership.
Procure IT, the AI-driven IT procurement and management company, simplifies IT sourcing and spend, performance and risk management for businesses of all sizes – from small and medium businesses (SMBs) to global enterprises. Procure IT leverages decades of expertise in technology sourcing, relationships with more than 1,500 IT suppliers, proven processes and a proprietary AI-Driven IT Procurement Platform to help business clients save time and money while ensuring they have the technology they need to succeed in a competitive marketplace. Procure IT advises more than 3,000 businesses nationwide, speeding up the procurement process, saving money and helping mitigate risk. For more information, visit www.procureit.com or engage with us on LinkedIn.
