The future of financial efficiency: Why spend optimisation is your business’s new superpower

Let’s be real, in today’s unpredictable economic landscape, only cutting costs just doesn’t cut it anymore. If you want to stay competitive and scale sustainably, you’ve got to get smart about how you spend, not just how you save.

And this is where spend optimisation comes in. It’s all about making smarter, more strategic decisions to ensure every pound your business spends delivers real value, supports growth, and builds long-term resilience.

That’s exactly what we explored in our recent webinar, “The Future of Financial Efficiency: Unlocking the Power of Spend Optimisation”, hosted by Alice Hickie from Pleo.  She was joined by two finance heavyweights:

• Lee Maughan, CEO at Green & Purple
• Miriam Grant, Head of FinOps at RORA

Together, they unpacked what spend optimisation really looks like in the real world, and why it’s a game-changer for finance teams and business leaders alike.

Hidden costs are quietly draining your business

Most companies think they’ve got a handle on their spending, but more often than not, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

From forgotten software subscriptions to underused tools and endless expense chasing, financial inefficiencies can creep in unnoticed. And those hidden costs? They add up fast.

Without visibility, finance teams end up playing detective, figuring out who spent what, when, and why. It's reactive, time-consuming, and undeniably not the best use of anyone’s brainpower.

But here’s the good news, when you focus on spend optimisation, you're not just patching holes. You're creating a leaner, more strategic approach that frees up cash for what actually matters, like innovation, hiring, and scaling up.

Spending smart means growing faster 

When every pound counts, spend optimisation becomes a secret weapon.

Lee Maughan put it perfectly:

“It’s about making sure every pound is working toward a business outcome. Whether that’s direct marketing driving sales, or cutting hidden inefficiencies like duplicate software subscriptions — having visibility allows you to redirect funds toward growth.”

And here’s where it gets interesting, spend optimisation isn’t just a finance thing. When visibility is shared across teams, everyone starts pulling in the same direction. Budgets become clearer. Priorities align. People take ownership of their decisions.

Finance transforms from a back-office function into a growth enabler. And who doesn’t want that?

Practical ways to get started

Despite the clear benefits, many finance teams aren’t sure where to begin. The good news? You don’t need a complex tech stack to take the first step.

Start with the basics:

• Review your current and past spending (yes, even a spreadsheet will do)
• Look for patterns, duplicates, or spending that don’t align with your goal
• Identify categories that could use tighter controls, including subscriptions, travel, SaaS, and even team lunches

Once you’ve got a clearer picture, you can start exploring tools like Pleo to centralise, categorise, and track your spending in real-time. That means better oversight for finance, and more freedom (with guardrails) for your team.

But remember: it’s not about the tools,  it’s about how you use them. Set up clear approval flows, shared team budgets, and regular check-ins to stay proactive and in control.

Lessons learned from working with fast-moving teams

Our speakers have seen first-hand what a difference proactive spend management can make.

In some businesses, introducing structured approvals and automated workflows freed up hours of time for finance teams — time they could then spend on planning and forecasting. In others, setting up company accounts for frequently used travel or SaaS tools unlocked volume discounts and eliminated duplicated spend.

What these examples have in common is a mindset shift: from reactive expense processing to proactive, data-informed decisions. And while the tools are important, the real driver of success is the willingness to bring the wider team along for the journey.

Using Pleo to go beyond expense management

Sure, Pleo makes expense tracking easy, but its real power is in the data. When you categorise spending properly, you start seeing trends. You get leverage in supplier negotiations. You can steer spending towards areas that actually drive results.

As Lee said:

“It’s not just about tracking receipts — it’s about using that data to spot trends, negotiate better deals, and shift spend toward high-impact areas.”

That kind of insight helps you build scalable, resilient systems that adapt as your business grows. One market or ten, you're in control.

Make spend your strategic power

Spend optimisation is more than just a finance initiative — it’s a growth strategy. By building a culture of transparency, accountability, and data-informed decision-making, businesses can create space for innovation, strengthen resilience, and set themselves up for long-term success.

Want to find out how Pleo can help you unlock financial efficiency in your business? [Book a demo] and see how smarter spending starts today.

Want to learn more?

This blog only scratches the surface. If you want the full scoop, check out the on-demand webinar: 'The Future of Financial Efficiency: Unlocking the Power of Spend Optimisation.' You’ll hear directly from Lee and Miriam on how they’ve helped businesses transform their approach to spending.