Avis Budget Group Drives Smarter, Faster, More Strategic Procurement with AI-Powered CLM

Procurement has a long-held reputation as the department that keeps costs in check. But savvy leaders like Neal Jeffs at Avis Budget Group see its potential to drive greater impact across the business.

“Procurement is a huge part of Avis Budget Group’s mission,” said Jeffs. “It’s at the heart of delivering service excellence, innovation, and value for the business by securing the best deals with our suppliers.”

A chartered accountant turned international director of procurement, Jeffs manages more than $700 million in annual spend across 20,000 suppliers.

Just as Avis Budget Group modernized the rental experience with voice-powered reservations and contactless pickup, Jeffs’ team is bringing a digital-forward focus to procurement—making it as agile and efficient as the company’s customer-facing services.

At the center of this transformation: Docusign CLM.

The shift to centralized, intelligent contracting

When Jeffs joined the team, procurement looked very different at Avis Budget Group. Agreements were stored in desk drawers, shared drives, and legacy systems. Collaboration happened over email, and version control was nonexistent.

“We had multiple different versions—and sometimes, we didn’t even know where they were stored," Jeffs said. “There were times a contract came up for renewal and we had to ask the supplier for a copy…which was awkward.”

Without an organized way to track key dates and terms, the team faced issues like unwanted automatic renewals, missed sourcing opportunities, and long delays in approvals.

As agreement volume surged, the cracks widened.

“We needed a global approach to contract management,” said Jeffs. After successfully rolling out eSignature, CLM was the logical next step—and the impact was immediate.

"Docusign CLM has been a game changer for us," he said. “We now have the ability to centrally store all our contracts, proactively manage them, and use seamless workflows powered by artificial intelligence." 

From reactive to proactive

Having a single source of truth has transformed contracting, reducing turnaround time from weeks to days. 

Now, procurement, legal, and finance teams have real-time visibility into where agreements are and who needs to take action. Automated alerts keep approvals moving, while built-in reporting tracks renewals and flags renegotiation opportunities.

“It’s enabled us to be on the front foot so we can engage the market at the right time,” said Jeffs. “That means better services, solutions and commercial terms for the business.”

Docusign Iris flags risks before they become roadblocks

Moving from disjointed to structured workflows was a major leap—but Iris took it further, allowing teams to review agreements at scale in seconds.

“What really impressed us was Docusign’s AI capability,” Jeffs said.

Jeffs’s team trained Iris on Avis Budget Group’s preferred terms, making risk detection instantaneous. When a contract is uploaded, Iris flags discrepancies with red, amber, and green alerts. 

Instead of combing through legalese, the team can spot high-risk clauses immediately. AI-powered insights also make it easier to enforce terms and hold suppliers accountable.

“It’s taken hours out of the review process,” said Jeffs. “People are so happy to have more time back in their day.”

A foundation for long-term success

From increased automation to deeper analytics, Jeffs sees Docusign playing an even greater role in the company’s future.

“It’s already being used by our fleet, legal, and sales teams, and we’re excited to explore how Docusign can help other groups,” he said.

For procurement leaders considering a CLM, Jeffs offers simple advice: Think long term.

"Docusign CLM isn’t just a tool for solving immediate challenges—it’s part of a broader platform that evolves with your organization’s needs and transforms agreement data into meaningful actions. For us, it’s been a foundation for long-term success.”