Amid tough financial decisions in the wider world, many businesses and public-sector organisations are under pressure to find cost efficiencies. IT is a common target for these cuts: 90% of organisations say IT cost optimisation is a high priority at present.

This pressure to save money can make running hardware and software assets for as long as possible all too tempting. But whether through obsolete hardware, causing disruption and consuming IT support resources, or cyber security issues through the presence of out-of-support software, this approach can actually cost more in the long term.

On the other hand, taking an informed, strategic and focused approach to IT usage and spending, can help maximise productivity and functionality while keeping within strict financial constraints. IT Asset Management (ITAM) is fundamental to identifying areas for improvement and delivering the insights that can guide your cost-optimising strategy to success.

The hidden costs of IT Asset Management

Budget constraints

Available funding for new IT investments is tight, especially in the public sector. This leads to an attitude of trying to drive maximum lifespan from current hardware, even when this can lead to more costly inefficiencies.

Licensing complexity

Over-licensing, under-licensing, unclear software terms, and a lack of visibility of what organisations have and what they need, all contribute to cost inefficiencies. A lack of licensing understanding can lead to compliance risks and broad, ineffective licensing decisions (such as giving all employees the highest licensing level, irrespective of need).

Poor IT efficiency and visibility

According to ZDNET, only 24% of organisations have full visibility over their IT infrastructure – and 29% don’t have any visibility at all. Issues here can easily lead to inefficiencies in resource costs, licensing costs, security provision, and long-term strategy around renewals and lifecycle management.

Cloud spending management

Without proper planning and management in place, the costs of migrating towards the cloud can quickly spiral out of control through unexpected expenses and budget overruns.

Inflation and rising costs

Wider economic pressures such as inflation are leading to increasing software and hardware costs, including essential software ingrained into core business processes. This can make it challenging to maintain full functionality and maximise the productivity of hybrid work set-ups while staying within budget.

Maximum IT asset efficiency for minimum cost with SCC

Partnering with SCC gives you access to a range of services and support functions, all designed to help you get the best possible performance from your IT assets without breaking the bank. That way, you can improve and right-size your IT estate and make the right long-term decisions that also make sense for your bottom line:

Audit defence

We can work with you ahead of impending licence audits, matching spending and consumption to business needs and addressing any areas of non-compliance before they can have an impact on your organisation. This ensures all licences are being used appropriately and effectively, and reduces the risk of expensive remedial actions post-audit.

IT Lifecycle Management (ITLM)

 Our expertise and experience can inform better software and hardware lifecycle management, compliance and governance. We can support you with process redesign, visioning workshops with various stakeholders, and designing a target operating model for your unique requirements.

Software Asset Management (SAM)

We can help you refocus your asset management, with the help of internal licence audits, process re-engineering and management, SAM system design and implementation, and a new approach to software refreshing. This allows you to rationalise your software estate and eliminate the unnecessary costs caused by overlapping solutions.

Cloud FinOps

We can help you find ways to optimise and rationalise your cloud spending, based on data-driven spending decisions that consult all your stakeholders. This can ensure resources and storage are right-sized, and value is maximised across Azure, AWS and other leading cloud providers.

GreenOps

We can help you balance cost optimisation and sustainability in your long-term IT strategy. This includes assessing how you leverage public cloud; optimising the footprint of your on-premise and private cloud, software and hardware; and exploring opportunities to relocate resources to run on sustainable energy.

Software renewal consultancy

Thanks to our decades of experience, we’re perfectly placed to advise on your ideal strategy for software renewal. We can audit your systems to gain full visibility of future licensing demands, recommend what to renew, how and when for maximum cost efficiency, as well as meeting your future demands for growth.

Hardware Asset Management (HAM)

By identifying the quantity, quality and variety of all the devices within your IT estate, we can establish a strategy for refreshing the right devices at the right time. This can help improve employee productivity, minimise disruption and enhance sustainability, all while maximising the value of the investment.

Healthier IT, healthier costs, healthier organisation

Improved decision-making

Accurate usage data, detailed insights and SCC expertise can inform better decisions about your technology strategy and investment, including accurate budgeting and forecasting with reduced risk of unexpected costs.

Reduced risk of non-compliance

Having comprehensive records and full visibility of licence periods, terms and utilisation can reduce the financial and legal risk of failing to comply with licensing agreements.

Lower software and cloud costs

Cost inefficiency due to unused licences and subscriptions, unfavourable software terms, obsolete hardware, unexpected IT costs and duplicate software can all be stripped out. Further cost savings can be generated by better aligning IT assets with business requirements.

Better cost efficiency for IT support

Improved visibility into asset conditions, licence status and IT process efficiency can all contribute to lower IT support costs. This is down to a reduction in the number of issues that need solving, and in the time and resources required to solve them.

Optimised hardware lifespans

Better tracking of hardware lifecycles means the right devices can be used for longer or replaced when they’re no longer viable, therefore optimising the cost and investment of every asset.

Efficient energy use and costs

More effective use of IT resources in every area, along with a clear inventory and standardised systems, can reduce both the cost and carbon footprint of IT simultaneously.

Contact us

Get the most from your IT investment and transform your estate with confidence

How we might use your information

We may contact you by phone or email, if you have not opted out, or where we are otherwise permitted by law, to provide you with marketing communications about similar goods and services, the legal basis that allows us to use your information is ‘legitimate interests’. If you’d prefer not to hear from us you can unsubscribe here. More information about how we use your personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy.

CONTACT US
Scroll to Top