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By not properly utilizing their existing technology, organizations loose tens of millions of dollars a year!
Very often companies pay millions of dollars in license fees, but don't completely utilize the technology they have purchased! At other times, they obtain multiple applications with similar features! This increases their IT Operations costs and they miss opportunities to incorporate automation in their processes by not utilizing (thru unawareness) their existing systems and technologies.
There are three steps that every organization can take to ensure that they are utilizing their current technology to the "bare minimum" efficiency! Further rationalization and process architecture will allow for true and comprehensive technology utilization.
- Ensure Correct License Count & fees- Make sure that you know the user count and are paying accurate license fees. Check to see if you can negotiate a better plan with the application vendor/s.
- Remove Application “Duplicates”- Conduct a simple Application Rationalization check to ensure that you have ONLY ONE application providing specific set of business functionalities. Even though you are not paying additional license fees, duplicate applications still add to IT Operations- support and training overhead costs.
- Know your User- Have a clear policy for requesting non-standard Business applications. Put controls in place to check and ensure that a user truly needs the requested application to conduct their work duties. Many a times this can easily be accomplished by having their supervisor approve their application request.
Detailed application rationalization along with technology-process gaps identified by conducting process architecture workshops will provide further avenues to comprehensively utilize current existing technology within the organization.
Technology Utilization not only helps with immediate cost savings as reduced license fees and IT Operations costs, but it also allows for streamlining and automating relevant processes that help by reducing/eliminating costs that arise from human error. Comprehensive Technology Utilization ultimately helps with providing efficient business services and increasing customer satisfaction.