Gartner Research Report − Predicts 2020: Negotiate Software and Cloud Contracts to Manage Marketplace Growth and Reduce Legacy Costs

In this report, you will find dozens of insights around the challenges of pursuing digital growth while controlling costs. Among predictions and recommendations in the report: Prediction: “SaaS vendors foster application ecosystems to increase the availability of niche, add-on functionality, resulting in increased lock-in for existing customers buying from these partners.” Prediction: “Each year, support costs for legacy software increase, while the benefits gained from that support decrease, leading to more organizations seeking lower-cost third-party support options.” Recommendation: Enterprises that have identified applications that they do not yet wish to move to the cloud should evaluate third-party support as an alternative to direct vendor support in order to maintain high-performing, existing software Recommendation: Evaluation of third-party support as an alternative to vendor’s support in order to help fund future innovation while avoiding SaaS vendor lock-in and their increasing support costs This must-read from Gartner enables IT leaders and sourcing/procurement/vendor management personnel to identify the trends and impacts of pursuing digital transformation in tandem with cost control. Reference: Gartner, Inc. “Predicts 2020: Negotiate Software and Cloud Contracts to Manage Marketplace Growth and Reduce Legacy Costs.” December 18, 2019. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.