Gartner Research Report: 10 Rules for Rapid IT Spend Reduction
According to Gartner, “In an uncertain and pressurized economic environment, organizations often face the challenge of realizing immediate IT cost savings. When faced with the challenge, CIOs need to determine how to approach cost cutting in the least damaging way to the medium- and long-term health of the business.”
While IT cost management is a best practice, Gartner has recommendations for how to approach rapid cost cutting when required:
“Establish the cost reduction fundamentals by determining what needs to be considered from a savings and timing perspective.”
“Apply the 10 rules for success. Determine the types of actions, expenses and categories that have the most immediate and/or largest impact.”
“Map and communicate your plan to eliminate, reduce or suspend. Communicate the plan internally to IT, the business units (BUs) impacted and to the CFO/CEO driving the reductions.”
“Define the consequences and risks of cutting costs and how to manage them, despite the urgency and likely short lead time.”
This must-read report can help CIOs thoughtfully cut costs to meet budget goals while managing risk and minimizing longer-term effects. Those who follow Gartner’s recommended approach will position their organizations for success.
Reference: Gartner, Inc. “10 Rules for Rapid IT Spend Reduction.” November 4, 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.
Gartner Research Report: How to Respond to Mandatory IT Budget Cuts
According to Gartner, “CIOs face constant pressure to reduce cost while maintaining or improving performance. This often comes in the form of a direct cost challenge, with a specific target and time frame.”
In this report, Gartner discusses how CIOs can answer the call of a mandatory IT budget cut to successfully meet the challenge:
“Define and clarify the scope of the cost cutting, and the question being asked. Follow a structured approach to answer the cost challenge.”
“Identify and evaluate actionable cost-saving opportunities by creating transparency in the cost base, providing multiple views of the IT budget, where possible.”
“Identify stakeholders and present them with an action plan, including a menu of actionable cost-saving options.”
“Show the business impact of each option by quantifying service degradation or business risk in the action plan. Ensure stakeholders sign up for any negative impacts.”
This must-read report can help CIOs properly evaluate which costs to cut while maintaining business continuity and performance. Those who follow Gartner’s recommended approach will position their organizations for success.
Reference: Gartner, Inc. “How to Respond to Mandatory IT Budget Cuts.” November 18, 2019, Bryan Hayes, Jim McGittigan.
GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
Valoir Report: Third-Party Support Goes Mainstream
Adoption of third-party support for enterprise software is now mainstream. In a report sponsored by Rimini Street, industry research firm Valoir analyzed the growing acceptance of third-party support, finding that demand is widespread — from cost-cutters to innovators to a variety of companies in-between. Valoir found that in some instances, even ERP vendors reluctantly acknowledge the utility of third-party support as they focus efforts on the cloud.
Third-party support has evolved into a strategic portfolio management tool for enterprise applications, gaining broader strategic acceptance from its origins as a cost containment tactic. Valoir found that its versatility facilitates:
Innovation around the edges of a mature, highly functional ERP system
Maximizing value from existing investments
Taking a measured approach to cloud evolution
Digital transformation
Tactically, independent, third-party software support helps CIOs save resources and keep IT teams engaged with new initiatives rather than routine support. Strategically, it helps CIOs meet business objectives, demonstrate value, and move to a Business-Driven Roadmap from one dictated by an ERP vendor.
In its report, Valoir specifically recognized Rimini Street for its:
Breadth of knowledge and depth of support, featuring a dedicated engineer model
Pure focus on independent, third-party support versus other IT or consulting services
Track record of strong client relationships
Value, service, price
Evaluating Third-Party Support for SAP – What You Need to Know
Saving at least 50% on SAP support costs to leverage the investment made in implementing an existing SAP system is an attractive proposition for most IT leaders, especially in today’s economic stress. Third-party support provides this option. In fact, Gartner calls “third-party support a safe haven.”
The CIO’s Guide to a Business-first ERP Cloud Strategy
IT teams are feeling the pressure to move everything to the cloud. IDC predicts that by 2023, digital transformation spending will account for half of IT budgets. The majority of that spend will go to cloud technologies. Cloud promises flexibility, elasticity, and cost savings — but only if you’re doing it for the right reasons guided by a business-first, not a cloud-for-cloud’s-sake, mentality.
Before making the leap, especially with business-critical ERP systems, companies need a solid strategy. Rimini Street offers this ebook to look at the multiple elements of building a business-first cloud strategy that delivers maximum value and optimal performance. Topics covered include:
Developing a Business-Driven IT Roadmap
Avoiding common pitfalls of ERP in cloud
Surviving the secondary effects of cloud moves
Fast-tracking — without sabotaging — your cloud strategy
Adopting a “Shift Left” Strategy to Transform Technology Support Services
Thriving in a digital world means technology support providers and in-house IT teams need a collaborative service approach that integrates both technology and the human factor. “Shifting Left” addresses those needs by using software delivery practices to move knowledge closer to customers. Implementing this transformational approach will become critical as organizations turn to technology as a main conduit for meeting customer expectations…without losing the personal touch.
But how do you make the shift? Helping you find balance between high-tech and high-touch, Rimini Street invites you to download this comprehensive guide to better understand the Shift Left method and lay the foundation for your transformation. In this ebook, you’ll learn:
Three approaches to a Shift Left strategy
What’s driving the Shift Left trend
The benefits of shifting left and why it makes you more competitive
How to embrace and implement your Shift Left strategy
The Real Costs and Risks of Oracle ERP and Oracle Cloud
The growing cost of yearly maintenance for Oracle ERP and Oracle Cloud systems drain enterprise innovation budgets and resources. NCH, a global leader in industrial, commercial, and institutional maintenance products and services, saves $2.5 million a year in maintenance costs with independent, third-party support. More than just savings, they are experiencing better response times, plus greater expertise and flexibility than traditional software vendor support.
In the ebook, “The Real Costs and Risks of Oracle ERP and Oracle Cloud,” learn about Oracle support alternatives and why sticking with Oracle support might stunt enterprise growth and diminish ROI. Topics covered include:
Walking away from costly annual maintenance fees, and reducing the need for the expertise and resources to keep pace with Oracle updates
Understanding financially engineered deals that lead to vendor lock-in and long-term costs
Comparing the true costs of staying with your vendor’s dictated roadmap versus the role of a hybrid approach
Creating a Business-Driven Roadmap tailored to fit your business needs while reducing the occurrences of overpaying for unnecessary features and modules
Looking at client examples of savings and benefits gained from switching to independent, third-party support
With Rimini Street independent, third-party support for Oracle ERP software, you can regain control of your IT roadmap and join the growing number of enterprises that have reallocated budget, time, and organizational talent toward growth and innovation.
Oracle EBS Challenges, Strategies, and Future Plans: 2020 Global Survey Results and Recommendations
Infographic: Oracle EBS licensees’ challenges, strategies, and future plans. Cost and support quality are the top concerns, say Rimini Street 2020 survey results.
PeopleSoft Challenges, Strategies, and Future Plans: 2020 Global Survey Results and Recommendations
Infographic: PeopleSoft licensees’ challenges, strategies, and future plans. Cost and support quality are the top concerns, say Rimini Street 2020 survey results.