IT Spend: How to Cut Costs, Not Impact

欢迎另一位来自NPI是一家支出管理咨询公司，专注于在IT、电信、交通和能源领域实现节约。

Enterprise IT leaders are feeling the uncertainty in the market. In years past, the mandate was "do more with less." Today, the demands are greater. For many companies, system upgrades and new investments aren't optional; they're required in order to keep the business relevant and/or compliant. Everyone in IT, from the CIO to sourcing, is being asked: how can we reduce spending without sacrificing our impact on business?

Before companies cut their budget and initiatives for 2012 (a tricky process that inevitably sacrifices impact), they should identify ways that they can reduce IT costs in the purchasing process. Here are ten things you can do to achieve just that:

1. Arm yourself with pricing insight.If you don't know if you're paying fair market value, then you're paying too much.
2. 不要认为现任者是最佳选择。Explore other options! In the very least, you'll gain leverage.
3. Beware of the bundle.It's a great way to overbuy functionality and services you don't actually need.
4. 为顶级投标人创造一个公平竞争的环境。Once you shortlist vendors, put each of them through a rigorous benchmarking process.
5. 不要匆忙购买。Any gains made in the vendor selection process can be easily lost if you rush the benchmarking phase.
6. Refuse "usual" annual maintenance increases.If your maintenance fees increase every year, you're overspending.
7. Scale back support.在非关键软件解决方案上，您真的需要卓越支持吗？
8. 购买时要考虑2013年年中。The purchases you need now should be pushing you towards your 12-18 month IT goals.
9. 了解其他许可选项。微软（Microsoft）和VMware（VMware）等供应商提供了新的许可证选项，其中一些可以为您节省资金。
10. 注意固定费用的实施。Fixed-fee implementation costs are rarely fixed. Ask your vendor to bid implementation costs on a time and materials basis to understand true cost-to-serve.

-- Jeff Muscarella, EVP of IT,NPI