The current global business environment is volatile and businesses face some uncertain conditions that push businesses into survival mode. At this juncture, businesses must evaluate processes in all departments and identify anything cost heavy and inefficient. Businesses will fail during this time if they don't optimize legacy processes. An organized approach to IT cost optimization is essential to handling uncertain business conditions.

Understanding the Gravity of IT Cost Optimization

The IT department is not immune to cost cutting during economic uncertainties. And while it should be an annual exercise for CIOs, and CFOs to review cost optimization of processes, it's often not a priority. That's why it's important for tech leaders to understand the value of each piece of infrastructure and know the cost to maintain vs. the consequence of losing that technology. The IT cost reduction process should be dynamic, time sensitive and the decisions made should have a high impact on business survival.

Make IT Changes by Prioritizing Risk

Any IT changes should be made by weighing the total cost of the cut and the impact it has on the business. A general cut the IT budget is a flawed approach to remaining competitive. Reductions that should be considered first should be high cost, low impact tools. While some cuts may provide temporary cash flow relief, they may ultimately create long term negative consequences.

Business leaders should be wary of touching anything with high impact to the company. Consider the negatively effect on asset security, service quality, and organizational agility.

Here are some key points to consider in your IT cost optimization strategy.

• Understand that IT reductions only offer short-term relief that will cause some business disruption. 
• Optimization should happen swiftly. Starting with actions that reduce costs with little adverse effects.
• Keep your technology road map and business objectives in mind.  No there should be little effect on long term goals.
• Prepare and study IT performance metrics. These should be tightly aligned to business metrics, which will help measure the impact of reduction.

Cut Costs by Outsourcing to a Skilled Retainer Team

Outsourcing IT activities is an efficient method for reducing IT costs while extending capabilities. Especially outsourcing IT infrastructure and application services can bring instant cost savings. Using a retainer team is low risk and an easy way keep IT projects on track even if internal services are reduced. Apart from this, outsourcing can help businesses save their IT investments, capital and operational expenses, preserves cash flow, get access to new talent and skill at lesser costs, increases Time-To-Market (TTM) and decreases Time-To-Delivery (TTD).

Opportunity to Optimize with Automation 

Various research reports state that IT operations are the most expensive and accounts somewhere from 50% to 80% of IT budgets. Most business systems employ a lot of manual and outdated processes that are time consuming, costly, and requires a lot of manual efforts. These ineffective processes especially during uncertain times can overburden businesses. Businesses are preferring automation solutions by AI, RPA, APIs and so on.

Automation can have significant savings in various business operations like IT Service Management, HR , data management, IT infrastructure and operations management, and many more. As a part of IT cost reduction, adopting automation solutions can help businesses get work done effectively at optimized costs, resources, efforts, and time.

While businesses navigate downturns in economy and reduced demand, it's a great time to look at their current processes and see what can be improved to optimize costs and become more efficient. A great technology and IT partner can help businesses get through this process.