In our recent post about how to optimize IT costs during difficult economic times, we walked through navigating the urgency, pressure, and the need to fit cost-reduction projects into an already packed work funnel. The impulse to cut back on technology is a risky one so what can you do now? You can start with the low-hanging fruit and produce a comprehensive IT audit.
Inflation is still omnipresent despite some easing in a few key areas and now is an ideal time to take a closer look at your technology. I know what you’re thinking – “The last thing I need added to my plate is an audit!” While it might not sound as fun as a beach vacation or a trip to the ballpark, with the right partner it’s virtually painless and can yield incredible savings for your business. With all of the uncertainty this year, budgets are sure to tighten as the economy braces for whatever lies ahead.
So what does a comprehensive IT audit look like? Let’s explore!
Discovery
First things first – let’s get a lay of the land. That includes a list of all of the services, devices, software, and infrastructure that you’re paying for today. We work with your IT and accounting teams to develop a clear picture of your inventory and service contracts so that we can accurately assess your current IT environment and the associated costs.
Analysis and Verification
With the inventory list in hand, our team of experts goes through each line item to identify the following:
- Billing errors, including overages and manual errors
- Unused or underutilized services
- Incorrect taxes or service fees
- Contractual variations
- Any other unnecessary expenses or services
Optimization and Implementation
Once we’ve identified inventory and contracts with excessive costs, we act on your behalf to gather competitive quotes, renegotiate contracts and optimize rates, and eliminate excess services and contracts. In doing so, we typically show substantial savings across your telecom and IT expenditures. If you choose to proceed with new service contracts, we then work with carriers to implement new services, contracts, or devices as needed.
Next Steps
As you begin the 4th quarter of 2022, UPSTACK advisors can help you fine-tune your IT expenses to make the best use of your resources. You may have added extra services to your technology stack to support your Work From Home policy, or you may need to evaluate the services you’ve been using for years. Either way, we have the expertise and extensive carrier relationships that you need to get your IT expenses back on track.
Connect with me or one of our advisors to help you with your technology audit.
