Barkers was contracted, and we kicked off the project by assessing all the client’s software renewals. First, we created a comprehensive list of every application in use, to understand the client’s overall spend, software categories and licence types.
Next, we needed to secure a centralised view of their data and budgets, to identify baseline savings. But, due to its many acquisitions, there were multiple accounting functions, budgets and reporting methods across the organisation. This made it difficult to find clear line items and the budget associated with each application.
To move forward, we shifted our focus away from each application’s budget and instead examined its total cost of ownership – such as maintenance services, server hosting, hardware and software renewals data. We also worked closely with the client’s technology procurement team to understand each application, its components and associated cost inputs.
By linking this information together, we were able to identify the cost of each application. We then compiled everything into a large, structured database, finally creating a top-down view of the landscape. This enabled us to develop a detailed plan outlining all applications, which contracts required changes and when, and where meaningful savings could be achieved. As a result, we could make informed recommendations about which applications would be most beneficial and inform on opportunities regarding the removal of obsolescence in the estate.
