The IT organization is not going to succeed or fail on only one topic; rather it requires three key factors that will all link together in the business: People, Process and Technology, linked together by Communication, which is critical for success. While these are the foundation, there are other requirements for overall success. As we approach the end of 2012 we thought we would provide the Top 5 Keys to Success in IT Asset Management.

1) Responsibility and Accountability via Executive Sponsors and organizational clarity. The IT department can become a driver of growth in the business, especially with all of the new data and links to other organizations via mobility, cloud computing and analytics. The department must take the lead, because when the CIO organization is seen as a “service provider” to many, they continue to be challenged by other business leaders on the topics of costs, alternatives and competitive options, which seem to be popular for those in external facing roles, such as the CMO.

2) Lifecycle Management via automation in the IT Asset Management solution. A common path to follow might be plan, procure, deploy, manage and retire. The Asset Management via the web based RACSystem will include comprehensive contract management, lifecycle management, transaction and license history including RMA tracking.

3) Visibility and Distribution of the data to IT Staff and other organizations per business guidelines is critical as we are noticing the new perception of the CIO organization and where/how they are aligned in the business. The single source of information in the IT dashboards shared with multiple organizations provides a closed loop system. The analysis of independent data with all of the calls, vendor data and reports, when coupled with a professional account team allows you to measure projects and investments with your preferences and run your own reports.

4) Automation to remove human error and prepared for ongoing compliance audits. This removes the pen and paper from the procedures and allows for ongoing automated updates on the data and IT Asset Management in the business. Many customers have noticed significant IT assets that were not accounted for previously and the RACSystem helps them proactively update their contracts and records, preventing any costly errors. The daily scan in RACS Discovery module has been found to significantly reduce down time and improve the replacement and repair times when devices fail.

5) Financial impact: The costs impact the entire business and overall budget. ITAM (IT Asset Management) should be aligned with the budgeting and forecasting process for the overall business. The financial management module provides an accurate, current assessment and risk evaluation of a client’s actual IT assets and their financial value to the company. The data provided includes the dollar value of the assets, risk assessment and dollar exposure to risk, pending inventory and asset history.

As we continue to watch the trends of Big Data as a competitive advantage, this makes IT Asset Management a higher priority and effective communication across the organization continues to be a key to success. Contact our team today to discuss how the team at RAY ALLEN can help your team win in IT Asset Management.