4 strategies for cutting costs as you manage the cloud transition

As organizations worldwide start to migrate en masse toward remote and hybrid work models, there is a noticeable concurrent trend toward data center transformation. IT leaders are figuring out that the old model doesn’t work anymore – you can’t survive by simply keeping your data in one location, on premises. When you have people distributed all over the globe, your data needs to be available everywhere. Hence the rise of cloud technology.

But they’re also realizing this: There’s more to it than simply investing in as much cloud as possible, as fast as possible. You’ve got to be smart and strategic in your approach. According to Financial IT, this is a hot topic in technology circles right now – corporate leaders are trying to figure out how best to move to the cloud while cutting costs at the same time. Marilyn Moodley, country leader for South Africa and WECA at SoftwareONE, explained that organizations must have a plan that takes into account both current and future technology needs.

“A well executed 12-month roadmap should enable you to expand your ITAM team to prepare for a more complex tech landscape, start managing SaaS and cloud technologies based on where you are today, and develop key strategic alliances to meet the right business outcomes,” Moodley noted.

So if you’re looking to balance robust cloud technology with smart financial planning, what can you do? How can you best thread that needle?

Let’s take a look at four proven strategies.

Setting tangible financial goals

In order to spend wisely, you need to have clear benchmarks in mind. What level of funding are you willing to commit to technology investment, and what sort of ROI are you expecting to see? What’s your plan to achieve these goals? With solid goals and careful tracking of your progress, you can ensure that not a dollar goes to waste.

Right-sizing your infrastructure

Being budget-conscious doesn’t necessarily mean slashing your IT infrastructure. Instead, you can make careful cuts in places where your business can afford it. Are you double-dipping for support tools for solutions that don’t need it? Are you paying for certain levels of functionality that your employees don’t need? Make sure you’re only investing in the cloud tools that are necessary for your business.

Reconciling software licenses

Do you know what software licenses you’re paying for and why? Chances are you don’t. According to Gartner, under 25% of organizations have a strategy in place to optimize licensing. If you’re paying for subscriptions that are going under-utilized – or even completely ignored – then this is some easy low-hanging fruit to pick off. Trim down to just the essentials.

Work with a partner you can trust

The best way to optimize your cloud spending is to work together with a business partner that understands the technology and knows how best to utilize it. If you have an advisor by your side who’s independent, and can thus examine your technology footprint through a lens that’s unbiased and impartial, you’ll be far better positioned to make sound financial decisions about your IT.

And that’s exactly where we come in. At Zones, we have a steadfast belief that cloud solutions can work wonders for your business – they can drive growth, foster innovation, and enable your employees to thrive on a daily basis. But we also understand that times are tough, and you’ve got to keep a lean budget to stay afloat. If you work with us, we’ll roll up our sleeves and work hard to find ways you can balance the two. Connect with us today to explore this opportunity further.

Learn more »