Johannesburg, 04 May 2022
2022 is being called the year to embrace IT modernisation. The speed of business is ever increasing; the hybrid work model is seemingly here to stay; and, importantly, flexible work models demand greater security. Today’s organisations are trying to find a balance between flexibility and security while employees and customers alike demand world-class experiences.
As IT leaders finalise budgets and look to make new investments in technology in 2022, we advise the prioritisation of agile infrastructure, cyber security and unified communications. With greater agility comes fewer hurdles as the year unfolds and new business challenges emerge.
From a CIO’s perspective, it is also incredibly important for CIOs to understand what the digital experience is for employees and across the organisation. Spreadsheets, ghosts, unverified assets, etc, mean employees are spending more time troubleshooting and less time on more strategic initiatives driving business forward.
A recent study by Ivanti, which polled more than 1 600 IT professionals, looked at how businesses were aligning ITSM and ITAM strategies, adoption levels and the challenges hindering organisations at doing so. The results found that businesses were still relying on outdated or legacy systems:
- 43% use spreadsheets to track their IT investments;
- 30% of IT fixed assets are “ghosts” – missing or cannot be found;
- 56% of orgs verify asset location only once a year; 10%-15% only every five years;
- Organisations spend 10+ hours per week resolving data accuracy issues;
- Nearly 66% of IT managers have an incomplete record of their IT assets; and
- More than half of the respondents reported they mistakenly spend time fixing devices under warranty.
These statistics demonstrate the need for greater alignment between ITSM and ITAM processes, especially when looking at the time spent reconciling inventory/assets.
“It’s clear that there is room for improvement when it comes to managing assets,” said Ian Aitchison, senior product director at Ivanti. “While IT teams are starting to better track their assets, collaborating with other teams and understanding the benefits of combining asset and service processes, time and money advantages are being lost as they don't have the data they need to effectively manage and optimise their assets and services.”
When asked about the benefits of combining ITSM and ITAM processes, the survey found that respondents expected to see:
- Better visibility of their IT estate: 63%;
- Increased IT staff productivity: 59%;
- Optimised costs: 54%; and
- Improved service delivery: 53%.
Aitchison added: “When ITSM and ITAM are closely aligned and integrated, many activities and processes become more automated, efficient and responsive, with fewer things 'falling through the cracks’. IT teams gain more insight and are better positioned to move from reactive activities to more proactive practices, delivering higher service levels and efficiency at lower costs.”
Interested in learning more? Click here to register for a free 45-minute virtual webinar on 11 May at 2pm SAST, to hear Think Tank Software Solutions, Ivanti's premier South African partner, present findings from the latest Ivanti IT Service and Asset Management study, current challenges facing South African businesses and see a demo of Ivanti’s award-winning ITAM solutions that actually address today’s challenges.