A survey of IT leaders from around the world, conducted by Certero, the leading provider of unified IT Hardware, Software, SaaS and Cloud Asset Management solutions for the IT industry, discovers the importance of IT management for businesses amidst the post-COVID recession, helping to save costs as well as supporting the workforce of the future.
After many months into the widespread lockdown, we are now challenged with a potential second wave, and with these unprecedented times, many companies are considering whether to go back to the pre-covid ways of working or look to adopt the new hybrid approach of office and home working. This brings in a wave of uncertainty due to the continued unpredictability and the increased negative impact this has on the economy.
With COVID-19 having a significant impact on the global economy, the impact of the recession will have direct repercussions on companies across the world, resulting in a threat to jobs, budgets and strategies of business on a global scale. In the meantime, as IT teams continue to progress developments, 72% agree that ITAM and SAM have become even more important because of COVID-19 having a direct impact on their digital transformation strategies. With the rise of remote workers and the ever-changing technology landscape, CIO’s and IT Managers are crucial in helping businesses save costs, optimise budgets and, most importantly, cut overheads which will help reduce the risk of employees losing jobs.
A resounding 71% believe that the biggest challenge post COVID-19 will be tighter budgets for headcount, equipment and IT projects meaning that companies will have to understand their IT estate and know where costs can be saved which will help avoid cutting employees or projects to manage that more complex estate.
CIOs and IT Managers are the key element in helping businesses survive and thrive, by reducing outgoings, increasing efficiency, and helping manage the digital transformation that is currently taking place at rapid speed. Understanding the current digital landscape will help organisations set a solid foundation going forward, supporting the workforce of today and the future.
With revenues impacted, there is an expected increase in Software Vendor Audits and change in their strategies. A clear example is Oracle, with a 1% decline in full year-on-year 2019-20 revenue, and a 6% drop in its fourth quarter earnings, due to the COVID impact. This has resulted in increased noise in audit activity, so it’s important that CIOs and IT Managers keep ahead of their IT estate to reduce the risk of hefty fines at such unprecedented times. By estimating that businesses can save millions of pounds on unnecessary software licenses, software platforms such as Certero can help teams to defend and mitigate their IT estate to ensure that no risks are taken with the potential of huge fines triggered by inadequate licenses which businesses will want to avoid amidst heightened audits and budget cuts.
Businesses have had to adapt their working methods overnight with little time for IT departments to formalise, test and govern procedures for remote working. It’s no wonder that over 63% of IT Managers cite ‘supporting remote workers’ as their biggest challenge during COVID-19. A result of many organisations having to accommodate millions of employees to work from home almost overnight has resulted in mass purchasing of new equipment, systems and software to get employees up and running in record time. A staggering 44% of CIO’s listed cyber security as one of the biggest challenges that they had to solve due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but only 29% are concerned about the effects of Shadow IT.
Shadow IT, which is sometimes referred to as Stealth IT or Client IT, is where infrastructure, tools and technologies are purchased without explicit organizational approval or deployed by departments other than IT. As shadow IT occurs outside of the IT department, it does not undergo the same security and change management processes implemented to protect organizations from security risks. A growing issue that has been accelerated by COVID-19.
As businesses continue to enforce remote working, it’s pivotal that CIOs and IT Managers keep in control of their IT estate as they try to maintain service levels and operate efficiently in the new way of working, as well as educate users about the importance of managing an efficient IT estate to prevent risks such as data loss and insecure SaaS applications and ultimately recognise it as a cost-saving platform. With the digital transformation unravelling and defining how businesses are adapting their IT estate, it’s vital that companies can see all of their IT assets in one unified pane of glass and create a secure asset that will prevent risks of cyber security and be resilient for the future way of working. With Certero’s recent accreditation for ISO270001 for software development and maintenance, implementation, operations and support of asset management solutions, we are best place to help CIO’s and IT Managers build credible and secure end to end IT estates which, given today’s current climate and our recent findings, is even more important.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has turned IT management into an even more essential service for many organisations, while also highlighting the complexities of managing cost and usage across a more remote workforce” said John Mattinson, Operations Director at Certero. “While many CIOs may have to start trimming costs, there will be continued investment in technology that presents the opportunity for long-term growth and stability, and of course help reduce costs and budgets for businesses. To weather the storm, IT Managers must take a comprehensive approach to managing IT estates, uncovering opportunities to streamline costs while continuing to provide the infrastructure needed to support the workforce and drive innovation.”
Following this new survey data, the launch of Certero’s brand-new Version 7 will help businesses find, manage and optimise IT assets, in one place via an agentless deployment. The technology landscape is evolving at rapid speed and it’s more important than ever for IT managers to future-proof their IT assets to prepare for new cyberthreats with the rise of remote working and provide essential tools to ensure business continuity.
Ric Sterling, Director of Sales at Certero adds: “It feels even more prevalent to launch our latest Certero Version 7 as we aim to help businesses in such unprecedented times. Our latest solution will help IT Managers understand and manage their IT estate to optimize cloud assets and easily identify where a business can save money in unused usage.
Sterling adds: “Our new platform allows users to have the visibility and insights to understand where technology costs can be cut, or spending used to increase resilience, productivity, and profitability. CIO’s and IT Managers need to be ready to adapt, and understanding your landscape is essential. Innovation won’t stop, so be prepared for bigger evolutions that support specific needs as part of the response to COVID-19.”
A recent Gartner Peer Review shows a prime example of how leading IT platforms like Certero can guide businesses through such unprecedented times. With COVID-19 proving to be a challenging time for companies, Certero can offer guidance and help on mitigating your IT estate and evolving it with the “New Normal”.
