You may not realize it, but software asset management (SAM) could be the fairytale princess of your organization.
Hear us out:
1. SAM works hard.
Instead of being at the beck and call of ugly stepsisters, great SAM helps you understand usage, prepare for audits, lower security risks, keep your employees trained… you get the idea.
2. SAM is woefully underappreciated.
All too often, other functions wrongly view SAM as mere “bean counting” focused on license numbers and costs, when it’s really a strategic enabler for organizations, enabling cleaner data, greater team collaboration and more.
3. SAM deserves recognition—and a magical reveal.
Despite all it does, SAM still has the uninspiring reputation of a tactical and compliance-driven discipline. It deserves a “glass slipper moment” when everyone in your organization gives it the buy-in, the respect and the recognition it deserves.
To change your organization’s perception of SAM and get your technology and business leaders to harness its potential, we recommend reading “4 Keys to Unlock SAM’s Strategic Value.” This Gartner® report outlines essential steps to ensure SAM delivers strategic value.
Here’s our understanding of those four key principles and their relevance for technology and business leaders.
Key strategy #1: Increase C-Level investment in SAM
Organizations should focus on how SAM contributes to cost savings, risk management and innovation enablement.
Despite its potential to reduce costs, mitigate risks and drive innovation, SAM often struggles to secure adequate C-level buy-in. Only with executive sponsorship will SAM initiatives get the visibility, funding and authority they need to succeed.
In their report, we believe that Gartner highlights the importance of framing SAM as a strategic investment instead of a cost center. Here are some ways you can get started:
1. Translate SAM metrics into business value.
Avoid technical jargon and present SAM outcomes in terms of cost savings, reduced risk and innovation support.
For instance:
“Our SAM initiatives saved $2 million this year by reclaiming underused licenses and optimizing vendor contracts.”
2. Engage executives with a business-driven roadmap.
Create a clear plan that ties SAM initiatives to business goals such as reducing IT spend, enabling digital transformation or improving compliance.
3. Showcase quick wins.
Demonstrate SAM’s value with short-term wins such as identifying unused licenses or achieving compliance improvements. Use these successes to build momentum.
Key strategy #2: Resolve SAM data quality issues
Automation in SAM reduces manual effort, increases data accuracy and accelerates the identification of optimization opportunities.
Poor data quality remains one of the biggest barriers to effective SAM. Inaccurate, incomplete or outdated data makes it nearly impossible to manage licenses, track usage and make informed decisions.
Gartner recommends that organizations prioritize resolving SAM data quality issues to unlock its full potential.
Here is how your organization can work to resolve data quality issues:
1. Automate software discovery and inventory.
Use automated SAM tools to ensure accurate tracking of software deployments and usage. Automated tools reduce manual errors and provide real-time visibility.
2. Integrate SAM tools with IT systems.
Connect SAM tools with IT asset management (ITAM), financial management and procurement systems to eliminate data silos and improve accuracy.
3. Conduct regular data audits.
Regularly validate SAM data for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. Establish data governance policies to maintain data quality.
4. Adopt a centralized SAM repository
Consolidate all software data into a single, centralized repository to ensure consistency across the organization.
Key strategy #3: Upskill SAM resources
Effective SAM leaders foster relationships that extend beyond IT, involving finance, procurement, and even business units to deliver enterprise-wide benefits.
One of the most overlooked challenges in SAM is the skill gap among SAM professionals. SAM requires a combination of technical, analytical and business skills to deliver value. To meet the demands of modern software management, many SAM teams need to evaluate their in-house training and expertise gaps and address them completely.
Upskilling can enable SAM professionals to provide more strategic value. Trained SAM professionals can align ITAM practices to business objectives more effectively, negotiate better vendor contractors and support strategic initiatives such as cloud migrations, cybersecurity and others.
Here are some ways to get that upskilling journey started:
1. Invest in SAM training and certification.
Provide training programs to help SAM professionals gain expertise in licensing models, tool usage and vendor negotiations.
2. Foster business and financial acumen.
SAM professionals need to understand business strategy, financial management and procurement processes. Offer cross-functional training to develop these skills in your team.
3. Build a SAM Center of Excellence (CoE).
Establish a centralized team of SAM experts to lead initiatives, share best practices and mentor other team members.
4. Leverage external expertise.
Partner with SAM consultants or managed service providers to supplement internal skills and drive knowledge transfer.
Key strategy #4: Improve SAM tool performance
Automation in SAM reduces manual effort, increases data accuracy and accelerates the identification of optimization opportunities.
SAM tools are essential for automating processes, improving data accuracy and scaling SAM efforts. We believe Gartner emphasizes the need to evaluate and optimize SAM tool performance to maximize ROI and avoid the struggle that comes with underperforming tools.
Here are some ways to level up your SAM tool’s contributions to the IT organization:
1. Assess tool capabilities.
Evaluate existing SAM tools to ensure they meet current business needs. Identify gaps in functionality, such as hybrid environment support or poor data normalization.
2. Integrate SAM tools with IT systems.
Integrate SAM tools with ITSM, ITAM, procurement and financial systems to improve data consistency and provide a holistic view of software assets.
3. Leverage advanced analytics.
Modern SAM tools offer advanced analytics and reporting features that provide actionable insights into software usage, compliance and cost optimization.
4. Upgrade or replace underperforming tools.
If current tools fail to meet expectations, consider upgrading to solutions that offer better automation, accuracy and scalability.
Turning SAM Into a strategic enabler
Strategic SAM leaders are involved in IT planning, procurement and investment discussions, ensuring that software decisions are data-driven and aligned with organizational goals.
Let’s recap.
By focusing on these four areas, IT and business leaders can transform SAM from your organization’s unseen heroine into a seemingly magical strategic function that delivers measurable business value.
1. Increase C-level investment.
Secure executive sponsorship and communicate SAM’s business impact.
2. Resolve data quality issues.
Automate, integrate and govern SAM data to ensure accuracy and reliability.
3. Upskill SAM resources.
Invest in training and build a capable SAM team with strategic, technical and financial expertise.
4. Improve SAM tool performance.
Optimize tools to automate processes, reduce risks and drive cost savings.
By addressing these challenges, organizations can position SAM as a critical enabler of cost optimization, risk mitigation and digital transformation. Now is the time for organizations to elevate SAM beyond compliance and into the heart of strategic decision-making. The future of SAM is about driving business success, and these four keys provide the roadmap to get there.
To learn more about selecting a SAM tool, check out the Gartner® Market Guide for Software Asset Management Tools and find additional complimentary Gartner reports at our hub page.
Gartner, 4 Keys to Unlock SAM’s Strategic Value, Yolanda Harris, Jaswant Kalay, 3 March 2023
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