Software Asset Management (SAM) is something that many companies don’t think much about. After all, so long as software is functioning properly and you don’t plan on making any big systems changes any time soon, why worry about it?
This type of attitude about SAM can be a big mistake. Because the right strategy doesn’t just make sure you’re using the best, most efficient software for your business—it can also help protect you against the potentially huge financial penalties that often happen after a software audit. And with IBM software audits becoming all but inevitable for most businesses, SAM is something you need to take seriously.
So what exactly is Software Asset Management?
In the most basic sense, SAM involves buying, deploying, maintaining, updating, and eventually replacing software for your organization. When you have an optimal strategy in place, your organization will realize many benefits:
Better security. Cyber attacks continue to pose serious threats to organizations—especially those at the enterprise level. An effective SAM strategy will keep your systems secure, and will help eliminate the risk of purchasing software through unauthorized vendors. It will also make your existing software less vulnerable to external attacks.
Lower costs. A strong SAM strategy will reduce or eliminate surprise expenses stemming from software costs. It will help you lower overhead related to software support, help software audits go more smoothly, and will also make sure you aren’t underusing or misusing your existing licenses.
Ongoing support. Software requires constant support to run at optimal efficiency. When you’ve integrated the right SAM strategy for your business, you’ll be entitled to ongoing support from IBM. Old, outdated, or unregistered software usually won’t be supported.
Better productivity. Instant access to helpful resources like software manuals and reference guides is important for employee training and growth. Using the most up-to-date software will ensure that these resources will always be at your disposal, and you’ll always be informed whenever there’s a change or update to your software.
Confident clients. When you take your SAM strategy seriously, your clients will have peace of mind knowing they’re working with a partner who isn’t at risk of being crippled by a software audit or malfunction. And that goes a long way toward instilling confidence in a long-term business relationship.
Is it time to reevaluate your SAM strategy? If so, we’d love to help. Contact us today to learn more about all the ways CleanSlate can put the right SAM strategy in place for you.