5 questions to ask before creating your ITAM strategy
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5 questions to ask before creating your ITAM strategy

ByTeam Virima

Table of Contents

A lot of companies are starting to realize the importance of a strong IT asset management (ITAM) program, but many don’t get very far in their planning process. 

This is because they fail to ask themselves some key questions. It’s easy to get stuck on one question—how much money do we need to spend? Or even worse, just give up because you think an effective ITAM strategy will require too much time and effort. 

Well, guess what? 

An effectiveIT asset management strategy requires careful planning and consideration of a number of factors that go beyond just investing in technology. Here are 5 questions you must ask before you get started on your ITAM strategy.

Read: Every IT project needs an ITAM tool

1. Are you prepared to make a long-term investment in ITAM?

ITAM is an ongoing process, not a one-time project. It requires the commitment of your organization to make it successful. You must be prepared to invest in the long-term health of your IT assets and processes. You must also work towards creating a culture where employees are empowered to take ownership over their own ITAM responsibilities.

2. Which department owns the responsibility of managing IT assets within your organization?

The next question you should ask yourself is: which department owns the responsibility of managing IT assets within your organization?

If there is no clear answer, then chances are that an ITAM strategy will not be successful. You need someone who owns and takes ownership of this process to ensure buy-in from all stakeholders.

All departments that have any sort of stake in the management or use of technology should be involved in developing an effective ITAM strategy because they will all benefit from it. However, some departments may not have any direct impact on how well your organization implements its policies or procedures but could still get caught up in them if they’re not properly communicated (e.g., human resources).

3. How much time and effort will be needed to implement an effective ITAM program?

The time and effort needed to implement an effective ITAM program depends on the size of your organization, as well as its complexity. 

A good ITAM program can be implemented in a few weeks, while a bad one could take months or even years. The best way to gauge how much time you need is by taking stock of all current processes and procedures related to IT asset management (ITAM). 

This includes documenting how many people are involved in these processes: what type of data they produce, how often each process runs, where that data resides after being produced, and so on.

Once you’ve done this initial assessment, it will become clear where improvements need made, and more importantly, where they don’t need made!

4. What is the best strategy for getting the right technology into place?

To answer this question, you must consider three things:

  • What is the best strategy for getting the right technology into place?
  • How can you select vendors that will be able to deliver on your ITAM strategy?
  • What are some of the challenges of implementing an effective ITAM program, and how can they be overcome?

Step 1

Selecting the right technology for your organization is a crucial decision that requires careful planning and consideration. The best strategy for getting the right technology into place involves analyzing your organization’s current and future needs, identifying areas where technology can improve efficiency and productivity, and evaluating different solutions on the market.

It is also important to involve key stakeholders from different departments and gather their input to ensure that the technology selected meets everyone’s needs. 

Step 2

Selecting the right vendor is an important aspect of implementing an effective IT asset management (ITAM) strategy. To select a vendor that can deliver on your ITAM strategy, it is important to first define your strategy and identify the specific needs and requirements for your organization. 

Then, you can evaluate potential vendors based on their experience and expertise in the ITAM space, their track record of successful implementations, their ability to customize solutions to meet your specific needs, and their pricing and support models. 

Implementing an effective IT asset management strategy program can be a complex and challenging process. Some of the common challenges include lack of buy-in from key stakeholders, lack of resources and budget, data quality issues, and resistance to change. 

Step 3

To overcome these challenges, it is important to involve key stakeholders from the beginning and communicate the benefits of ITAM in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and mitigating risks. It is also important to secure adequate resources and budget to support the implementation, ensure data quality by establishing clear data governance policies and procedures, and provide adequate training and support to employees to overcome resistance to change. 

Regular monitoring and evaluation of the program’s success can also help to identify areas for improvement and ensure that the program stays on track.

Leveraging ITAM for risk management

5. How can you avoid spending too much money on technology that doesn’t really help your organization?

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of new technology. Before you buy, ask yourself:

  • How does this product or service help me achieve my goals?
  • What is the cost of ownership (COOP), including integration, training and support?
  • Is there a cheaper alternative that may do the job just as well? 

When evaluating ITAM products and services, keep these questions in mind.

An effective ITAM strategy requires careful planning

ITAM is a long-term investment. It requires careful planning, and it won’t happen overnight. The first step in creating an IT asset management strategy is to understand the current state of your organization’s technology infrastructure and processes. 

You’ll need to get managers involved in this process so they can identify where improvements are needed, as well as make sure that everyone agrees on what constitutes success for each project before moving forward with implementation.

Once you’ve completed this initial assessment phase, you can move on to developing an action plan based on what was learned during the assessment process. 

This will help ensure that all stakeholders have input into how their departments should be structured moving forward. It will also ensure that everyone knows how their roles fit into those new structures!

Read: How ITAM is key to your organization’s cybersecurity?

Draft an effective ITAM strategy with Virima

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when formulating an ITAM strategy. It’s important that you think through these questions and come up with answers before moving forward with any implementation plans. 

You don’t want to spend money on technology that doesn’t really help your organization or implement an ITAM program without proper planning and preparation. This could lead to wasted resources, wasted time or even worse: security breaches.

Drafting an effective IT Asset Management (ITAM) strategy is crucial for any organization that aims to optimize its IT investments and enhance business processes. With the right ITAM strategy, businesses can ensure that their assets are being used effectively and efficiently, while reducing costs and minimizing risks. 

One of the best ways to achieve this is by leveraging the power of Virima ITAM, which provides end-to-end management of all data center, edge, cloud, stockroom, software, and non-IT assets in your organization.

Here are some tips for drafting an effective ITAM strategy with Virima:

  1. Understand the importance of ITAM: ITAM is a critical process that can help you manage your IT assets throughout their lifecycle, from acquisition to disposal. When done right, it can not only help you improve business agility but also provide indispensable insights for asset lifecycle management, enabling you to maximize your IT investments and spend efficiently.
  2. Define your ITAM goals: Before drafting your ITAM strategy, you need to define your goals and objectives. These goals should be aligned with your business objectives and should focus on enhancing asset management, reducing risks, and improving operational efficiency.
  3. Choose the right ITAM solutions: Virima ITAM provides end-to-end asset management, including discovery, inventory, normalization, reconciliation, and reporting. You can use Virima’s ITAM solutions to manage all types of assets, including hardware, software, and non-IT assets. Choose the right solutions that align with your business goals and objectives.
  4. Develop an ITAM policy: Develop a comprehensive IT asset management policy that outlines the roles and responsibilities of the ITAM team, defines the asset management processes, and establishes guidelines for asset acquisition, deployment, and disposal.
  5. Implement and monitor your ITAM strategy: Once you have developed your ITAM strategy, it’s time to implement it and monitor its effectiveness. Virima ITAM provides real-time visibility into your IT assets, enabling you to track asset usage, costs, and risks. With this information, you can make data-driven decisions and optimize your IT investments.

Creating an effective ITAM strategy plan with Virima requires a clear understanding of the importance of ITAM, defined goals and objectives, the right ITAM solutions, a comprehensive ITAM policy, and effective implementation and monitoring. 

Schedule a demo today to find out more about Virima ITAM from our seasoned experts.

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