In Gartner’s 2016 SAM Tools Survey, only 23% of respondents said their SAM tools aligned extremely well with their pre-purchase expectations*. This statistic demonstrates a lack of satisfaction with a high percentage of SAM tool implementations.
There are several key reasons why a SAM tool implementation may not meet customer expectations. Sometimes the selected tool is not the right fit for the business needs. For example, an organization may have chosen a tool with either too much or too little functionality. Perhaps they focused only on immediate needs and quickly outgrew them. In the requirements gathering process, it’s very important to understand what information your organization needs to know and which features are required to achieve this end goal.
Another reason a tool implementation will not meet expectations is when the vendor has promised functionality that doesn’t work as advertised, or simply isn’t there. It’s critical to perform the due diligence necessary to be confident that the selected tool is proven in the market. Conducting a proof of concept and speaking with current end-users is an essential part of the tools evaluation and selection process.
Support is another important success factor, both on the vendor and end-user sides. Does the vendor offer reliable product support and work closely with your organization to ensure knowledge transfer? Does your organization have the resources available to run the tool once the vendor’s professional services team completes the implementation? It’s incumbent upon the customer to ensure there are trained, skilled resources prepared to manage and use the tool.
Is your organization disenchanted with your SAM tool? If so, Eracent is ready to help.
Whatever the reason your organization feels underwhelmed with your SAM tool, this situation may lead to an internal push to find a new solution. While the thought of replacing your SAM solution seems as challenging as moving a mountain, it can actually be relatively easy and painless. How is this possible?
First, Eracent can offer same-or-better functionality from the ITMC™ suite at an attractive price to customers who want to switch from another SAM tool. Also, our goal is to make the swap and implementation experience as easy as possible. We work very closely with your team to ensure success and before you know it, you will be up and running with a new SAM tool that meets your expectations.
If things didn’t go well the first time around, you want to get it right the second time, and Eracent is committed to making this happen.
* Gartner’s ”Market Guide for Software Asset Management Managed Service Providers” 2018
Author: Stephen White, published February 12, 2018
– by William Choppa
William Choppa is the President of Eracent. He has almost twenty years’ experience helping clients meet their ITAM and SAM challenges with his knowledge of technical solutions and business process best practices.
