Businesses can reduce IT spending without losing efficiency

In an increasingly dynamic and competitive business scenario, IT cost optimization has become essential to ensure efficiency and financial sustainability. According to the 33rd research on the use of IT in companies, conducted by the Center for Applied Information Technology of the School of Business Administration of Sao Paulo Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV EAESP), spending and investments in technology in Brazil reached, on average, 8.7% of companies' revenues in 2021. This percentage grew 6% per year in the last 34 years and emphasizes the importance of effective strategies for IT costs and ensuring competitiveness.

“The first step to optimize costs is to map all IT expenses, both recurring and punctual. It is essential to understand where the money is going to create a strategic planning that includes consumption, unforeseen events, tools, technology and allocation of professionals”, says Adriano Ignatti, account executive of technology and innovation company Gateware.

According to the professional, the most common mistake of companies is not to predict changes in the budget, which can generate significant financial impacts. “Many entrepreneurs calculate only the exact value of the project and do not reserve a margin for unforeseen events. Continuous monitoring and time management are critical factors to avoid unwanted surprises”.

Outsourcing as an optimization strategy

The allocation of IT professionals (outsourcing) emerges as a strategic solution for companies that need specialists, but without the costs and challenges of maintaining a highly trained internal team. “In many cases, it pays more to hire a temporary specialist than to invest in the training of an internal professional only for a one-off” project, explains Ignatti. “In addition, outsourcing allows scalability and flexibility, enabling adjustments in the team as per demand, since it works as an OUT-of-country outsourcing.

Gateware offers a complete professional allocation service, ensuring that customers have access to qualified and up-to-date talent with the latest technological trends.“Our differential is in rigorous talent curation and post-hiring monitoring, ensuring that the allocated professionals are aligned with the expectations of the” client, emphasizes the executive.

Cloud Advantages

Another essential point for reducing costs in IT is the intelligent use of technology. Migration to the cloud, for example, can be a viable alternative for companies seeking scalability and agility.“The cloud brings flexibility, but requires strict control to avoid waste with excessive storage and lack of” monitoring, warns Adriano.

Netflix, one of the pioneers in video streaming service, for example, was able to decrease about 60% of its infrastructure spending by moving its operations to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform in 2016. This change not only enabled Netflix to expand its capacity, but also improved its availability and security.

However, rapid technological evolution also poses challenges for companies, which often cannot keep their internal teams always up to date.“Tercerciarizar specialists allows companies to keep up with changes without constantly investing in internal trainings”, he reinforces.

With the optimization of costs in IT, the company can reduce its expenses, increase its efficiency and boost its growth, generating more value for the business.“The secret to optimize these costs is in a well-structured planning, with efficient control tools. Continuous monitoring avoids waste and ensures that investments are directed to what really adds value to the business”, concludes Adriano Ignatti.