Apptio: The Key to Aligning Tech Spend and Business Strategy

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In today’s digital age, the technology landscape is evolving rapidly. By the end of 2024, analysts predict some staggering shifts: 70% of all new applications will be cloud-native, up from just 10% in 2020. Additionally, 65% of organizations will be utilizing Kubernetes in production environments. Moreover, 81% of companies will be operating in a multi-cloud model. And finally, 87% of organizations will face digital service disruptions in their industry. These tectonic shifts toward cloud-native apps, containers, multi-cloud, and digital services are transforming how companies invest in and utilize technology.

The Complexity of Distributed Technology Spend

However, this transformation presents a major challenge – technology investments and the associated data are highly distributed and decentralized across functions, budgets, and geographies. Technology spend comes from central IT budgets, as well as business unit/product technology expenses, shadow IT and other ad-hoc spend, in addition to digital transformation and marketing technology initiatives. With such a fragmented landscape, it has become extremely difficult for organizations to align their distributed technology investments with critical value drivers like revenue growth, operational efficiency, improved human experiences, and organizational resiliency.

The Roadblocks to Realizing Value

This lack of visibility leads to a host of roadblocks preventing companies from maximizing the value of their technology spend. First of all, these roadblocks include data silos and disparate, uncorrelated data sources. Secondly, there is a fear of lengthy and complex implementation projects. Third, there is an over-reliance on limited DIY tools or cloud cost management point solutions. Next, there are constantly competing priorities across the organization. Finally, companies face tight budget constraints with limited resources. Legacy tools and processes simply aren’t equipped to handle the new reality of distributed, dynamic technology spending.

Introducing Apptio - The Technology Spend & Value Management Leader

This is where Apptio comes in. Apptio is the leading independent technology spend and value management company. Their mission is to help every customer deliver maximum business value from their technology investments through their integrated solutions, services, and expertise spanning cloud FinOps (cloud cost management, optimization and unit economics), Technology Business Management or TBM (IT cost transparency, planning and benchmarking), and agile & portfolio resource management (product investment alignment and prioritization). With over 1,800 customers including 60%+ of the Fortune 100, Apptio manages a staggering $650 billion in distributed technology spend. Furthermore, as a founding member of the TBM Council and FinOps Foundation, Apptio is truly at the forefront of maximizing value from technology investments. 

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The Questions Apptio Helps Answer

Apptio provides the visibility, insights and solutions to address challenges across the full lifecycle of technology budgeting, provisioning, and consumption. For cloud FinOps, they help answer questions like: How do I get transparency into cloud spend? Additionally, how can I migrate to cloud while comparing on-prem costs? Further, how do I prevent cloud cost overages? And finally, how can I consistently manage workloads and costs across multiple clouds? For technology business management, they tackle questions such as: How do I better align product investments to business objectives? Moreover, how do I shift to continuous planning and budgeting? Additionally, how can I measure, plan and allocate resources to products? Lastly, how do I ensure transparency into all technology costs and shift from a cost center to value creator? And for portfolio resource management, they help with queries like: First, how do I prioritize my developers’ work on highest-value initiatives? Secondly, how can I analyze delays and dependencies impacting service delivery? By connecting distributed data sources through its powerful data management platform, Apptio bridges technology silos to provide a unified view of all spend and operations.

The Apptio Platform - Powerful Data Management at Scale

At the core of Apptio’s capabilities is its industry-leading data management platform. First, this platform is ingesting over 6.5 trillion cloud billing records per month. Secondly, it is managing over $650 billion in total technology spend. Third, it handles millions of cost calculations for the world’s largest enterprises. Next, the platform extracts insights from disparate data sources for holistic, near real-time views. Additionally, it provides benchmarking intelligence versus peers and previous periods. Finally, the data management platform is powered by machine learning for intelligent data mapping and allocation workflows. This unified data foundation enables Apptio’s full suite of SaaS applications spanning FinOps, TBM, benchmarking, agile portfolio planning and more.

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The Apptio SaaS Applications

The Apptio SaaS portfolio includes focused applications to address critical needs across cloud FinOps, technology business management, and portfolio resource management. For cloud FinOps, their applications include Cloudability for multi-cloud and container cost transparency, optimization and reporting. Additionally, there is Cloudability TotalCost for surfacing indirect cloud costs for full unit economics. Next is Cloudability Financial Planning for collaborative cloud budget and migration planning. Finally, they offer Cloudability Savings Automation for automating cloud commitment program savings. For technology business management, Apptio offers ApptioOne for hybrid/multi-cloud cost transparency, planning and benchmarking. Additionally, there is ApptioOne Demand for collaborative demand planning and IT service pricing. Next is ApptioOne Billing for enabling IT chargeback and showback. Finally, they have ApptioOne Plus for TCO analysis to streamline apps and operations. In the portfolio resource management space, Apptio provides Targetprocess for data-driven investment prioritization and portfolio planning. Additionally, they now offer a new resource management solution for dev team capacity planning. Customers can start their Apptio journey based on their most critical need – whether cloud FinOps (in as little as 1 week), TBM cost transparency (1 month), or advanced portfolio planning (less than 3 months). Along the way, customers realize a wealth of actionable insights.

Top Actionable Insights from Apptio

For cloud FinOps, Apptio enables customers to identify cloud usage anomalies to renegotiate or automate commitment programs. Next, it allows them to track granular usage and consumption data to right-size cloud infrastructure. Additionally, Apptio gives developers real-time cost data to drive better cloud investment decisions. Finally, it helps calculate accurate unit economics to inform business decisions like product pricing. In the technology business management space, Apptio first aids in discovering redundant applications, vendors, and other spend to cut costs. Secondly, it provides analytics on budget variance to improve forecasting accuracy. Next, it enables business unit showback/chargeback for cost transparency. Additionally, it allows customers to leverage industry benchmarking data to adjust budgets and priorities. For portfolio resource management, Apptio first helps capture and prioritize cost-cutting initiatives by financial impact. Next, it provides understanding of costs of goods and labor resources to shift or cancel investments. Additionally, Apptio measures developer velocity and alignment to strategic goals and OKRs. Finally, it identifies and helps manage resource dependencies that are delaying service delivery.

Delivering Measurable Business Outcomes

Apptio customers across industries are realizing game-changing benefits from the company’s cloud FinOps, technology business management, and portfolio resource management solutions. In the cloud FinOps space, they are first seeing 15-30% reductions in multi-cloud costs through faster migration decisions. Secondly, there is real-time cost data empowering developers to eliminate waste. When it comes to technology business management, Apptio customers first report 90% improvements in budget and forecast accuracy. Next, they achieve 3-5% overall savings or redirection of total technology spend. Finally, they experience 75% reductions in planning cycle times through automation. And in portfolio resource management, companies are first achieving 50% faster time-to-market for new product and service delivery. Additionally, they see 35% improvements in developer productivity and output.

Client Success Highlights

Real-world examples demonstrate the value Apptio unlocks for its customers. First, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) identified millions in savings to reinvest in new services without raising member dues. Additionally, they reduced overall infrastructure costs by 30%. One Fortune 100 retailer first rolled up hundreds of AWS accounts to maximize cloud savings. Next, they enabled reinvestment in modernization by optimizing $10 million in just 90 days. A Fortune 100 telecom company first mapped the TCO for over 450 business applications. Then, they eliminated $75 million in stranded costs from a divestiture in 100 days. Another Fortune 100 financial services firm first reduced IT spend by 20% through optimization. Additionally, they decreased business request turnaround from weeks to just hours. And finally, a SaaS company utilized Apptio to first increase digital platform sales by 25% while reducing legacy apps by 10%. Additionally, they were able to enable a shift to a product-centric operating model with clear visibility into OKRs. Lastly, this SaaS company replaced six separate tools with an integrated Apptio solution.

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Start Unleashing Value from Your Technology Spend

No matter where you are today in the journey, Apptio has the technology spend and value optimization solutions to help your organization gain full transparency into distributed cloud and technology costs. Their solutions allow you to continuously optimize spending through intelligent analytics and strategically align investments to key business and product priorities. With Apptio, you can accelerate digital transformation and new service delivery while benchmarking against peers to adjust budgets and roadmaps. By connecting technology spend with business value, Apptio empowers organizations to truly unleash the potential of their technology investments.

Take the next step in transforming your technology investments by contacting Cresco International today. Our partnership with Apptio can help you maximize the return on investment from your technology spend, ensuring every dollar works harder for your business. Are you grappling with the complexities of distributed cloud costs, navigating the challenges of siloed IT budgeting, or lacking visibility into your product investments? Apptio has the answers you need.

At Cresco International, we understand the intricacies of technology financial management and the pressure to drive efficiency and innovation simultaneously. Apptio’s market-leading solutions provide the transparency and insights required to make informed decisions, optimize costs, and allocate resources strategically. Don’t let your technology spend spiral out of control. Instead, empower your organization to unlock its full value potential with Apptio.

By leveraging Apptio’s advanced capabilities, you can gain a comprehensive view of your technology expenditures, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure your investments align with your business objectives. From improving financial planning to enhancing operational efficiency, Apptio equips you with the tools to manage your technology resources effectively.

Don’t wait to take control of your technology investments. Reach out to Cresco International today and discover how Apptio can revolutionize your approach to technology financial management. Let us help you turn challenges into opportunities and drive sustainable growth for your organization. Contact us now to learn more and start your journey towards maximizing ROI with Apptio.

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