The budgeting season is a time for enterprises to look at their IT outsourcing service providers as more than just an external supplier & look at how the enterprise can work with the participants in the IT environment to leverage their budget. Firms like Capgemini have created custom commercial models for clients to leverage the work done globally & thereby increase both the "bang for the buck" and the "various bangs you can get for your buck".
There are differing paths to getting work done and that should be one of the focal points at budget time. Are there work components being delivered elsewhere in the world can be leveraged? Is variablised build-run scenario that can be used to offset expenses? Can some of the future work be used to build leverage for current work? The list of options is rather large, all will not work across various enterprises; however in conjunction with a skilled resource from a firm like Capgemini, firms can build leverage to power their budget & deliver more work than they traditionally did.
The old adage of "use someone else's money" needs to be given some consideration as the IT eco system comes with participants with differing mandates & objects. It behooves the smart firm to leverage their eco-system to drive value delivered for their budget. However this collaborative effort needs to start at budget season as budgets are being signed off and not after all the plans have been made & budgets “frozen” !
