How To Make Smart Purchases In Today's Complex IT Market

By Joseph B. Kappernick


Technology sourcing and purchasing are constantly evolving functions that impact all aspects of an organization. The pressure to keep technology current, along with rapidly changing trends, forces IT professionals to be prepared for anything the future of IT might bring.

"The Top 10 Technology Trends Enterprise Architects Should Watch: 2012 To 2014" is a Forrest report that lists business intelligence, mobile applications and application platforms as the top three areas we can expect to see the highest amount of business value and development occur. Cloud computing, application integration and data governance are also areas to keep an eye on. Making smart and fast decisions is necessary for IT buyers if they want to take advantage of all the benefits of new technology trends.

New technology also brings new challenges and new players, which complicates things even more for IT buyers. However, it is possible for companies to make smart purchasing choices if they remember the following:

Transparency is a must

Many IT buyers simply don't have the benchmarking data available to know if they are paying a fair price for new technology. Luckily, third-party pricing experts are ready to provide this data so that you don't overpay for your next big IT purchase.

You need to know your vendors

When new technology is introduced, new vendors will likely join old ones for the chance to sell it to you. Buyers can quickly be overwhelmed with the multitude of available vendors and not know which one to choose. A third-party expert that understands the new trends, as well as the vendor and contracting landscape, will allow you to select the best fit option while reducing risk.

Simplicity is crucial

IT sourcing and purchasing is an extremely demanding job that continues to become more complex with the arrival of every new technological advance. New vendors, varying price models and contract intricacies are just a few of the many factors that IT buyers have to contend with in the changing IT marketplace. Third-party vendor contracting experts can guide you through unchartered territory and take some of the uncertainty out of the buying process. This will enable you to make decisions faster and with less risk, allowing your business to benefit more from new technology.




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