Important Questions to Answer Before You Call Us Or (gasp!) Any Other IT Asset Tracking Solution Provider

For better or worse, most of us live in a “bottom line” world. We want something (for example, a new set of tires, a toaster or an ITAM solution) and we want to know how much it will cost. Now. But before we can know the cost, we have to more clearly define our needs, and that means asking and answering questions. (Snow tires? 2 or 4 slot? Active or Passive RFID?)

Sometimes the process can start with just a ballpark estimate. Here at AMI, we’re glad to provide those, but are quick to add that the range can be a pretty big ballpark. To give you an estimate that’s more specific, we’ll need to get more specifics about your business. The more you can share about your ITAM needs, the more precise the estimate will be.

This qualification process starts with defining business goals, and involves answering higher altitude questions such as:

• What is the most important goal for the ITAM solution?
• What is working well now, and what isn’t?
• What does success look like for this program?

The more you can share about your ITAM needs,
the more precise the estimate will be.

Next come questions concerning the types and quantities of assets to be tracked, and the number of physical locations involved. Answers here lead to questions regarding what technology is used currently and what may be required as part of an improved ITAM strategy. You may be interested in a scanning solution that will maintain asset data in a third party system, or perhaps you are looking for a standalone asset tracking solution that contains its own database. Often, we prepare estimates for businesses that have an existing asset management system such as CA Asset Portfolio Management or HP Asset Manager.

Finally, there are important questions involving procurement procedures and integration with the ITAM repository.

Lots of stuff. But there’s a definite payback. By answering these important questions, you become more astute about your requirements and the people, processes and tools you’ll need to get specific, measurable results.

And if you’re seeking an estimate from AMI, you get something else of real value: A candid conversation about Return On Investment, enlightening you to the factors that are most relevant to managing your team’s expectations regarding ROI.

Author: Tom Watson

Tom Watson is AMI’s President and CEO. He began his career in high tech in 1996, as a software engineer for his own software company. After a subsequent stint at IT Asset Management firm Micropath as senior architect for that company’s asset tracking system, he founded AMI to develop hardware asset tracking technology solutions for enterprise IT Asset Management customers.