As information technology environments become more complex, information technology asset management has become more important. However, the reality is that a lot of ITAM programs fail. And more often than not, the cause of the failure is human error.
The factors that lead to a successful ITAM program are accountability, teamwork, buy-in, and communications. Effective policy and processes are required by successful ITAM programs, but they should be combined with an efficient process management.
ITAM is a complex process as information is accessed through social networking, cloud computing, free software and mobile data. Organizations today need to comply with regulatory and security requirements as well. Because of these risks factors, companies need to establish effective ITAM procedures and policies. Below are the steps to ensure the success of an IT asset management program.
Create an ITAM Task Force Made of Key Executives
ITAM procedures and policies must be aligned with the departmental strategies and requirements. They should be effective, flexible and practical. It is important for an organization to get the buy-in of the managers.
This can be done by creating an ITAM task force made of key executives from departments affected by the policies. That way there’s an accountable executive ownership of the ITAM policy management function. The group will be in charge of creating, monitoring, dispensing, modifying, and enforcing the policy. The first task of the group is to make policies based on what the organization requires. They should also establish procedures and processes for everything from information security and software purchases to disaster recovery and compliance.
Centralize the Policies
It is important to centralize the ITAM policies. That way the company will be able to optimize IT assets, improve productivity, control costs, make IT processes simple, and keep them compliant and organized all the time.
Communicate with Employees and Managers
It is important to make sure that the employees understand the ITAM policies. That way they will be able to follow the procedures and processes. A successful ITAM program can only be achieved through communication.
Modify Processes and Policies when Needed
One of the responsibilities of the ITAM policy task force is to ensure that the current processes and policies remain relevant over time. They should assess the compliance and effectiveness of the said processes and policies, and make adjustments when needed.
Enforce the ITAM Policies
Lastly, the ITAM processes and policies will be useless if the company doesn’t enforce them. There should be consequences when an employee was caught breaking any of the policies. The enforcement of the policies should be swift to eliminate deliberate breaches.
A successful ITAM program requires the cooperation from everyone, from the newest employee to the highest executive. Managers should lead by example to ensure that no one breaks any of the processes and policies.
About AER Worldwide
AER Worldwide mitigates risk and provides global solution to handle your entire end-of-life materials management needs. We provide eco-friendly solutions and services throughout the entire IT product life cycle. Our Reverse Logistics efforts, or “aftermarket” services, help organizations after the initial sale and provide IT asset disposition support throughout the life of the equipment. With global locations, AER Worldwide will provide eco-friendly services, with certified brand protection techniques. To learn more about AER Worldwide, visit www.aerworldwide.com.
