One of the most inventive or innovative things I’ve ever done occurred as a large, multi-year project while I was with Grant Thornton, acting as the Senior Manager of Enterprise Systems Management. I was the chief architect and strategist in overhauling the entire endpoint operating environment, which included hardware procurement, imaging technology and processes, software packaging, distribution methods, and end-user operations.
Problem and Impact
Back in 2007, the Grant Thornton desktop operating environment was costing the firm millions of dollars in lost revenue each year due to the use of antiquated laptops, loss of billable time due to hardware repairs, manual imaging processes, and slow distribution of updates to keep the environment current. In addition, many outdated applications needed to be replaced to assist the business in becoming more effective.
The desktop environment could not sustain the overall technology strategy of the firm. The total IT cost of ownership (TCO) had to be reduced in order to demonstrate IT business value, and to generate higher earnings per unit (EPU) for the partnership. In addition, business trust in the IT function was waning, and quick technical innovation needed to be infused into the business operating model.
Implemented Solution
Due to Grant Thornton’s culture of being averse to quick change and limited IT resources, I developed a long-term strategy to chip away at the issues. I began with the largest concern, the hardware, and ended with the outdated applications. The overall project was completed in 2015 and the cost savings to the firm were significant as outlined below.
The hardware procurement model was changed from owned assets depreciated over 5 years to a leasing model of 24 months. This reduced the cost impact between $1.1 and $1.3 million dollars per lease cycle. The savings came in 3 areas: 1) high residual asset value at the end of the lease period, resulting in lower overall laptop monthly payments, 2) reduced laptop repair costs due to the 5 years to 2 year depreciation change, and 3) hardware disposal costs were eliminated.
Another significant result of leasing came in the distribution frequency of faster and more reliable hardware. Giving each of the 7000 users in the firm a new laptop every 24 months reduced support costs by an average of $627 per asset per year. Overall, this resulted in the recuperation of $4.39 million of lost revenue.
Once the hardware issue was resolved, I went to work on laptop imaging. In 2009, most PC imaging processes were manual. I developed a custom application for both the imaging of the operating system and the installation of all the standard applications needed in the environment. This reduced the overall process from over 10 hours to 1 hour, resulting in an annual cost savings of $6.2 million. With the drastically reduced “hands-on” time requirement for imaging, local office technicians were freed up to better serve other business support needs.
Software integration, packaging and distribution innovation were then tackled in 2010 and I was able to reduce the response time to release requests by 30% and deliver a 50% increase in package distribution speed. This was due to IT Service Management process improvement, optimization of software distribution methodologies (Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager) and server virtualization across all 57 local office datacenters (completed in 2015). This brought the image and software installs to the local area network (LAN) in a much more efficient and easier-to-manage format. The server virtualization sub-project alone resulted in a $150,000 reduction in annual desktop support operating costs.
Last but not least, now that highly effective and efficient hardware was in place, and the processes to deliver the needed software solidified, I tackled the application upgrades. From 2011 onward, I performed multiple iterations of desktop operating system (OS), web browser, and Microsoft Office version upgrades. I also tackled our out-of-date security platform applications such as endpoint backup, data encryption, and remote access. The backup solution, CrashPlan, created $90,000 in annual savings, and the remote desktop solution, LogMeIn, realized a return on investment (ROI) of 2 weeks, and an annual cost savings of $1.1 million.
Business and IT Impact
The difference this made on the firm’s operating model and the viability of IT in the eyes of the business was drastic. In addition to easily managing $6 million of leased assets with a less than 1% loss rate, I was able to save an average of approximately $12.5 million annually, plus untold added value in user productivity gains. This resulted in a more secure environment, reduced impact to users, higher productivity, and more satisfied business partners. Customer satisfaction increased from an average of 6 points to 9 points on a 10 point scale. Due to the cutting-edge technology strategy, potential clients were impressed by the offering of the firm, and IT became a partner in landing new business.
From an industry perspective, Grant Thornton was also recognized frequently. I was able to co-write 6 articles with Computerworld, Intel, Credant, and Code42, 2 of which are on file with the Library of Congress. I was also able to sit on customer advisory boards for Intel, Dell, Lenovo, Credant, and Code42. These efforts also led to two industry awards from the Computerworld Honors Program, and an award from Computerworld Mobile and Wireless World. I was invited to attend the Computerworld Mobile and Wireless Conference and as a key speaker, present at an Information Technology Alliance (ITA) conference, and outline these concepts with Code42 at a CIO Summit. I also published a LinkedIn article on the subject.
Naturally, I could not have done this without an outstanding team who was fully vested in making this project a success. The project did not come without snags such as questions from the business and IT leaders about the viability of some of the decisions being made, but these concerns were overcome through effective communication and efficient budget management. In the end, costs were drastically reduced, trust was regained, and IT became a successful partner with the business.
