Global Defence Organisation

Introduction

The client was a large defence organisation operating across multiple sites and supporting critical national operations. They engaged bedigital to create a standardised set of core processes to enable the foundations of asset management to be implemented. When we first began working with them, their asset management processes were fragmented and inconsistent, creating inefficiencies, compliance risks, and unnecessary spend. Our role was to assess their current state, identify areas for improvement, and deliver practical solutions to establish a more controlled, effective, and sustainable approach to asset management.

Their Challenges

The client faced numerous challenges with their existing asset management approach:

• There was no centralised view of hardware and software assets, making it difficult to ensure compliance and manage licensing effectively.
• Processes were inconsistent and lacked clear ownership, resulting in fragmented practices across dozens of subsidiaries all utilising a shared service model and a local service model.
• Inefficient processes and duplicated effort led to unnecessary costs and wasted resources.
• Stakeholder engagement was siloed, with minimal communication between teams responsible for procurement, IT operations, and software asset management.
• The absence of clear governance, documented procedures, and defined roles and responsibilities leading to the increased risk of non-compliance and reduced the organisation’s ability to proactively manage costs.

Their Objectives

The client’s objectives were:

• To gain full visibility of their IT assets across all geographies and subsidiaries
• To ensure compliance with licensing requirements and reduce the risk of audit penalties.
• To identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary costs.
• To streamline and standardise asset management processes to improve efficiency and governance.

bedigital’s Solution

Phase 1 Current State Assessment: Conducted a detailed review of existing asset management processes, roles, tools, and governance, along with a risk assessment to identify gaps and inefficiencies.

Phase 2 Target State Design: Created a Target Operating Model (TOM) to define a streamlined, standardised, and compliant asset management function, aligned to the client’s strategic objectives.

Phase 3 Implementation: Developed localisation plans to adapt processes to different subsidiaries , facilitated stakeholder workshops to drive engagement, and embedded the TOM into operational practices.

How bedigital Delivered

Phase 1 Current State Assessment

By mapping the organisation’s existing asset management processes, systems, and governance, including interviews with key stakeholders, analysis of asset and license data, and a risk assessment to identify areas inefficiency and duplicated effort. The output provided a clear baseline view and highlighted priority issues to address.

Phase 2 Target State Design

Building on the findings from Phase 1, bedigital designed a Target Operating Model (TOM) for asset management. The model outlined standardised processes, defined new and existing roles and responsibilities and finally introducing structures to improve control, reduce risk, and enable cost optimisation. The TOM also included a roadmap for progressive maturity improvement.

Phase 3 Implementation

We supported the client in putting the TOM into practice by creating localisation plans for different subsidiaries to ensure relevance and adoption. We facilitated stakeholder workshops to align teams, improve communication, and embed new processes into day-to-day operations.

Challenges

There were numerous challenges to overcome to deliver a successful project:

• The client was undergoing continual organisational change, with multiple transformations competing for leadership attention, resources, and budget, creating challenges for prioritising and sustaining the asset management initiative.
• The client suffered from communication fatigue resulting in lack of clarity and expectations
• Coordinating stakeholders across multiple subsidiaries and departments
• Initial reticence towards asset management being led by the core business function
• Stakeholder availability was limited leading to repeated workshops and drop-in sessions.
• Lack of ownership and focus due to competing business requirements and staff turnover.

Outcomes

• Initiation of communities of practice enabling alignment between IT, procurement, and operations, enabling more strategic asset management decision making.
• Created clear “ways of working” via the Target operating model, business processes and localisation plans.
• Defined KPI’s for success management
• Defined new roles and responsibilities
• Clarified existing roles and responsibilities

Benefits

• An embedded vision of asset management across the organisation fully endorsed and supported by leadership and governance
• Enabling regulatory compliance
• Achieved a total of £9M in both cost avoidance and savings during the project phases with another £5M identified in licence overspend
• The client gained a clear understanding of their current assets, and the management requirements to maintain accurate data upon which they were able to base strategic decisions further identifying cost efficiencies.
• Increased productivity by streamlining processes and eliminating duplication of effort across subsidiaries
• Improved alignment between IT, procurement, operations and many of the clients operating divisions, creating joined up strategies and visions leading to identification of downstream efficiencies, e.g. reduction in software renewals, reduction in software packaging and simplification of infrastructure.

Testimonial

“bedigital provided and coached our ITAM Team and we can already see the benefits in day-to-day activities and approach.” – The client’s Head of Business Operations

Conclusion

The project was delivered within the agreed timeframe and provided the client with much-needed clarity and structure around their software asset management. By addressing compliance risks, reducing unnecessary spend, and embedding a streamlined Target Operating Model, the client achieved both immediate tactical benefits and long-term strategic value. The engagement not only strengthened governance and audit readiness but also positioned the ITAM function as a more proactive part within the organisation.