CIOs are under pressure to cut costs, fund innovation, and justify every line of IT spend.
You’re being asked to show value, absorb new demand, and tighten budgets…all at once. But if your financial management approach still relies on manual reports and gut feeling, there’s no way to meet those expectations consistently.
Most CIOs know they need better cost control. But many delay IT financial management (ITFM) because they believe their foundations aren’t ready. That thinking costs time, money, and credibility. In reality, imperfect data, missing catalogues, or skill gaps aren’t reasons to wait. They’re exactly why you need to begin.
Here are seven of the most common objections to ITFM, and what they’re really costing you.
You can start modelling services without a full catalogue. Use the structure you already have and build from there.
Most organisations already have enough of a cost model to build out an initial service structure. Serviceware lets you begin with high-level cost pools and a prebuilt catalogue, then refine over time. The goal is to build financial visibility and accuracy in parallel with day-to-day operations.
KABEG, one of Austria’s largest public healthcare providers, implemented Serviceware Financial to replace manual estimates with a transparent cost model. They started with core IT services and built out internal charging structures over time…without needing a complete service catalogue from day one.
Waiting for a full catalogue delays insight. Starting now builds it.
Clean data helps, but it's not a prerequisite.
You can launch ITFM using current datasets and gradually improve from there. Serviceware supports hypothesis-driven modelling, meaning you can validate assumptions and identify gaps without halting progress. You don’t need perfect inputs to produce valuable outputs, you need structure and iteration.
Organisations using Serviceware have achieved over €1.8 million in IT spend reduction through benchmarking, even before achieving full data maturity.
Start where you are. The act of modelling spend exposes weaknesses, drives internal alignment, and accelerates data quality improvements naturally.
That’s a common concern, but it’s not a blocker.
This isn’t unique to your organisation. In fact, 77% of companies say they’ve already been impacted by the IT skills gap, with over half prioritising reskilling and upskilling in 2025 just to keep pace. ITFM support can ease the burden while you build internal capability.
You don’t need a fully resourced TBM office to get started. Serviceware’s TBM Officer as a Service model gives you access to experienced support from day one. While they work with your team to roll out benchmarking, modelling, and chargeback, your internal capability can develop in parallel.
This is what separates successful launches from stalled initiatives. You get results fast, without overloading your current team or waiting on hires.
Coaching rather than consulting. Execution instead of theory. That’s the difference.
It can be. That’s why you start with ITFM and scale complexity only when needed.
Serviceware’s Digital Value Model provides a phased approach. You begin with core cost transparency, then layer in cost pools, towers, benchmarking, and forecasting as your capability grows. It’s designed to accelerate time-to-value, saving you from overwhelm through taxonomy.
SWE Digital GmbH adopted Serviceware Financial to make IT costs fully visible across internal teams and municipalities. Their rollout began with cost transparency and was expanded gradually. By using an intuitive, modular setup, they avoided overcomplicating the process and kept stakeholders aligned throughout.
You don’t need the full TBM model to deliver meaningful value. Most organisations get 80% of the benefit with 20% of the structure.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about ITFM.
With only 36% of CIOs expecting headcount to grow this year…the lowest rate since 2011, time-to-value matters more than ever. You need to show results with the resources you already have.
With the right model and support, you’ll see actionable results in weeks. Serviceware customers typically deliver early wins, like cost allocation clarity, demand accountability, and benchmarking insights, within the first 4–6 weeks of a structured sprint.
Forrester’s independent Total Economic Impact study found that Serviceware delivers a 270% ROI and achieves payback in under 6 months.
Short-term value is baked into how Serviceware is implemented.
If results feel too far away, it’s a sign the scope is too big. Shrink the initiative. Focus on a problem area. Prove value. Then scale.
If you’re spending on cloud, SaaS, internal labour, infrastructure, or project delivery, ITFM is relevant.
The problem is that it’s misunderstood. ITFM is so much more than a finance reporting tool. It’s the CIO’s control centre. It lets you link spend to service, drive accountability across departments, and confidently shift budget to innovation.
Without it, IT remains a black box, at risk of cuts and scrutiny. With it, you can have proactive conversations with your CFO about funding new initiatives, optimising underused services, and defending operational costs with real-world data.
This is how CIOs gain influence. Visibility creates confidence. Confidence earns trust.
This fear is valid. But it’s outdated.
Serviceware gives you full control over who sees what. Role-specific dashboards and reporting views ensure the right data reaches the right people at the right time. Transparency doesn’t have to mean exposure, it should mean ownership.
EOS Group rolled out Serviceware Financial to replace siloed, spreadsheet-based cost tracking across more than 60 companies. With role-specific access and clear reporting, transparency shifted from a source of internal tension to a foundation for trust and consistency across IT, finance, and business units.
When you control the narrative, transparency builds trust, not risk.
Every quarter you delay ITFM compounds operational risk. You’re likely:
That’s millions in missed savings, lost visibility, and strategic inertia. There is no perfect starting point. Only a rising opportunity cost.
CIOs choose Serviceware because it’s execution-ready. You get a full solution built around structured support, certified expertise, and repeatable success.
Here’s what sets it apart:
You don’t need perfect data, a large team, or a fully aligned catalogue to launch. You just need to decide you’re not going to manage spend reactively anymore.
Start with a sprint. Prove the value. Build momentum.
Watch the full masterclass “Turning IT Spend into Strategic Value” from the CIO Summit 2025.