A global retailer turns software governance into measurable savings

Bringing control to a growing software estate

The retailer had reached a point where software growth needed stronger governance. Years of expansion had created significant third-party software spend and a license estate that was difficult to see in full. Without a consistent way to compare entitlements with actual usage, the business faced two common risks: paying for software it did not need or falling out of step with publisher agreements. It wanted software purchasing to reflect real consumption, not assumptions. It also needed compliance to be an everyday discipline, supported by processes that could scale as spend continued to rise. The goal was clear: bring more structure, visibility, and predictability to software asset management without slowing the business down.

A managed approach to software asset management

SoftwareOne introduced SAM Managed Services to give the retailer a clearer, more repeatable way to manage software across its global estate. The program brought license tracking, optimization, and renewal governance into one managed process. Instead of handling each publisher as a separate challenge, the retailer gained a consistent view of consumption, entitlement positions, and opportunities to improve spend control. Publisher advisory services added focused support where the financial and compliance stakes were highest. The IBM Publisher Advisory Service helped right-size IBM entitlements and contracts, while the Microsoft Publisher Advisory Service helped optimize Microsoft licensing positions. With ongoing visibility into consumption, the retailer could make decisions based on evidence, not guesswork. Licensing moved from a periodic scramble to a managed discipline built around visibility, accountability, and practical next steps.

The engagement was designed to help the retailer make software management more predictable and easier to sustain. Better data gave teams a shared view of where software was being used, where entitlements needed attention, and where contract positions could be improved. The publisher advisory work helped the business focus effort in the areas that mattered most, while managed services created the rhythm for ongoing governance. That combination gave the retailer a practical foundation for smarter renewals, better budget planning, and stronger compliance readiness.