In the ever-shifting landscape of 2025, enterprise IT leaders and CFOs find themselves at a critical juncture. Market uncertainties are swirling like a storm on the horizon—think tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and economic forecasts that sound more like a Magic 8-Ball prediction than a solid plan. A recent CNBC survey from March 25, 2025, revealed that a whopping 95% of CFOs are feeling the heat of policy uncertainty, with many predicting a recession before the year’s end. Meanwhile, the U.S. stock market is teetering on the edge, as Forbes warned on March 1, 2025, citing multiple risk factors that could send investors running for cover. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned C-suite executive want to hide under their desk with a stress ball and a cup of chamomile tea.
But here’s the twist: while many organizations are hitting the pause button on investments, the boldest firms are charging ahead like knights in shining armor.....or, in this case, business suits - wielding strategic IT agreements as their swords. The time is now for enterprise IT leaders and CFOs to take action, aggressively reviewing and negotiating their IT contracts to drive value, bolster AI investments, and fortify their technology supply chains.
Let’s break down why hesitation is the enemy and why acting decisively could be the difference between thriving and merely surviving in this chaotic market.
Market Uncertainties: The Dragon in the Room
First, let’s address the dragon in the room....market uncertainties. The CNBC survey paints a grim picture: CFOs are pessimistic, with 65% expecting U.S. treasury bond yields to hover between 4% and 5% by the end of 2025, and many are bracing for a recession fueled by new tariffs. PYMNTS.com reported on March 4, 2025, that U.S. tariffs on Canadian, Chinese, and Mexican imports are forcing American companies to retool their playbooks, with 60% of CFOs seeing greater economic uncertainty and planning challenges. Add to that the global supply chain woes highlighted by the Financial Times on March 10, 2025, which noted that logistics networks are becoming increasingly complex and brittle. It’s no wonder some organizations are freezing their investments faster than a popsicle in a blizzard.
But here’s the thing: uncertainty isn’t a stop sign—it’s a call to action. While some companies are playing it safe, others are seeing this as an opportunity to get ahead. The same PYMNTS.com article from March 20, 2025, found that 65% of CFOs at mid-size firms are engaging in supplier showdowns, renegotiating contracts to buffer the impact of tariffs. This isn’t the time to sit on the sidelines, clutching your budget like a security blanket. It’s time to channel your inner negotiator and fight for better terms with IT vendors.
AI Investments: Don’t Let the CFO-CIO Power Struggle Hold You Back
Speaking of investments, let’s talk about the elephant, or rather, the dragon, breathing fire in the C-suite: AI. Fortune reported on March 21, 2025, that CFOs and CIOs are locked in a power struggle over AI, with both leaders vying to drive business transformation but struggling to agree on how to measure its benefits. Despite this, a Gartner survey cited by Yahoo Finance on February 19, 2025, found that 77% of CFOs plan to increase spending on generative AI and other technologies this year, with 47% expecting to boost their tech budgets by at least 10%. Clearly, the appetite for AI is there, but the hesitation to act decisively is holding some firms back.
Bold companies, however, are diving in headfirst. Microsoft’s blog on March 10, 2025, highlighted how firms like Icertis are using AI to automate contract-driven processes and optimize value in negotiations, pinpointing risks in agreements to focus on high-impact tasks. This is a golden opportunity for IT leaders and CFOs to align their forces, stop bickering over who gets to hold the AI reins, and start investing in tools that can transform their operations.
Aggressive Rationalization: Trim the Fat, Keep the Muscle
Now, let’s talk about rationalization. Software is often like a closet that hasn’t been cleaned out since the early 2010s, full of outdated software, shelfware, redundant tools, and contracts that are costing you more than they’re worth. PYMNTS.com’s 2025 Certainty Project found that forward-thinking CFOs are slashing costs by renegotiating supplier contracts and hedging against currency fluctuations. Retail CFOs, as noted by Sourcing Journal on February 18, 2025, are focusing on supply chain improvements and asset-light models to boost profitability, with 25% planning to shed underperforming assets through divestitures.
This is where aggressive rationalization comes in. Review your IT agreements with a fine-tooth comb and a healthy dose of skepticism – and hire NET(net) – where our models are self-funding. Are you paying for software licenses you don’t use? Are your vendors charging you 2025 prices for 2015 value? You should be negotiating hard on your renewals – or better yet, getting help from professional who can help you. The market is uncertain, but that’s exactly why vendors are more likely to budge. They don’t want to lose your business any more than you want to lose your shirt.
The Bold Will Win: A Call to Action
PwC’s report on March 6, 2025, sums it up perfectly: top-performing CFOs are acting as quarterbacks, fearlessly driving strategic investments and embracing innovation. They’re not waiting for the storm to pass, they’re building a better ship to weather it. Cisco’s blog on February 3, 2025, predicts that the winners in 2025 won’t be determined by the size of their AI investments alone, but by their ability to build precise solutions and forge strategic partnerships that drive value throughout the supply chain (i.e., NET(net)). This means acting now, not later, to secure the best terms, invest in the right technologies, and position your organization for success.
So, enterprise IT leaders and CFOs, the time is now to stop hiding behind uncertainty and start acting like the heroes your company needs. Review those IT agreements, negotiate like your budget depends on it (because it does), and double down on self-funding investments that will drive value. The market may be a dragon, but you’ve got the shield—and the suit—to take it on. Let’s make 2025 the year you slay the beast, not the year you let it burn your bottom line.
About NET(net)
Founded in 2002, NET(net) is the world’s leading IT Investment Optimization firm, helping clients find, get, and keep more economic and strategic value in their technology supply chains. Over the last 20 years, NET(net) has influenced trillions of investment, captured hundreds of billions of value, and has helped clients cost and value optimize all major areas of IT Spend, including XaaS, Cloud, Hardware, Software, Services, Healthcare, Outsourcing, Infrastructure, and Telecommunications, among others. NET(net) has the experience you want, demonstrates the expertise that you need, and delivers the performance you demand and deserve. Contact us at info@netnetweb.com, visit us online at www.netnetweb.com, or call us at +1 (616) 546-3100 to see if we can help you capture more value in your IT investments, agreements, deployments, and relationships.
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