Dexter Siglin

Jul. 21,2026 | Procurement, CIO, IT Services, IT Insights

There was a time when the technology advisory market had a healthy population of independent specialists. These firms focused on a specific mission: helping clients select technology, optimize licensing, benchmark pricing, negotiate agreements and manage supplier relationships. They did not necessarily want to implement the system, resell the software, manage the environment or turn the initial project into a five-year transformation program. They were paid to advise the client and or save them money. Increasingly, those firms are disappearing into larger consulting, outsourcing, software-resale and technology-services organizations. Some of ...

Michael Welsh

Jul. 21,2026 | CIO, AI

Shadow IT is hardly a new problem. Employees have been downloading unapproved applications since someone first realized they could avoid an IT service ticket by entering a credit card number. Generative AI has made the problem faster, easier and considerably more complicated. Today, an employee does not need to implement a major software platform to create a new technology expense or expose company information. They can subscribe to an AI assistant, connect a browser extension, authorize a plug-in or activate an AI feature already embedded in an existing SaaS product. The entire “implementation” might take less time than it takes to find the ...

Tjeerd Edelman

Jun. 30,2026 | Procurement, CFO, CIO, IT Insights

As a former Head of Procurement for a couple firms, I have seen this play out first hand, and even more working with companies all over the globe with NET(net). For years, most companies managed technology costs one transaction at a time. A major renewal appeared on the calendar, procurement negotiated a discount, everyone survived the final week of redlines, and attention moved to the next supplier. That approach worked reasonably well when technology portfolios were simpler. But it's becoming much less effective today. Worldwide IT spending continues to climb, while major suppliers are changing pricing, packaging, licensing metrics and ...

Tjeerd Edelman

May. 28,2026 | Software, Microsoft, CFO, CIO

For many organizations, Microsoft renewals have become routine. This summer, they should not be. Beginning in July, Microsoft pricing changes are set to materially increase costs across several key Microsoft 365 licensing categories. Frontline SKUs are expected to rise approximately 25% to 33%, while many business-tier offerings are increasing 12% to 17%. For organizations renewing Enterprise Agreements (EAs) or cloud subscriptions in Q3, the window to influence commercial outcomes is rapidly closing. The challenge is not simply the increase itself. It is that many organizations are approaching renewal discussions with the same posture they ...

Austin Zolman

Feb. 26,2026 | CFO, Cloud, CIO, Vendor Management, AI, FinOps

The 2026 IT Budget Surge: How to Turn 10%+ Increases into Measurable ROI, Not Vendor Windfalls The consensus with most analyst firms, is that worldwide IT spending is projected to reach $6.15 trillion in 2026, up 10%+ year over year, driven by an 80.8% surge in AI-related spending, a 31.7% jump in data center systems, and acceleration in software spend - projected to grow by over 14% driven by data analytics, cybersecurity, and integration of AI platforms into core business functions. At the enterprise level, 75% of CFOs expect tech budgets to rise, and 48% are planning increases of 10% or more. The largest allocations are going to IT, AI, ...

Dexter Siglin

Oct. 31,2025 | CIO, Vendor Management

The Setup: When “Insight” Becomes Illusion Imagine this: 95% of enterprise generative-AI pilots deliver zero ROI [1]. That’s not a rumor; that’s MIT’s 2025 analysis of real-world deployments. Yet year after year, CIOs chase the next “peak of inflated expectations,” following analyst firm frameworks as if they were navigational charts to innovation rather than treasure maps to someone else’s revenue. Enter Gartner’s Hype Cycle, Magic Quadrant, and Forrester’s Wave , models revered as industry gospel but often the very machinery driving the disillusionment they pretend to measure [2][3]. Part I: The Promise, and the Problem Clarity or ...

Dexter Siglin

Sep. 29,2025 | CFO, CIO

We’ve spent years helping CFOs and CIOs navigate the treacherous waters of IT vendor management. Today’s global market is rife with inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions, and unpredictable interest rates, so controlling technology costs while driving efficient growth has emerged as the paramount concern for finance and IT executives. According to recent surveys, this issue tops the list for CFOs, who are laser-focused on aligning expenditures with strategic objectives amid shrinking budgets. IT leaders, meanwhile, grapple with the rapid pace of technological change and resource constraints that hinder scaling investments. This isn't ...

Steven Zolman

Aug. 29,2025 | Procurement, CFO, CIO, Savings Cloud, IT Insights

The technology vendor ecosystem has declared economic warfare on enterprise customers. In 2025 alone, organizations have endured a relentless onslaught of cost escalations that would have been unthinkable just years ago: Oracle's "Free" Java Trap: Some discovered that "free" Java came with massive Oracle audit bills reaching eight figures (see our detailed analysis: Breaking the Java Monopoly VMware's Broadcom Betrayal: Others were forced to navigate VMware's post-Broadcom acquisition gauntlet, facing cost increases of up to 800% (reference our blog on VMware strategies) Cloud Cost Hemorrhaging: Meanwhile, runaway cloud consumption costs ...

Dexter Siglin

Jun. 30,2025 | CIO, 5G, Quantum Computing, Spatial Computing, Emerging Tech

For Tech Leaders, your mandate extends far beyond maintaining current systems; it's about strategically charting a course through the technological landscape of tomorrow. While AI dominates headlines, three other transformative technologies – Quantum Computing, 5G Expansion, and Spatial Computing/Extended Reality (XR) – are rapidly maturing. Each of these are poised to profoundly reshape our enterprises over the long term. Ignoring them is no longer an option, understanding their potential and preparing for their integration is a strategic imperative. Quantum Computing: Unprecedented Processing Power Quantum computing, once a theoretical ...

Steven Zolman

May. 28,2025 | Supplier Management, SSM - Strategic Supplier Management, Negotiation, CFO, CIO, Vendor Management

At NET(net), we’re constantly asked: “Can I terminate my agreement with XYZ Supplier mid-term?” The short answer? It’s tough—but not impossible. As you’ll see in the attached chart, termination rights for enterprise customers with technology vendors fall into one of five categories, as outlined below: Termination for convenience is rare due to vendor resistance, as it undermines revenue stability. TermScout notes 82% of customer forms seek this right, but negotiated contracts often exclude it, especially in SaaS or long-term deals. However, large enterprises with strong leverage (e.g., Fortune 100 companies) may secure this right in some ...