When does Smartsheet renew? Are we getting a fair price for Zoom? Do we really need 100 enterprise licenses? Each SaaS renewal requires time to prepare so you can answer these questions – and more. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains SaaS renewal management and the ideal process you should follow to confidently tackle software renewals at scale.

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here. 

Key Takeaways:

• [00:09 - 00:46] Helping with renewals
• [00:46 - 01:36] What is SaaS renewal management?
• [01:36 - 02:34] What is the ideal renewal process?
• [02:34 - 03:11] 120 days applies to most applications but there are exceptions
• [03:11 - 03:48] Determining quantity of licenses
• [03:48 - 04:27] Benchmark comparisons
• [04:27 - 04:59] Adding the agreement to your system of record
• [05:00 - 05:34] Recap

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

License waste runs unchecked in most organizations today. In fact, Zylo’s SaaS Management Index shows that on average 49% of licenses are unused each month, adding up to $18M in wasted spend each year. Sure, money speaks. But this risk goes beyond your bottom line, impacting security, operational efficiency, and value across the business. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains the importance of SaaS license management and outlines what an effective strategy looks like and the steps for execution.

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here. 

Key Takeaways

• [00:08 - 00:48] Organizations on average waste $18 million in SaaS licenses
• [00:48 - 02:26] What is SaaS license management
• [02:26 - 03:20] Decisions you need to make after obtaining usage data
• [03:20 - 04:34] How to reclaim SaaS licenses
• [04:34 - 05:05] Recap

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

How many applications do we really have? What apps are being expensed by employees? Are there potential security risks we don’t know about? You’ll get answers to these questions and more by practicing SaaS inventory management. In this episode, Ben Pippenger will explain the ins and outs of what it is, why it matters, and best practices you should follow.

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here.

Key Takeaways

• [00:00 - 00:51] Companies spend three times more on SaaS than they think they do
• [00:48 - 02:03] What is SaaS inventory management?
• [00:48 - 02:24] Unlocking the Secrets of SaaS Inventory Management
• [02:04 - 04:08] AI-powered discovery and strategic portfolio management, three tiers of apps to work through
• [04:08 - 05:36] Onboarding applications and managing inventory
• [05:37 - 06:17] Quick wins

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

SaaS has shaken up the world of software and the lives of software asset management professionals everywhere. While it is daunting to wrap your arms around, SaaS is a gift in disguise – presenting SAM pros the opportunity to uplevel their careers. In fact, Joe Ryder, Senior Manager, Software Asset Management at McKesson, believes SAM has evolved to be a critical and strategic function in the enterprise. In this episode, Ryder reveals how software asset management pros can adapt their strategy to the cloud model, what they need to do differently when it comes to SaaS, and his prediction for what SAM looks like in five years.

Key Takeaways

• [01:36 - 03:23] How SAM is ushering in a new era of accountability
• [04:13 - 06:22] Self-imposed and artificial barriers to adoption of SaaS management
• [09:48 - 10:58] AI and consumption level tracking
• [12:49 - 14:32] The growing iceberg of risk associated with individually expensed software and Shadow IT
• [21:42 - 24:36] The impact of attaching FinOps and SaaS to your infrastructure, and the impact on SAM practitioners
• [26:07 - 28:30] The next five years of SAM—More collaboration with architecture and security, new risks as technology evolves

About Joe Ryder

Joe Ryder is the Sr. Manager of Software Asset Management at McKesson. He has more than 10 years of software asset management experience and was previously a member of the world-class SAM team at Salesforce. If you’re a SAM leader or practitioner, you may have come across him on LinkedIn, sharing his thoughts and tips on maturing a SAM practice and upleveling your career in SAM. Connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

Want more great SaaS Management stories and content? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://zylo.com/newsletter-sign-up/ 

Lloyd and Harry. Buzz and Woody. Romy and Michele. We all love a great dynamic duo. But, what about IT and Procurement? According to Steve McKenzie, the IT Supplier Management Lead at Zoetis, IT and Procurement are the dream team of SaaS Management. In this episode, learn why this partnership is so critical to the enterprise, how to overcome common obstacles to collaboration, and the pivotal role data plays in fostering strategic alliances.

Key Takeaways

• [01:20 - 02:34] Speaking the same language between Procurement and IT
• [02:35 - 05:45] How aligning the procurement and IT relationship has benefitted Steve and his team at Zoetis
• [10:18 - 12:40] Partner reactions and surprise when seeing renewal data from Zylo
• [13:50 - 17:59] Managing AI internally at Zoetis, taking AI by the horns
• [18:01 - 19:49] Two types of tools, AI and current gen, making an investment in the future
• [19:50 - 24:04] Doing things better with SaaS management at Zoetis, doing your job well and showing value, addressing pain points
• [24:07 - 26:12] Steve's favorite apps

About Steve McKenzie

Steve McKenzie is the IT Supplier Management Lead at Zoetis, the largest global animal health company. He has over 10 years of procurement and sourcing experience, with notable stops at KPMG and JP Morgan. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn.

Want more great SaaS Management stories and content? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://zylo.com/newsletter-sign-up/

AI has incredible potential to drive value for your business, but it can be easy to get lost in the hype. With so many SaaS vendors now offering AI-powered features and products, how do you break through the noise? In this episode, Ben Pippenger shares the five essential questions you need to ask your current and prospective SaaS vendors about AI so you get the right tools that drive the right outcomes for your organization.

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here. 

Key Takeaways

• [00:07 - 00:54] Asking the right questions about AI
• [00:54 - 01:13] Five table-stake questions to ask SaaS vendors about their AI-powered solutions
• [03:57 - 04:20] Thinking through questions about AI adoption

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

Securing buy-in from your executive team is the most important ingredient for a successful SaaS Management program. No one knows this better than Siroui Mushegian, CIO at Barracuda Networks. In this episode, discover Mushegian's approach to securing executive buy-in for SaaS Management, and how it's helping drive application rationalization, security, and innovation in the enterprise.

Key Takeaways

• [01:31-6:05] Making SaaS Management a strategic priority
• [8:03-10:42] Siroui’s simple 9-box strategy 
• [10:46-16:24] The “what’s in it for me” story and stakeholder interviews for application rationalization
• [20:57-21:38] Barracuda’s security playbook in partnership with CISO Riaz Lakhani
• [25:53-27:59] Funding new programs with tight budgets

About Siroui Mushegian

Siroui Mushegian is the CIO at Barracuda Networks, the worldwide leader in Email Protection, Application Protection, Network Security, and Data Protection Solutions. She has nearly 30 years of IT leadership experience, previously at notable enterprises like the NBA, Ralph Lauren, and Time Warner. To-date, Mushegian has helped build and implement two SaaS Management programs. Connect with Siroui on LinkedIn.

Want more great SaaS Management stories and content? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://zylo.com/newsletter-sign-up/

When you don't know everything about a software application – or that it exists in the first place – it’s impossible to effectively manage renewals, optimize licenses, and implement governance. Today, leading organizations are flipping the script, using a SaaS Management platform (SMP) as their system of record to gain centralized visibility into every application. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains how you can prioritize and onboard apps into an SMP – and how to keep it up-to-date for the long-haul. 

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here. 

Key Takeaways

• [00:07 - 01:12] Setting up a SaaS system of record in three steps
• [01:10 - 02:03] The discovery process — the average organization has 269 applications, and using financial data to find app costs
• [02:03 - 02:35] On to onboarding
• [02:33 - 03:23] Prioritizing apps that are onboarded
• [03:23 - 04:26] A checklist to follow, alignment with owners
• [04:26 - 06:06] Gathering data and connecting partner sites to gather data

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.

With hundreds of SaaS renewals a year, each with their own complexities, Procurement has its work cut out for them. But that didn't stop Brittney Linville, a tenacious and growth-minded U.S. Army veteran and procurement leader. In fact, she has not only built three procurement organizations from the ground up, but she created the gold standard for how to do it. From ditching spreadsheets and building strategic partnerships to streamlining procurement processes, Brittney dishes on how she executed at high velocity.

Key Takeaways

1. Building Strategic Partnerships: Brittney Linville emphasizes the importance of building relationships with key stakeholders, such as CIOs and CTOs, to understand their needs and align procurement strategies with organizational goals.
2. Elevating Procurement: Linville discusses how she elevated the role of procurement to become a strategic partner by focusing on understanding the technology landscape, including SaaS, and aligning procurement processes with business objectives.
3. High-Velocity Procurement: Despite being a team of one, Linville successfully managed hundreds of renewals by building a collaborative approach, leveraging technology integrations, and streamlining processes to increase efficiency.
4. Tech Stack Optimization: Linville's tech stack included tools like Coupa for guided buying flows, Ironclad for contract lifecycle management, and Zylo for SaaS management. She emphasizes the importance of selecting tools that streamline processes and enhance user experience.
5. Making Procurement Easier: Linville's approach focused on simplifying procurement processes to make them more user-friendly and efficient, reducing friction and encouraging compliance while minimizing the risk of shadow IT.
6. Personal and Business Favorites: Linville's favorite personal SaaS application is Canva for its user-friendly design capabilities, while her preferred business app is Ironclad for its innovation in contract lifecycle management.

A majority of IT leaders have prioritized security in 2024, yet the number of SaaS apps behind single sign-on is abysmal. As an IT or security leader, this is your sign to secure more of your applications with SSO. In this episode, Ben Pippenger explains why single sign-on is critical to reducing risk and shares practical insights to create and implement your organization's SSO roadmap.

Have a question you’d like answered on SaaSMe Anything? Submit yours here. 

Key Takeaways:

• [00:07 - 00:45] Reducing security risks is a top concern in 2024
• [00:45 - 01:15] The definition of SSO (single sign on)
• [01:15 - 01:53] Minimizing phishing and security threats, an IBM data breach example
• [01:53 - 02:31] Visibility into your entire SaaS inventory
• [02:57 - 04:04] Technically and financially possible to enable SSO

SaaSMe Anything is the bi-weekly podcast that brings clarity to the chaos of SaaS, hosted by your resident SaaS expert and Zylo co-founder Ben Pippenger. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn here.