The “100 Day Plan”
Private Equity Approach
to IT Cost Reduction
Cost reduction and cost compression is no longer a cyclical budget and finance exercise. The constant introduction of disruptive technology (e.g. GenAI, Agentic Workflows, Token Management, etc.) has created adoption mandates that were not originally planned or budgeted. Continual cost reduction and compression is emerging as an operating discipline.
In Balance IT Solutions applies the private equity formula for rapid, defensible, cost takeouts from IT run-rates that can yield results within a single quarter. This 100-day engagement combines deep domain expertise, aggressive adoption frameworks, and a curated partner ecosystem for every layer of the stack, and measurable results that compress IT runs rates, return operating capital to the organization, and unlock fundied for innovation.
with impact measurable within a single quarter
100-Day Cost Reduction Map
Where savings land and when — organized by realization timeline across the 100-day engagement.
Realized Within 60 Days
Realized by Day 100
Aggregate validated ranges and average realization timeline by domain. Percentages reflect compression against addressable spend within each layer. Actual outcomes vary by environment and existing contract structure.
Peers, not just partners.
Our practice leaders have sat in the seat of our customer. We turn years of experience across IT, Datacenter, Cloud, Cybersecurity, and Service Management into executable plans that succeed and yield results.
Curated ecosystem. Best-of-breed partners.
Partners selected for measurable outcomes: Lucidity, nOps, Tape Ark, Relutech, Atlassian, Freshworks, Nutanix, Rubrik, CrowdStrike. Vendor-aligned where it serves you, vendor-agnostic where it doesn't.
Senior-led. No offshore rotation.
Every engagement is led by a principal consultant. Chicago-area based, national delivery. The same firm that finds the savings protects them long-term.
Our 100-Day Approach
Discover & Hunt
Instrument the environment. Activate FinOps visibility, storage compression baselines, SaaS discovery, and TPM eligibility analysis. Surface idle resources, lease evergreens, and auto-renewing contracts. Quick wins land inside three weeks.
Negotiate & Restructure
Execute renegotiations on cloud commitments, OEM support, observability, and ServiceNow. Launch hypervisor strategy, ITSM alternatives (Atlassian / Freshworks), tape-to-cloud migrations, and sale-leaseback transactions. Run-rate compounds.
Realize & Govern
Lock in run-rate. Hand off to standing FinOps, ITAM, SaaS governance, and vendor management. Deliver a finance-audited savings realization report and the 12–24 month roadmap for deeper transformation.
The Partners Behind the Savings
Each domain is anchored by a curated set of ecosystem partners selected for measurable outcomes. We are vendor-aligned where it serves the client and vendor-agnostic where it doesn't — the goal is the right outcome, not a particular logo.
| Domain | Ecosystem Partners | Compression Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud & FinOps | AWS, Microsoft Azure, nOps, CloudZero | 15–40% cloud spend compression |
| Modern Data Center | Nutanix, VAST Data, Dell, HPE | 30–70% vs. post-Broadcom VMware |
| Storage Optimization | Lucidity, Tape Ark, Rubrik, Assured Data Protection | 30–80% across block, archival, backup |
| Cybersecurity | CrowdStrike, Wiz, Island, ReliaQuest, BlueVoyant, Cyera | 20–50% via tool consolidation |
| AI & Automation | Microsoft, Straiker, BlinkOps | 30–70% AI/inference cost reduction |
| Service Management Rationalization | Atlassian (JSM), Freshworks (Freshservice), Invgate | 50–75% vs. ServiceNow |
| Lifecycle & Support | Relutech, OEM Consumption Programs | 40–60% vs. OEM extended support |
Engagement Model
Structured to align with how your finance and operating teams measure value. Three paths, often blended within a single engagement.
Fixed-Fee Discovery & Quick-Win Sprint
Instrumented assessment with a ranked savings register and identified in-period takeout. Delivered in 30 days. Your CFO has a defensible number to take to the board.
Shared-Savings or Fixed-Fee Implementation
Execution across negotiations, platform migrations, and partner enablement. Fee structure aligned to savings realization — we have skin in the game.
Managed Services Continuity
FinOps, ITAM, vendor management, and 24/7 operations to ensure savings persist well beyond the engagement. The same team that found them protects them.
Schedule a No-Obligation Discovery Briefing
We'll review your environment, identify the highest-impact levers in your stack, and outline a credible takeout plan for your CFO and operating partner.
Clients typically realize 15–25% reduction in addressable IT operating spend — with 40–60% of identified savings realized in-period and measurable impact within a single quarter.