Costs are a given. The question is merely how to spend your money wisely. Not cost saving but cost allocation should be considered the big issue. How to make the shift in management attention and investment from keeping the lights on to innovation and business agility?

Therefore costing is not about cost-savings only, it is very much about the substance in service relationships, or - when costs are not allocated wisely - about the fuel for failure.

Whether we are looking at a major transition project or an ongoing annuity contract, the ability to understand and agree fair and reasonable cost will make or break a service relationship. In this short paper, we will reflect on some of the things we have learned about cost and ICT service over the years.

An effective framework for understanding the real costs of any engagement, with realistic and quantified ROI, is an essential business tool. As much as providing a baseline and target of costs which are credible and acceptable is a key skill which requires a combination of talent, experience and method.

There are some sophisticated and well-proven tools and methodologies in use, and Getronics is keen to champion these whenever they add value. In the long-term, however, the ability to provide a clear and mutually acceptable programme of costs owes more to the team and the relationship, than it does to the tools.