Len Riley

Contributing writer

Len Riley is the IT Sourcing & Commercial Advisory Practice Leader at UpperEdge, with over 20 years of IT procurement and financial management experience, including the former head of IT Finance & Procurement at CVS Health and leader of AMR Research’s IT Sourcing & Commercial Advisory Practice.

Articles by Len Riley

Building IT Relationships

5 common consultant negotiation tactics and how to protect your interests

A successful negotiation is something your organization needs to plan for. That starts with knowing the tactics your potential consulting provider is likely to employ—and how to maneuver around them.

By Len Riley June 22, 2022

Building IT Relationships

Effective IT cost optimization starts with internal alignment

Take the time to understand the priorities and objectives of business stakeholders and avoid the natural tendency to apply immediate pressure to vendor partners.

By Len Riley April 10, 2020

Building IT Relationships

Proven levers to reduce hardware and software maintenance

7 short-term actions you can take now to produce meaningful in-year reductions to your budget.

By Len Riley July 11, 2019

Building IT Relationships

Is your SAP SI partner evaluation missing the mark?

The selection of the partner who will usher in your digital transformation is just as important as the software you choose. Common errors in selecting your consultant can mean long delays, business mismatches, higher costs or worse.

By Len Riley July 3, 2018

Building IT Relationships

The role of the CIO: a playbook for managing an SAP relationship

Is there a single trait that can influence an executive’s ability to successfully navigate and optimize the negotiations and on-going relationships that support strategic initiatives?

By Len Riley November 20, 2017

Building IT Relationships

The top 10 internal issues impacting vendor relations

These considerations can serve as a starting point to enable you to improve future negotiations and partner relationships.

By Len Riley November 13, 2017

Building IT Relationships

Software audits continue to rise

With software audits on the rise, especially from major ERP suppliers, this article summarizes steps to take to mitigate your risks.

By Len Riley July 18, 2017

Building IT Relationships

The CIO’s playbook for managing an SAP relationship

Many organizations are challenged with truly understanding the state of their commercial relationship with SAP. Part of 1 of this series shows how CIO’s are challenging their organization to baseline and assess their SAP relationship well in advance of a negotiation.

By Len Riley February 17, 2016