US IT buyers though being aggressive and mature show a conservative approach to IT adoption, and have high focus on IT cost and practical IT operations, according to a survey by IT research and advisory firm Gartner.
According to the survey, the IT buyers in US pay less attention to business innovation in IT as a driver for using IT services. To capitalize on US IT services opportunities, service providers must have clear perception into buyers’ intentions on practical IT operations and their expectations from service providers.
Of the 213 US organizations surveyed, 48% expect to increase their spending with ESPs in 2010 while majority of participants showed interest in moving towards adopting maturing technologies with manageable risk.
The survey revealed companies belonging to all sizes, showed a movement away from aggressive adoption, and indicated their top drivers for using ESPs are to reduce the operating costs of IT and to ensure IT availability.
Further, 60% of US buyers had renegotiated service contracts in the past two years, while 47% said they used offshore services delivery, and 40% indicated the use of technology as a service.
Allie Young, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, said: "The overall positive picture of the market willingness of US buyers to use ESPs in support of IT and increased spending supports Gartner forecasts for a return to growth in 2010.
"However, service providers will face a US buyer with cost-focused priorities and a multiprovider strategy, which means many of the competitive dynamics of 2009 will continue.
"It is also likely that the influence of high levels of contract renegotiations and the strengthening influence of the CFO and procurement in many US organizations seen in the past two years will continue to have an impact, thus keeping pressure on IT budgets and cost control but also opening up some issues of service quality."
