Company executives will finally be able to effectively control their IT Assets, reduce risk and maximising return on investment. Local IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) specialist Xperien, together with IT Asset Management specialist services company ITAMSA, has now introduced the first IAITAM certification training in South Africa.

Globally, IAITAM defines the disciplines of IT Asset Management to improve bottom line results. Companies can gain knowledge on how to effectively control their IT assets through policy management, effective communication, setting asset standards and centralisation of all necessary data whilst improving relationships with vendors.

ITAMSA managing partner Steve Klements says these training courses have been accepted around the globe as the industry benchmark for excellence in IT Asset Management education. "An IAITAM Certification award shows the IT world that the holder is an IT professional that is prepared to handle the tasks necessary for the role of IT Asset Manager.”

According to Gartner, companies that systematically manage the lifecycle of their assets, from acquisition to disposal, will reduce cost per asset by as much as 30 percent during the first year and between 5 and 10 percent annually during the next five years.

"The discipline of managing IT Assets is not a technology decision or merely best practice, it is also a corporate governance requirement (King III)," he stresses.

Implementing a best practice approach to IT Asset Management (ITAM) can result in significant and very tangible benefits for an organisation. The benefits that can be reaped are broad and include operational efficiencies, business performance, soft cost savings, hard cost savings and cost avoidance.

"Soft savings are more difficult to estimate accurately, but this does not mean that they are any less real. It is important to note that real, quantifiable results can be realised very quickly by implementing the right efforts in a planned sequence," he adds.

Certificates are offered in foundations (high level hardware and software) asset management, hardware asset management (CHAMP) and software asset management (CSAM). All courses are two days and include tuition, examination and international certification.

"Discover how to implement a software asset management strategy which increases data security whilst reducing liability of licence non-compliance thereby decreasing costs associated with software audits. Increase control through centralisation of software thereby improving maintenance efficiency and communication with stakeholders and staff," he explains.

The Certified Hardware Asset Manager (CHAMP) course focuses on the many ways that Hardware Asset Management can benefit the organisation and is also done over two days. In today’s economy and the reduction of IT budgets, finding those savings are more important than ever.

Klements says CHAMP will provide organisations with the knowledge necessary to implement an effective repository that will ensure that all your hardware assets are accounted for from acquisition to disposal. "Learn how to increases visibility of all your hardware assets which increases management control and reduces risk."

ITAMSA also offers ITAM Foundation Course over two days. This course is designed to impart an extensive overview of IT Asset Management (ITAM) best practices and processes as well as ways to embrace multiple organisational frameworks such as ITAM and IT Service Management (ITSM).