Examples of benchmarking
As a rule, the comparison takes place with a group of around eight companies, the so-called peers. The names of the peers are subject to confidentiality agreements and are not published.
Market price benchmarks are an indispensable tool in provisiondermanagement and are usually contractually agreed with the provider as a fixed component during the contractterm. However, the three-party market price benchmark is also used to extend the contract. The customer is satisfied with the provider's services and wants to ensure that the contract is extended at market prices.
Users and stakeholders should be surveyed regularly on their satisfaction with IT services. The presentation in the time series makes it possible to show developments - do good and talk about it - a discipline in which IT organisations usually still have room for improvement. Benchmark values support the interpretation of the different answers in customer satisfaction surveys.
The qualitative and quantitative IT cost and performance analysis provides detailed facts in a company comparison, which CIOs and financial experts can use to optimise the cost-performance ratio of their IT organisation in a targeted manner and make the necessary strategic decisions.
The appropriate organisation as well as the appropriate IT skill and staffing level can be derived and optimised by comparing them with the current values of other companies. Strategic corporate goals and planned changes can also be included in the benchmark in order to determine appropriate personnel deployment and the future-proof and market-compliant organisation - whether for high production depth or for a retained organisation in single or multi-sourcing.
Also triggered by the NIS2 Directive, the EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity that came into force in 2023, those responsible regularly scrutinise the efficiency and appropriateness of their investments in informationsecurity. A benchmark of IT security costs supports this assessment and uses adequate reference values to identify weak points and potential for optimisation in order to maintain IT security at a high, but also economically justifiable level.
The maturity and performance of IT processes is managed at different levels depending on the company in question. An independent determination of the current level is part of a well-founded IT assessment. Corresponding benchmark values from the market help to define the company's own aspiration level. Process performance indicators from the market objectify the company's own management of IT processes.