Technology strategy planning

Independent Technology Strategy

Technology Roadmaps That Serve Business Goals-Not Vendor Quotas.

Australian mid-market companies allocate 4.9%[1] of revenue to technology. For a $50M business, that's $2.45M annually.
Research shows every dollar invested returns $2.78[2] on average-13%[2] for high performers.

84%
AU businesses adopting new tech
3-Year
Strategic roadmap
15-25%
Cost optimisation
100%
Vendor independent
8 Weeks
Strategy delivery
$2.78
ROI per dollar

Technology strategy aligned with business outcomes-not vendor quotas.

Australian mid-market companies allocate 4.9%[1] of revenue to technology-for a $50M business, that's $2.45 million annually. Yet 79% of organisations remain in early stages of digital transformation, and most lack independent validation that technology investments align with business strategy rather than MSP revenue goals.

With 84%[5] of Australian businesses actively adopting new technology, independent strategic guidance ensures investments deliver measurable returns. Research shows every dollar invested returns $2.78[2] on average-high performers achieve 13%[2] ROI. Having developed technology strategies at leading Australian MSPs, I have seen the difference between roadmaps built for vendor revenue targets versus those serving actual business objectives. Typical finding: 30-40% of proposed technology investments serve MSP product portfolios, not client needs.

Strategy session

Business First

We start with YOUR business objectives. Growth? Efficiency? Risk reduction? Technology serves these goals, not vice versa.

Data-Driven

We catalogue existing technology, identify redundancies and gaps, assess technical debt, and evaluate vendor relationships.

Independent

Every recommendation is vendor-agnostic. We have no financial relationships with technology vendors.

Our strategic planning process.

A proven methodology that starts with business objectives, not technology catalogues.

Step 1

Business Alignment

Start with your business objectives and success metrics.

Step 2

Current Assessment

Catalogue existing technology, gaps, and technical debt.

Step 3

Future Design

Design target architecture with prioritised initiatives.

Step 4

Roadmap Creation

3-year plan with phases, budgets, and success metrics.

Multi-year technology strategy development.

Comprehensive 3-5 year technology roadmaps aligned with business objectives, not vendor upgrade cycles.

1

Business-Technology Alignment Assessment

Understanding where technology should enable business strategy

  • Current state assessment: existing technology landscape, capabilities, gaps
  • Business strategy review: growth plans, operational priorities, competitive positioning
  • Technology enablement opportunities: where IT investments create competitive advantage
  • Risk and compliance requirements: regulatory obligations, governance standards, security posture

Deliverable: Current state assessment report with strategic gap analysis

2

Multi-Year Technology Roadmap

Clear prioritisation of initiatives with realistic timelines and resource requirements

  • Major initiative identification and business value quantification
  • Dependency mapping and sequencing logic
  • Resource requirement projection (capital, operating, staff time)
  • Risk assessment for each initiative
  • ROI modeling with realistic timeframes

79% of organisations in early digital transformation stages-roadmaps balance ambition with execution capability

Deliverable: 3-5 year technology roadmap with annual initiative prioritisation

3

Investment Prioritisation Framework

Method for evaluating competing technology proposals

  • Strategic fit scoring against documented business objectives
  • Implementation complexity and organisational change requirements
  • Financial return modeling (cost reduction, revenue enablement, risk mitigation)
  • Resource availability and competing priority assessment
  • Quick win identification for momentum building

Organisations identify average of 10+ potential technology initiatives but lack frameworks for selection

Deliverable: Investment prioritisation framework and evaluation templates

4

Technology Architecture Principles

Guidelines ensuring consistent decision-making

  • Cloud strategy (multi-cloud vs. single vendor, workload placement criteria)
  • Vendor selection principles (avoiding lock-in that concerns 68%[4] of CIOs)
  • Integration standards and API-first architecture
  • Security and compliance requirements
  • Data governance and sovereignty principles
  • Exit strategy requirements (ensuring you can change vendors when needed)

Deliverable: Technology architecture principles document

5

Governance and Decision Rights

Clarity on who decides what

  • Board-level decisions (major capital investments, risk acceptance)
  • Executive team decisions (initiative prioritisation, resource allocation)
  • Operational decisions (vendor selection, implementation approach)
  • MSP decisions (tactical delivery within strategic framework)
  • Escalation paths when conflicts emerge

ASX Corporate Governance Principle 7.2[6] requires board oversight of technology and cyber-security risks

Deliverable: Technology governance framework with decision rights matrix

Independent vendor evaluation for major decisions.

When your MSP recommends migrations, implementations, or major purchases, we provide unbiased technical due diligence.

Strategic fit

Does this solve actual business problem or create MSP revenue?

Technical appropriateness

Right solution for your requirements and complexity?

Vendor selection

Best vendor or vendor most profitable for MSP?

Pricing competitiveness

Market rate or premium pricing with insufficient competition?

Implementation timing

Right time or MSP revenue cycle driving urgency?

Architecture implications

Creates flexibility or vendor lock-in?

Total cost of ownership

Complete financial picture including hidden ongoing costs?

Exit strategy

Can you change vendors if performance/pricing becomes problematic?

Real Example: Cloud Migration Proposal

MSP recommends migrating entire infrastructure to specific cloud vendor. Independent evaluation reveals:

  • •Proposed architecture creates 40% higher ongoing costs than alternative approaches
  • •MSP earns highest margin from recommended vendor versus alternatives
  • •Multi-cloud strategy reduces vendor lock-in risk while delivering same functionality
  • •Phased migration approach reduces risk versus proposed "big bang" cutover

Strategic focus areas.

Technology domains where independent strategy matters most.

Cloud Optimisation

  • Cloud vs on-premise decisions
  • Multi-cloud strategy
  • Cost optimisation
  • Migration planning

Cybersecurity Roadmap

  • Essential Eight compliance
  • Risk-based security investments
  • Incident response planning
  • Security awareness programs

Digital Transformation

  • Process automation opportunities
  • Customer experience technology
  • Data analytics capabilities
  • Mobile enablement

Integration Strategy

  • Application consolidation
  • Data flow optimisation
  • API strategy
  • Platform selection

Fixed-fee strategy engagements with clear deliverables.

Transparent project-based pricing. No hourly billing surprises.

For companies spending $150K-$1M+ annually on technology, independent strategy typically returns 3-5x investment through better decision-making and cost optimisation.

Technology Assessment

$24,000

4-week fixed-fee engagement

Companies needing immediate clarity on technology direction

  • Current state technology inventory
  • Gap analysis and redundancy identification
  • High-level 12-month roadmap
  • Quick wins identification (typically 10-15%[3] cost savings)
  • Executive summary for board presentation
Get Started
Most Popular

Strategic Roadmap

$54,000

8-week fixed-fee engagement

Most comprehensive option for mid-market companies

  • Everything in Assessment tier
  • Detailed 3-year technology roadmap
  • Vendor consolidation strategy
  • Budget and ROI modeling by initiative
  • Implementation governance framework
  • Quarterly review schedule
Get Started

Enterprise Strategy

Custom

12+ week engagement

Complex environments with multiple business units or locations

  • Multi-department technology assessment
  • Enterprise architecture design
  • Digital transformation roadmap
  • Change management and training plan
  • M&A technology due diligence
  • Board-level strategic planning sessions
Get Started

Build a technology strategy that serves your business.

Not your vendor's quarterly targets. Independent advice. Vendor-agnostic recommendations.

Schedule Your Strategy Session

Research Sources

All statistics and research findings on this page are supported by authoritative sources. Behind the SLA is committed to evidence-based advisory and transparent methodology.

  1. [1]
    Gartner. (2023). IT Spending and Budget Benchmarks. Data indicates midsize enterprises ($50M-$1B) average 4.9% of revenue allocated to technologyView Source
  2. [2]
    (2020-2021). Meta-analysis of 234 Software ROI Studies. ROI for IT investments averages $2.78 returned for every $1 invested over 3 years. High-performing organisations achieve 13% ROI compared to average 5.9%
  3. [3]
    Behind the SLA Proprietary Research. Based on aggregated, anonymised data from client engagements spanning 15+ years of MSP industry experience. Average finding: 15-25% reduction in MSP spend through optimisation, not service reduction. Quick wins identification typically achieves 10-15% cost savings
  4. [4]
    Industry Survey on Vendor Lock-In Concerns. 68% of CIOs worry about vendor lock-in, particularly related to public cloud
  5. [5]
    SAP. (October 2024). Australian Mid-Market AI Adoption Research. Sample of 250-1,500 employee businesses. 84% of Australian businesses use AI for cybersecurity threats, fraud detection, and market intelligenceView Source
  6. [6]
    ASX. (2019). Corporate Governance Principles & Recommendations. 4th Edition. ASX Corporate Governance Principle 7.2 requires boards to review whether management has in place a sound system of risk management and internal control, including risks from cybersecurity threats and digital disruptionView Source

Methodology Note: Behind the SLA conducts independent research validation for all published statistics. Where proprietary research is cited, it is based on aggregated, anonymised data from client engagements spanning 15+ years of MSP industry experience. All external research sources are from peer-reviewed publications, recognised industry analysts (Gartner, Forrester, IDC), reputable market research firms, or Australian government bodies.