Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Apptio are working cooperatively with PPL Corporation, a U.S. energy firm offering electricity and natural gas to more than 3.6 million customers in the U.S., in order to transform how the company prioritizes and manages technology spending—all in support of “delivering sustainable energy and a better customer experience.”
As part of this effort, Accenture is delivering a new technology financial management platform “for PPL, powered by Apptio’s solutions.”
This approach automates reporting and offers real-time financial data, enabling the firm to make smarter decisions “on where and how to invest in technology to advance its objectives.”
The collab comes as PPL is transitioning from outdated legacy systems to modern, flexible solutions that support its utility of the “future strategy.”
This includes shifting to cloud-based infrastructure, expanding the use of AI, automation and analytics and integrating systems in order to support real-time decision-making.
By evolving its IT financial management tools into a FinOps capability early in its IT transformation, PPL is improving “visibility into hybrid cloud environments and investments, identifying inefficiencies and accelerating innovation across its operations.”
Across industries, organizations are facing pressure to manage technology investments effectively, while continuing “to invest in technology that drives business value and growth.”
Traditional finance tools often fall short in tracking “decentralized, usage-based technology spending.”
Accenture’s Pulse of Change research shows that “85% of C-suite leaders plan to increase technology spending this year, making financial discipline and transparency more important than ever.”
This work with PPL is said to be supported by an expanded Accenture and Apptio business partnership focused on accelerating technology financial management adoption, particularly with clients that are currently based in North America.
The collaboration aims to help organizations “advance financial operations maturity and reduce unnecessary technology costs.”
Together, Accenture and Apptio will reportedly aim to provide clients with integrated solutions and tools, such as the “Accenture myNav FinOps Maturity Assessment, which helps organizations evaluate their FinOps capabilities.”
Accenture’s experience in tech financial management builds on a consistent track record of product development in the field, supported by the recent acquisition of Maryville and “prior acquisitions of Advocate and Strongbow, as well as partnerships with ecosystem providers like Apptio.”