Common questions and the terminology behind the work.
Below are the questions we get most often from finance, IT, operations, and procurement leaders considering a technology cost reduction engagement. Below the FAQ is a glossary of the technical terms that come up in this work — TEM, ITAM, MDM, SaaS sprawl, FinOps, and others — defined in plain English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse the questions below, or jump to a category using the tabs above.
PROCESS + ENGAGEMENT
How long does a typical engagement take?
A fixed-scope Technology Spend Review usually runs 4–8 weeks from kickoff to Clarity Report delivery, depending on the size of the environment and the availability of data. Project engagements with execution support typically run 3–9 months. Retainer engagements are ongoing with quarterly review cycles. Standalone contract negotiation engagements for a single major contract typically run 2–4 months from engagement start through negotiation completion.
What does it cost?
Pricing depends on scope, company size, and engagement model. Fixed-scope assessments start in the low five figures for SMB engagements. Project work for mid-market clients typically falls in the mid-to-high five figures. Enterprise programs are quoted individually based on scope and complexity. We provide transparent pricing during the initial conversation — there are no hidden fees and no percentage-of-savings billing by default.
Do you charge a percentage of savings?
We can structure contingent fees for specific scopes when the client prefers it, but our default model is fixed-scope or project-based pricing. We've found that percentage-of-savings billing creates incentive distortions — it pushes toward the shortest-term, most visible savings rather than toward long-term value. Most clients prefer transparent fixed pricing.
Do you guarantee savings?
No. Savings depend on the environment, contracts, usage, vendor terms, and the specific actions the client decides to approve. We identify practical opportunities, build a prioritized action plan, and support execution. Every environment is different, so we do not promise specific dollar outcomes before we have seen and analyzed the data. What we can commit to is a thorough, honest assessment and a clear action plan.
What information do you need to start?
A basic review can start with invoices from the prior 6–12 months, a vendor list, and a general description of the technology environment. We work with whatever is available and fill in gaps during the discovery process. You do not need a clean inventory, organized contract files, or a complete asset list before reaching out. Most clients start without those things.
What does the engagement process look like?
Engagements follow five phases: Discover (data collection and stakeholder input), Map (organizing the environment into a clear picture), Untangle (identifying waste, overlap, billing issues, and contract risk), Prioritize (ranking opportunities by impact and effort), and Act (implementing recommendations with whatever level of hands-on support the client needs). The first three phases produce the Clarity Report. The Act phase is scoped based on how involved the client wants us to be in execution.
WHAT WE CAN DO
Do you sell software or a platform?
No. Unravyl Advisors is vendor-neutral. We do not sell our own software, we do not resell other vendors' software, and we do not take commissions from any vendor we evaluate, recommend, or negotiate against. If a tool would help your environment, we help you select it on the open market without a financial stake in the outcome.
Do you replace our IT team or MSP?
No. We are not a help desk, not a managed service provider, and not a cybersecurity firm. We focus on cost reduction, contract negotiation, vendor coordination, and operational cleanup. We work alongside your existing IT team or MSP — coordinating with them when needed, not replacing them.
Do you only handle technology costs, or operational costs too?
Both, depending on scope. Technology categories — telecom, mobile, cloud, software, IT assets — are the most common starting points because they produce the most consistent savings opportunities. We also work on operational vendor contracts, including shipping, freight, and other recurring operational expenses, when those create meaningful opportunities in the context of a broader engagement.
Is contract negotiation an add-on cost?
No. Contract review, renewal recommendations, and standard vendor negotiation support are included with every technology expense management engagement at no separate fee. If you only need contract negotiation — without the broader expense management work — we offer it as a standalone service, scoped and priced based on the contracts involved.
What's the difference between Unravyl and a TEM platform like Tangoe or Calero?
TEM platforms are software tools designed for ongoing billing management and reporting at enterprise scale. Unravyl is an advisory firm. Platforms can be valuable for organizations with the internal resources to operate them and the volume that justifies the investment, but they do not replace the strategic analysis, negotiation, and execution work that produces savings. Many organizations use a TEM platform and Unravyl together — the platform handles ongoing data ingestion and reporting; we handle the strategy, negotiation, and implementation work that platforms are not built to do.
Can you help us implement the recommendations, or do you just deliver a report?
Both options are available. Some clients only need strategy and a clear action plan — they have the internal bandwidth to execute and prefer to manage vendor conversations themselves. Others want hands-on support through execution: vendor coordination, contract negotiation management, record cleanup, process design. The engagement scope is set based on what the client actually needs, not a fixed model.
SCOPE + QUALIFICATION
What size company is too small for Unravyl?
We work with organizations from approximately $5M to $5B in annual revenue. Below $5M, the structured assessment cost can exceed the savings opportunity unless there is a specific high-value catalyst — a major contract renewal, a recent acquisition, or a clearly identified cost problem. We will be honest during the initial conversation if the engagement is not likely to produce a good return for your situation.
Do you only work with enterprises?
No. We work across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise. Engagement models scale to organization size — fixed-scope assessments for SMB, project engagements for mid-market, and retainer or multi-phase programs for enterprise. The methodology is the same across sizes; the scope and depth adjust.
Will you work with us if we already have a TEM platform?
Yes. Many clients use a TEM platform but find that the platform has not produced the savings they expected, that the contract negotiations the platform requires are not something the platform manages, or that specific categories of spend are outside the platform's scope. We work alongside existing tooling.
Can we engage you for just one service category?
Yes. Single-category engagements are common, particularly when there is a specific catalyst — a carrier renewal, a software audit, a cloud cost spike. We do not require a full-scope engagement to begin working together.
Do you have experience in our industry?
We have deeper experience in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, retail, professional services, and technology companies. We are honest during the initial conversation about whether our industry experience matches your situation. Technology cost patterns are largely consistent across industries; industry-specific regulatory or operational context is where experience becomes more differentiated.
What if our asset records are in bad shape?
That is a common starting point, not a disqualifier. Part of the engagement is building the inventory from whatever data is available — invoices, vendor portals, IT system exports, and field verification where needed. You do not need clean records to begin.
WORK AND COMMERCIALS
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. We sign mutual NDAs as a standard part of the engagement process. All client information — contract terms, vendor relationships, pricing, findings, and outcomes — is confidential.
Will you sign a BAA (Business Associate Agreement)?
Yes, when the engagement scope requires it for healthcare clients. Most cost reduction engagements do not require access to PHI, but we sign BAAs when the scope or client environment requires it.
What data do you need access to?
We work with the minimum data required for the engagement scope. Typically: invoices (6–12 months), vendor contracts, vendor portal access (usually read-only), asset and inventory data, and organizational data needed for license and contract analysis. We document data access requirements in the engagement contract.
Do you retain client data after the engagement?
We do not retain client data beyond the engagement unless contractually required for an ongoing retainer or follow-on scope. Data handling specifics are documented in the engagement agreement.
Do you negotiate against vendors we have ongoing relationships with?
Yes. Negotiating against vendors with whom the client has ongoing relationships is the most common scenario. We prepare thoroughly, engage professionally, and protect the client's ongoing relationship as part of the negotiation approach. Our goal is better terms, not a damaged vendor relationship.
Will we have to do anything during the negotiation?
Minimal internal involvement is required during active negotiations. We prepare the strategy, handle vendor communications, and present outcomes for client approval before anything is finalized. Clients typically need to be available for approval decisions and for any conversations where their direct presence strengthens the negotiation position. We coordinate everything else.
Glossary of terms
Definitions of the technical and industry terms that come up in technology cost reduction work.
TEM (Telecom Expense Management)
The discipline of managing the recurring costs and contracts associated with business telecommunications services. Scope typically includes wireline voice services (PRI, SIP trunks, POTS lines), internet circuits (fiber, broadband, DIA), network services (MPLS, SD-WAN), conferencing, and contact center services. TEM platforms are software tools that support ongoing billing management; TEM services are the advisory and operational work that produces savings. The terms are often used interchangeably but refer to different things.
ITAM (IT Asset Management)
The discipline of tracking, optimizing, and managing the lifecycle of physical and digital technology assets. In its hardware sense, ITAM covers laptops, monitors, peripherals, servers, and networking equipment — from procurement through deployment, reassignment, and disposition. In a broader definition, ITAM includes software license management (SAM) and digital asset tracking. Unravyl's IT Asset Management work focuses on the cost and lifecycle dimensions: what is owned, who has it, what it costs to maintain, and when it should be replaced or retired.
MDM (Mobile Device Management)
Used in two different ways in IT and business contexts. In the technical sense, MDM refers to software platforms — Jamf, Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE — that enforce security policies, manage configurations, and provide visibility into enrolled mobile and endpoint devices. In the business and cost management sense, MDM refers to the broader discipline of managing the costs, contracts, devices, and carrier plans associated with a corporate mobile program. Context usually makes clear which sense is intended.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
A mobile or device program model where employees use personal devices for business purposes, typically supported by a company-issued stipend or expense reimbursement. BYOD is often positioned as a cost-saving alternative to a fully company-issued device program. The actual cost outcome depends heavily on stipend design, security requirements, support model, and program governance. Some organizations find BYOD saves money; others find the support and security overhead offsets the device cost savings.
SaaS Sprawl
The accumulation of overlapping, underused, or duplicate SaaS subscriptions across an organization, typically resulting from decentralized procurement, departmental purchasing autonomy, and inadequate portfolio review. SaaS sprawl produces direct cost (paying for licenses that exceed active user demand or duplicate existing tools) and indirect cost (security exposure from unmanaged applications, vendor management overhead, and productivity drag from tool proliferation). It is structurally predictable at growth-stage and acquisition-active organizations.
Shelfware
Software licenses that are paid for but not actively used. In SaaS environments, shelfware occurs when license counts exceed active user counts — common after organizational changes, role shifts, or periods of rapid hiring followed by slower-than-expected adoption. In traditional software environments, shelfware includes licenses purchased for projects or roles that no longer exist. Shelfware is one of the most consistent findings in a software portfolio review.
FinOps
A cross-functional discipline for managing cloud infrastructure spend with the same financial rigor applied to other major operating cost categories. The FinOps Foundation defines formal practices and maturity models; in practical usage, FinOps refers to the work of cloud cost visibility, optimization, forecasting, chargeback, and accountability across engineering, finance, and business teams. FinOps is not a software tool — it is a practice, though tooling (native cloud tools, third-party platforms) supports it.
Reserved Instance (RI) / Committed Use Discount (CUD)
Cloud compute purchasing structures where customers commit to a specific amount of compute capacity for a defined term (typically 1 or 3 years) in exchange for pricing discounts relative to on-demand rates. Reserved instances apply to AWS and similar providers; committed use discounts apply to Google Cloud Platform. Discounts typically range from 30–70% depending on term length and payment structure. Both create savings on consistent workloads and create waste when commitments exceed actual usage.
Agent of Record (AOR)
A formal designation in telecom and other vendor relationships where a third party — a broker, advisor, or managed service provider — is appointed by the customer to act on their behalf for contract management, ordering, billing inquiries, and vendor communications. AOR arrangements are common in telecom channel relationships. They can create conflicts of interest when the agent receives commissions from the vendors they are managing on the customer's behalf. Unravyl does not act as agent of record and does not accept vendor commissions.
Auto-Renewal
A contract provision that automatically extends the agreement for an additional term — typically equal to the original term — unless one party provides written notice within a specified window before the renewal date. Auto-renewal clauses are standard in technology contracts across telecom, SaaS, cloud, and hardware categories. The notification window ranges from 30 to 90 days in most contracts. Organizations without a renewal calendar frequently miss these windows, resulting in contracts that renew at current pricing for another full term without negotiation.
True-Up
A contract provision that reconciles actual usage or license consumption against committed amounts for a billing period, resulting in additional charges (vendor-favorable true-up) or credits (customer-favorable true-up). True-ups are common in enterprise software agreements — Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and VMware all use true-up mechanisms. Annual true-up provisions in perpetual software agreements are a common source of unexpected charges for organizations that have grown their user base above their licensed quantity.
Procurement of Record
The internal function or process formally responsible for managing vendor relationships, contract terms, and ongoing vendor governance. Some organizations have centralized procurement departments that manage all vendor contracts. Others distribute procurement across IT (technology contracts), finance (billing and payment terms), and individual business units (operational vendor relationships). Fragmented procurement of record is one of the structural conditions that allows technology costs to accumulate without visibility.
Renewal Calendar
A consolidated, current view of upcoming contract renewals across all vendors, showing renewal dates, auto-renewal notification windows, and negotiation priorities. Most organizations without a centralized renewal calendar manage renewals reactively — responding to vendor renewal notices rather than proactively reviewing contracts before the notification window closes. Building a renewal calendar is one of the highest-leverage structural changes an organization can make to its vendor cost management, independent of any specific savings action.
MRC (Monthly Recurring Charge)
The fixed monthly billing amount for a contracted telecommunications or managed service. MRCs are distinct from usage-based charges and from non-recurring charges. Most telecom contracts specify MRCs for each circuit or service, with usage-based charges layered on top. MRC-level analysis is the starting point for telecom expense review — identifying what the organization is committed to paying monthly, separate from variable usage.
NRC (Non-Recurring Charge)
A one-time charge associated with installation, activation, provisioning, or disconnection of a telecommunications or managed service. NRCs appear at the beginning and end of service arrangements. Installation NRCs are sometimes waivable in contract negotiations. Disconnect NRCs (early termination fees) are the primary cost associated with exiting contracts before their term ends and are an important consideration in any contract renegotiation that might involve service cancellation.
Placement of Record (POR)
A telecom channel designation where a Master Agent or TSB (Technology Services Broker) is registered as the placement of record for a customer's carrier agreements. Unlike AOR, placement of record typically does not involve ongoing management responsibilities — it refers to the entity credited with the original sale. The distinction between POR and AOR matters for how commissions flow and what ongoing responsibilities the channel partner has.
Clarity Report
Unravyl's standard engagement deliverable. A prioritized action plan produced from a technology spend review or other engagement scope, structured for practical use rather than for presentation. A Clarity Report typically includes an executive summary, findings organized by cost category, a prioritized action list with recommended owners and timelines, quick wins separated from longer-term work, a contract renewal calendar for identified agreements, and recommended next steps. The name reflects the goal: clarity about what exists, what it costs, and what should happen next.
EHR (Electronic Health Record)
The clinical software platform used by healthcare providers to document patient encounters, manage clinical workflows, and store clinical data. Major EHR vendors include Epic, Oracle Health (formerly Cerner), Athenahealth, Meditech, and Allscripts. EHR contracts are among the largest IT expenditures for healthcare organizations and are increasingly relevant to technology cost review work as healthcare organizations evaluate EHR contracts at renewal.
POS (Point of Sale)
The hardware and software systems used at retail, restaurant, and hospitality locations to process customer transactions. POS environments include transaction hardware, software licensing, payment processing relationships, maintenance contracts, and PCI compliance tooling. For multi-location retailers, POS contracts and payment processing relationships are significant recurring cost categories.
MES (Manufacturing Execution System)
Software used in manufacturing environments to manage production workflows, track production data, coordinate plant floor operations, and interface between enterprise systems (ERP) and operational technology (OT) on the production floor. MES vendors include Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Honeywell, and others. MES contracts are a relevant category for technology cost review in manufacturing environments.
Core Banking System
The fundamental software platform used by financial services institutions to manage accounts, transactions, loans, and customer relationships. Major core banking vendors include Fiserv, Jack Henry, and FIS for community and regional banks. Core banking contracts tend to be long-term, highly integrated, and among the most significant IT expenditures for financial institutions.
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