The document discusses insights on cost management from over 1,000 senior executives, highlighting the importance of embracing digital disruption technologies for effective cost reduction. It notes that while many organizations pursue low cost reduction targets, a significant number fail to meet these goals and continue to rely on tactical approaches rather than strategic solutions. Deloitte offers tools and methodologies to help companies optimize costs and enhance shareholder value amid a rapidly changing business environment.

1. Cost management insights
from 1,000+ senior
executives around the globe
In light of high cost reduction program failure rates, organizations should be
taking seriously the exponential technologies that drive digital disruption as
a key factor that can boost efficiency and effectiveness, enable new business
models, and help systemically reduce costs and improve margins.
Tactical cost management approaches typically yield cost savings of less than
10%. As such, many companies would be better served by applying approaches
that are more strategic and thus more likely to deliver greater savings. Deloitte
can help organizations design a margin improvement playbook that aligns with
its future needs and market position and converges advanced/next-gen digital
solutions to support multiple value levers.
Explore additional findings,
including region-specific analysis, at
www.deloitte.com/us/thriveglobal
Contact us:
Omar Aguilar
Principal, Global Strategic Cost
Transformation practice leader
Deloitte Consulting LLP
oaguilar@deloitte.com
Faisal Shaikh
Principal, US Strategic Cost
Transformation practice leader
Deloitte Consulting LLP
fshaikh@deloitte.com
Cost solutions: Current state and future potential Maturity
Cost reduction
potential
Current or
expected time
to results
Maximizing traditional
cost levers
Traditional external spend
reduction levers
Alternative operating
models
Alternative service delivery models
and demand management
Analytics and
cognitive solutions
Automation
Traditional cost management:
Cost categories and processes
1980 to
present
Structural cost management:
Operating models and
governance
2008 to
present
Advanced/next-gen cost
management: Digital cost
solutions
2017+
+
+
+
-
-
-
Years (base 2017)
Years (base 2017)
Years (base 2017)
$
$
$
• Risk, compliance, and regulation
• Organization and talent
• Business performance management
• Governance and change
• Debt restructuring
• Capital investment and divestment
• Inventory optimization
• Transactional working capital optimization
• Pricing realization
• Customer experience and channel mix
•
• Product portfolio innovation and rationalization
Sales and marketing effectiveness
• Direct/indirect cost optimization
• SG&A cost management
•
• Service delivery execution
Supply chain and manufacturing effectiveness
THRIVE platform
Collection of automation,
cognitive, and analytics
tools to help companies
increase shareholder
value and achieve
more meaningful
results faster
Growth tools
and accelerators
Talent tools
and accelerators
Cost tools
and accelerators
Liquidity tools
and accelerators
Most (86%) respondents globally are likely to undertake cost reduction
initiatives in the next 24 months.
80% of respondents globally expect their
company’s revenues to increase over the
next 24 months (6% higher than respondents
who indicated their revenue actually
increased over the past 24 months).
Cost reduction is a global imperative
Nearly half (45%) of all respondents globally
indicated pursuing cost reduction targets of
less than 10%, but almost two-thirds (63%)
of all respondents reported failure to meet
their target.
Many organizations fail
to meet low targets
Despite implementation
challenges, tactical cost
actions remain predominant
Approaches to manage costs
over next 24 months
In the face of planned cost reductions,
organizations still have high expectations
for growth
Global 86%
US
LATAM
EU
APAC
88%
96%
83%
76%
Global 63%
US
LATAM
EU
APAC
58%
67%
57%
72%
56%
56%
41%
38%
11%
Failure to meet cost reduction targets
Only 6% of respondents globally view
digital disruption as a top external risk,
but that could change very quickly given
the exponential speed and impact of
digital technologies.
Vast majority of companies just
starting to recognize impact of
digital technologies
Global 6%
US
LATAM
EU
APAC
15%
1%
6%
2%
Digital disruption viewed
as an external risk
Gaining a competitive
advantage
(53%)
Required investment
in growth areas
(46%)
Performance of
international portfolio
(33%)
Significant reduction in
consumer demand
(27%)
Unfavorable
cost position
(26%)
Decrease in liquidity
and tighter credit
(22%)
Changed regulatory
structure
(30%)
of respondents globally continue
to rely on tactical cost actions,
such as streamlining business processes and
reducing external spend.
40%
of respondents globally rely on
strategic cost actions, such as
outsourcing, centralization, and business
reconfiguration.
33%
Targeted actions
Intensified productivity programs
Cross-BU fixed-percentage cost reduction
Enterprise-wide analysis
Zero-based budgeting
Likely to undertake cost reduction initiatives
In this rapidly changing global business environment—where cost is a
true strategic differentiator—Deloitte’s first global cost management
survey report provides an inside look at the practices and trends cur-
rently shaping the future of business, with detailed insights from more
than 1,000 C-level executives and senior management in four major
regions: the United States (US), Latin America (LATAM), Europe (EU),
and Asia Pacific (APAC).
Thriving in uncertainty in the age of digital disruption
Drivers of cost reduction (Global averages) Offensive driver Defensive driver
THRIVE platform
Collection of automation,
cognitive, and analytics
tools to help companies
increase shareholder
value and achieve
more meaningful
results faster
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