When you work hard at your business, every dollar spent on technology should be working toward your growth. Yet for many companies, bloated tech bills, auto-renewed contracts, and unmonitored service creep are quietly eroding profitability month after month.

At TopSpin, we help businesses take back control of their technology spend. As an independent IT sourcing and consulting firm, we’ve reviewed thousands of bills, service contracts, and tech stacks.  Many companies are overpaying by 20% to 40%, sometimes without even realizing it.

In this article, we’ll uncover some of the most common areas where businesses overspend and how you can fix them.

Let’s start with the most obvious culprit: the internet and voice services. These often begin as multi-year contracts, and unless renegotiated or rebid, they quietly roll into month-to-month billing, sometimes at a steep premium.

Common overcharges we see:

• • Outdated pricing models that don’t reflect current market rates
  • Redundant failover or backup circuits that were never decommissioned
  • Usage-based voice plans that exceed actual call volumes

Fix it: Benchmark your current services against today’s available options. An independent consultant like TopSpin can help you quickly determine if your pricing is fair, or if it's time to renegotiate or switch.

Business wireless plans are another source of waste, especially as remote workforces and IoT deployments expand. Many companies are still on national carrier business plans with per-line pricing that doesn’t reflect actual usage.

Signs you’re overspending:

• • Paying for unused or underutilized mobile lines
  • Data plans that far exceed actual need
  • Overages and roaming fees from outdated account settings

Fix it: We’ve helped businesses cut their cellular costs by thousands per month by optimizing plans, switching to cost-effective MVNOs, and consolidating devices into centralized management platforms.

SaaS sprawl is real. It’s easier than ever for teams to spin up new tools, and harder than ever to track who’s using what.

Where we typically find waste:

• • Tools licensed to users who have left the company
  • Multiple departments subscribing to the same or similar software
  • Overprovisioning licenses "just in case"

Fix it: Conduct a license audit. It’s amazing how quickly savings add up when you reclaim unused licenses or consolidate overlapping platforms.

That dusty server in the closet you haven’t used in a year? It’s still racking up maintenance costs and electricity. That old PBX? You’re still paying for support.

We regularly uncover:

• • Co-location fees for hardware that’s no longer in active use
  • Maintenance contracts for retired infrastructure
  • Cooling and power costs for unneeded equipment

Fix it: If your infrastructure hasn’t been evaluated in a while, it's time to consider cloud migration, hardware refreshes, or hybrid environments that better match your current usage.

The rise of hybrid work and omnichannel customer support has shifted how communications tools should be evaluated. Many businesses are still paying for:

• • Desktop-based softphones with no mobile access
  • Call center seats that aren’t used consistently
  • Outdated systems that can’t integrate with CRM or chat tools

Fix it: Modern UCaaS and CCaaS solutions often offer more functionality at lower cost, especially when optimized for today’s flexible work models.  TopSpin can help you sort through the noise to choose what’s right.

Vendors love auto-renewal clauses—especially when no one’s watching the calendar. From managed services to licensing, these agreements often lock companies into outdated pricing with minimal service flexibility.

What we typically flag:

• • MSP contracts that have quietly crept up over time
  • Licensing renewals for tools that are no longer business-critical
  • Agreements with rigid terms that no longer match your operations

Fix it: Keep a central calendar for tech contract renewals—or better yet, let us track it for you.

It’s hard to manage what you don’t see. Devices get handed out, laptops sit idle after turnover, and software licenses get orphaned. Without visibility, IT budgets balloon.

Companies overspend because:

• • They re-purchase instead of reassigning hardware
  • They subscribe to new tools without checking for existing equivalents
  • Their finance and IT departments aren’t aligned on what's active and billable

Fix it:  A well-run IT asset management (ITAM) system helps prevent this, but many mid-sized businesses lack the tools—or the time—to manage it properly.

While not traditionally viewed as “IT,” your payment processing stack may be costing you more than it should. Hidden fees, outdated terminals, and bad interchange rates are common in industries like retail, hospitality, and e-commerce.

Savings opportunities include:

• • Switching processors for better interchange optimization
  • Consolidating systems for omnichannel billing
  • Eliminating outdated equipment rental costs

Fix it: We often find this is a fast win with measurable ROI.

So, What’s the Real Cost of Doing Nothing?

Tech expense inefficiency is a budgeting issue.  Every dollar you overspend is a dollar you can’t put toward hiring, product development, customer service, or competitive innovation.

At TopSpin, we specialize in surfacing these hidden costs, benchmarking your current technology spend, and sourcing better solutions that fit your needs and budget. Because we’re independent, we help you buy it smarter.

Let’s Uncover What You’re Overpaying For

Want a no-obligation review of your tech stack? We’ll help you identify areas of potential savings, flag upcoming contract renewals, and guide you toward better-aligned services.

Schedule a free consultation using the "book a meeting" at the top of this page