CFO Playbook: Maximizing Software ROI Through Digital Adoption

by Team Userlane

1 week ago ・

Why CFOs Must Prioritize Digital Adoption in 2025

As enterprises accelerate digital transformation, CFOs play a pivotal role in ensuring that software investments generate measurable financial returns. Without effective digital adoption strategies, even the best technology can become a sunk cost rather than a driver of efficiency and profitability.

This playbook provides actionable insights on how CFOs can leverage digital adoption platforms (DAPs) like Userlane to maximize software ROI, reduce operational costs, and drive enterprise-wide efficiency.

1. The Cost of Poor Software Adoption

The Hidden Financial Drain

$1 Trillion Lost Annually: Poor software adoption costs global businesses trillions in inefficiency. (Source: IDC, 2023)
Low Utilization Rates: Studies show that up to 67% of software features go unused, leading to wasted licensing costs. (Source: Gartner, 2024)
Training & Support Costs: Without automated onboarding, companies spend millions on manual training and IT support. (Source: Forrester, 2023)

Key CFO Questions:

• How much is inefficient software adoption costing us per year?
• Are we maximizing the ROI of our SaaS investments?
• How can we increase workforce productivity without increasing costs?

2. The CFO’s Role in Digital Adoption

Aligning Software Investments with Business Goals

Reduce Software Waste: Optimize software utilization to eliminate underused tools.
Automate Training & Support: Reduce IT tickets and onboarding costs with self-service guidance.
Ensure Compliance & Security: Digital adoption ensures employees use software correctly, minimizing risks.

Case Study: Reducing IT Costs

A Fortune 500 company using Userlane reduced IT support tickets by 35%, saving $2M annually. (Internal study, 2024)

3. Key Financial Benefits of Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs)

1. Direct Cost Savings

• Reduces manual training costs by 40% (Source: Deloitte, 2023)
• Cuts software support requests by 30-50% (Source: McKinsey, 2024)
• Prevents $100K+ in unused software licenses (Source: Harvard Business Review, 2023)

2. Productivity Gains

• Employees onboard 50% faster with in-app guidance (Source: PwC, 2023)
• Reduces downtime & transition friction during software changes
• Improves employee efficiency across critical platforms (ERP, CRM, HR tech)

3. Long-Term ROI Optimization

• Enables CFOs to justify tech investments with real adoption data
• Improves SaaS vendor negotiations based on actual usage insights
• Ensures compliance by enforcing process adherence across applications

4. CFO Action Plan: Driving Digital Adoption Strategy

Step 1: Conduct a Software ROI Audit
Identify underused software and assess hidden inefficiencies.
Measure the impact of current software training costs.

Step 2: Implement a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP)
Automate training across enterprise software tools.
Deploy in-app guidance to reduce IT reliance.

Step 3: Monitor & Optimize Software Utilization
Use analytics to track user engagement and optimize spend.
Align software investments with business goals.

5. Measuring Success: Key CFO Metrics

Adoption Rate: % of employees actively using software tools
IT Support Reduction: Decrease in software-related tickets
Onboarding Efficiency: Time saved per new hire
Cost Savings: Reduction in training & IT support costs
ROI on SaaS Investments: Utilization rate vs. total software spend

Conclusion: Digital Adoption as a CFO’s Competitive Advantage

Investing in digital adoption is not a cost—it’s a multiplier of software ROI. CFOs who champion digital adoption gain a strategic advantage by ensuring technology investments drive efficiency, reduce costs, and create measurable financial impact.

Ready to Maximize Your Software ROI?

Contact Userlane for a digital adoption healthcheck  today!

Upcoming Resource: The CIO’s Guide to Accelerating Software Adoption Across the Enterprise

(Stay tuned for this in-depth guide for IT leaders.)