Centrica Improves Software Cost Control and Streamlines Software Management with Nitro PDF Pro

Switch to Nitro secures major cost savings for Centrica’s software management team

The Challenge

Find a cost-effective alternative to legacy PDF-editing software

Centrica is an international energy and services company headquartered in Windsor, UK, with more than 21,000 colleagues and operations across the UK, Ireland, and international energy markets. As part of its wider focus on reducing cost, simplifying technology, and improving licence governance, the Software Asset Management team reviewed alternatives to its existing PDF-editing solution. The aim was to find a product that could meet common business needs, reduce spend, and still support colleagues who rely on PDF editing tools daily.

As Marc Hughes, Head of Software Asset Management at Centrica, explains: “It is important for us to reduce the amount of money we spend on software, so we were keen to see if we could get a better–or equally good–product at a better price point.” 

Centrica’s IT services partner, Computacenter, identified Nitro PDF Pro as a leading candidate because it offered comparable core PDF editing capability at a lower cost. The team also recognized that some colleagues only needed basic PDF functions already available through existing tools, so the review was not simply a like-for-like replacement. It was also an opportunity to right-size demand and reduce unnecessary licensing.

The solution

A carefully managed transition driven by user feedback

More than 250 colleagues signed up for the pilot, with 147 active users taking part in the evaluation. This gave Centrica a broad view of real business use cases rather than relying on a small central licensing team to make the decision in isolation. Marc says: “We felt it was important to give users the opportunity to provide meaningful feedback on the direction of travel. Frankly, a small licensing team should not be making a decision for the entire business without input from the people who use the tools every day.”

The pilot results gave the team confidence to proceed. Of the active pilot users, 84% said Nitro met their business needs, 74% rated it as good as or better than their existing solution, and 54% believed it saved them time. At the same time, Centrica took a balanced approach by recognizing that a small number of specialist users could still need other document tool solutions for specific use cases.

As with any software migration, the transition required careful communication and support. Some colleagues needed help understanding when Nitro was the right tool or when existing tools were more appropriate. This made training, user guidance, and accessible vendor support important parts of the rollout.

“With our previous provider, it was almost impossible to get hold of a person to answer questions about the product,” Marc says. “With Nitro, there is someone available to support us, and that has helped colleagues build confidence during the change. Alongside the savings, the accessibility of support has been an important benefit.”