Make a title for this article (do not wrap in quotes or use semicolon or weird characters):

We've all experienced it: staring at the login screen, trying to recall which password variation to use for a specific site. Fortunately, a quick call to the IT helpdesk can swiftly resolve the issue. However, when this "quick fix" is repeated across your organization—where employees typically need two resets annually—the frustration (and costs) can escalate.

But how can your organization manage password reset expenses effectively?

In this article, we’ll examine why password resets are so costly and frequent. We'll then discuss how a self-service password reset solution can save both time and money.

Password resets are expensive due to their hidden costs, which can accumulate rapidly.

When an employee forgets their password, there are obvious costs, such as the time taken by your help desk staff to verify the user’s identity and execute the reset. However, additional cost factors exist, including lost productivity and indirect expenses.

Forrester research estimates the average password reset cost to be $70, encompassing both direct (IT staff time) and indirect costs (lost productivity). If you manage IT for a mid-sized organization with 1,000 employees, and each employee requires a password reset twice a year, you could be spending $140,000 annually on password resets. That’s a substantial figure!

Password reset requests are more than just minor annoyances—they represent a constant, ongoing challenge, especially during predictable peak times.

At Specops, we recently conducted a data analysis of over 700 organizations from our customer base across the US and Europe. This revealed interesting patterns in password reset frequency.

So, how can your organization effectively reduce the costs linked to password resets? By implementing a self-service password reset solution. Organizations using self-service password reset solutions can anticipate significant savings; in fact, Specops’ analysis indicates that the average organization saved $65,000 in 2023 by employing self-service resets. These savings span costs related to both direct and indirect aspects.

Self-service password reset solutions are particularly advantageous for hybrid workforces. They can automatically update local cached credentials, preventing scenarios where remote workers require multiple resets on different devices and from various locations.

The financial benefits of self-service password resets become even clearer when you review real-world usage. Our research found that organizations typically average 58 self-service resets monthly. At $70 per reset, this means nearly $4,000 in monthly savings compared to traditional helpdesk resets.

The advantages of self-service password resets go beyond cost savings. They can revolutionize your organization's overall password management experience by offering:

Global accessibility: Self-service password solutions are invaluable for organizations operating across time zones, allowing users to avoid delays while waiting for helpdesk assistance.

Enhanced user behavior: Many self-service solutions offer interactive guidance during password creation, providing real-time feedback to help users understand password requirements and reduce future reset needs. These solutions also help ensure compliance with password policies and prevent the use of compromised passwords.

Audit and compliance benefits: Self-service systems keep detailed logs of all reset activities, supplying data for security audits and compliance requirements. Automating this documentation removes the need for manual record-keeping and minimizes the risk of human error.

There's a strong possibility that password resets are costing your organization more than anticipated. However, a self-service password solution like Specops uReset can help. uReset empowers users to manage the password reset process independently, enabling secure and straightforward password resets without IT support.

Implementing a solution like uReset can help reduce both obvious and hidden password management costs, free up valuable IT resources for more significant projects, and create a more streamlined, user-friendly password process.

Is your helpdesk overwhelmed with IT password reset requests? Speak to a Specops expert to explore the most suitable solution for your organization.

Sponsored and written by Specops Software.