There are some likely targets, he added. "Email costs, every year they should go down."

But the company isn't afraid to spend big if there's enough of a payoff, according to Modruson.

For one thing, Accenture "blew up its whole network" in 2007, consolidating and modernizing the system. While the job cost US$100 million, it paid for itself in just a few years, he said. "Now we're getting ready to do it again."

Those improvements are laying the groundwork for other innovations at Accenture, particularly in communications.

"Nothing really important happens in email," Modruson said. "We've actually moved a lot more to video to get that [personal] interaction. My remote meetings are on video now."