5 signs that it is time to launch a modernisation strategy

All too often business change becomes impossible. The systems that are supposed to make your life easier don’t. In fact, you feel as if you’re putting out fires most of the time instead of focusing on the task at hand. If the following pain points are all too familiar, it’s time your organisation implements a modernisation strategy. ​

​ 1. Inefficient systems

Have your once shiny new systems seen better days? When systems are slow, difficult to use, prone to crashing and failures, or are blocking your team’s productivity, it’s time to take action. Your teams can only move as fast as the tools they have. Minor interruptions may not seem like a big deal but think of everyone who uses the system on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. That 5-minute delay is now adding up to hours of wasted time. And let’s face it, time is money. ​

​ 2. Lack of innovation

If your teams are more focused on “keeping the lights on” then brainstorming ideas for how they can drive positive change within your organisation you’re already falling behind. Staying competitive in today’s business landscapes requires teams to be able to experiment and test with ease. Systems shouldn’t stand in the way of these activities. ​

​ 3. Security Risks

As technology has gotten more sophisticated, so are the tactics being used to disrupt those systems. What might have been secure a few years ago has long since been hacked. This applies to all systems, not just legacy systems. If your software lacks tight security controls this can expose your systems to malware or even worse a data security breach. No one wants to notify their customers that their data has been compromised. ​

​ 4. Siloed systems and departments

A sneaky problem that crops up more than you’d think is having misaligned technology and teams. Imagine trying to get a project accomplished on your company website. This seems easy enough until you try to put the requests through. So many different departments have ownership of small pieces of the systems. Ultimately because everyone owns a piece, no one is responsible. This is why too often these projects will sit partially completed. Don’t worry, there are ways to fix this misalignment. ​

​ 5. Wasted budget and opportunities

​The financial ramifications of holding onto legacy tech can really add up. Far too often businesses hold onto outdated systems that aren’t supporting business needs. The cost of doing so presents itself not only in the cost of the systems, but in maintenance, training new employees who lack tribal knowledge, outages, downtime, and the list goes on. One of the biggest wastes that many organisations don’t think about is the opportunities that aren’t realised because of legacy or inadequate systems. The amount of money that is wasted on things like outages and downtimes is often far smaller than that of those not realised opportunities. ​ Above are just a few of the scenarios you may find yourself in that should spark concern. If these or similar problems ring true in your organisation then it’s time to consider a software modernisation strategy.

​ Before you take any steps toward modernisation you should consider the following:

• There are many options at your disposal to modernise your systems
• Choose a technology partner who understands where your business currently is and the goals you’re trying to achieve
• A modernisation project shouldn’t halt your day to day operations