How to Tell Whether Your Business Has Outgrown its Software

A 2018 study by economic watchdog SnapLogic uncovered an interesting statistic notable for its implications on the modern business world. 55% of businesses polled claimed that “over-reliance on legacy technology is one of the biggest challenges” to their transition to an increasingly digital marketplace. Two more numbers to help put this alarming figure in context; 87% of businesses think that this shift to a more digital marketplace will disrupt their industry, with only 44% responding saying they think they are ready for this massive shift. No business owner wants to be included in the sizable percentage left over, waiting in the wings, uncertain of their longevity.  

Fast-growing businesses contend with issues at a greater pace and on a larger scale than ever before. With the long arms of the COVID-19 pandemic still manifesting their effect on the global business world, as well as market instability and shake-ups in the tech industry, this has never been more true. As such, it’s imperative to keep all your systems — the drivers behind your business — moving at a comfortable pace. Your business needs to both sustain growth and continually find methods of improving productivity to have the best chance at success. One of the biggest threats to the success of a business is the slow process of becoming outdated. Is your once-functional software causing unexpected bottlenecks? As your business has grown, has it integrated existing systems effectively? If not, what updates are needed, and do you know how to make those happen in a cost-effective manner? 

There are a few common symptoms of outgrowing your software suite. While one of these ‘symptoms’ isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, it’s wise to evaluate your business periodically and honestly assess whether you feel comfortably prepared for any unexpected challenges.  

• Is your visibility limited in a way it wasn’t before? As you grow in scale, this can be difficult to spot, so to put it another way, is a lack of visibility showing in a way that affects your decision-making? This can take many forms.  
• Is your software slowing down or slower than needed? Maybe it’s not built to sustain whatever function it’s been performing.  
• When you need data, do you have a single source to reliably go to for it? Or are you extracting data from two or more databases to try and pinpoint a more abstract problem?  

If you answered yes to the above, you likely have a software problem. Don’t fret! It’s common and entirely fixable. Hundreds of platforms are designed specifically to integrate low-tech businesses and automate many features. There are also consulting firms on all levels to evaluate your business’s unique needs and engineer your own highly-tailored software.