When it comes to technology, there are generally two distinct groups of thought. Some jump when something new enters the market. They wait hours on end for the latest iPhone to be released. They are the first to update their systems when a new version is released. Then, some sit back and wait to see how it goes. This doesn’t mean they aren’t necessarily interested in the latest and greatest tech; rather, they want to get the general opinion of others before being the first in line.
When it comes to implementing new software platforms for companies, many were quick to add in new layers of technology to increase productivity. They brought on a communication tool to assist with instant messaging and improved collaboration across teams. They installed a project management tool to track tasks and workflows. They added a customer relationship management, or CRM, platform to help their sales team achieve huge goals.
While all of these tools served a distinct purpose, many of them didn’t speak to one another. As a result, teams became more siloed in their work. Employees lost sight of the big picture, and leaders were left sorting through various logins and platforms just to extract raw data to report on in their board meetings. This created a new level of internal chaos, one that stemmed from good intentions but ended up causing more harm than good.
Having learned that more isn’t always best, businesses are moving away from best-of-breed technology and advocating for one platform to streamline efficiencies and workflows across multiple departments. Ahead, a few reasons why more and more businesses are consolidating tech instead of adding to it.
More Tech Equals More Costs
First and foremost, the more platforms and systems that you have, the more expensive it will be. Similar to how an individual forgets about monthly subscriptions until they closely look at their credit card statements, it can be easy to forget just how much that one tool your company implemented years ago is actually costing it. Eliminating redundant, overlapping SaaS subscriptions lowers your overall spend.
And remember, it’s not only the hard cost of the subscription. Hidden costs such as maintenance, upgrades, and even energy consumption add up over time. Moreover, employees dedicated to training other team members on using this redundant tool could be using their time more wisely elsewhere.
Improved Operational Efficiencies
Having one centralized tool can make work less of a headache for everyone. With one login and one platform, employees know that the information they’re searching for is within that platform. There’s no need to check multiple systems, remember different login information, or spend hours searching inboxes just to track down a piece of data. A single platform reduces the need for manual data entry and, therefore, leads to improved operational efficiencies.
These types of efficiencies will vary based on industry. A car dealership leveraging an integrated automotive AI tool can use it to schedule customer appointments, recommend related cars based on browsing history, and send SMS service reminders to improve retention. A centralized AI-driven tool in the restaurant industry can allow for improved food inventory, ordering ease, and accounting to help with real-time sales tracking. One tool will help streamline operations overall and can even improve cross-functional collaboration.
Better Cross-Functional Collaboration
Speaking of, how are teams supposed to collaborate with one another if they are all using different types of software? Not only can this lead to duplicate efforts, but it can also lead to various sources of truth. When one platform is reporting on one goal, and another one on another goal, it makes it that much more challenging to piece together the facts.
The ease of having one platform can greatly improve cross-functional collaboration. A marketing team can see where a product development team is with a certain project, and prepare their workload accordingly to prepare for a brand’s impending launch. Many of these tools also allow for real-time messaging, as well as document sharing via Google Drive or SharePoint. This ensures everyone has access to the files they need, without having them sent and shared separately via email.
Enhances Security
Too many tools can lead to fragmented systems, and fragmented systems make it that much easier for data to be leaked and hackers to find a way into your proprietary infrastructure. A one-tech approach enhances business security by reducing vulnerabilities. Instead of an IT team being tasked with managing separate vendors, they only have to manage one vendor. This eliminates any blind spots that can often happen as a result of too many tools.
When a security threat is present, IT teams can respond more quickly. They know who to contact for additional support, and can send messages out appropriately to ensure employees are aware of the phishing scam or other deceptive threat.
Conclusion: A Unified Approach is the Best Approach
Adopting a unified approach is the way forward. Organizations with various tech tools that were supposed to make employees’ work lives easier only lead to more chaos. With new technology platforms entering the market every year, it can be a hard decision to pull back. However, adding just “one more tool” isn’t going to solve foundational business or workflow problems. It will only add to it.
