However, too many businesses are caught in a loop – buying new technology to resolve the same old issues. But an alarmingly large amount of technology that organisations have already invested in hasn’t even come close to being properly exploited. With the current emphasis on costs and efficiency, organisations should be looking to get the maximum value from what they have, before they start looking to invest further.
It may seem counter-intuitive for anyone working in the tech industry to discourage investment in new, shiny products and services, but I would like us all to be taking a more prudent approach and asking ‘what can we do to ensure that the technology we already have is doing everything it can? And everything we want it to?’.
The first common mistake it to bolt on technology– failing to address what business processes you are looking to integrate your technology into, and then reconfiguring existing systems and procedures to fit around it. It’s worth remembering that it is possible to do this retrospectively – to look again at the interaction points between the system and the technology and make adaptations that will ultimately improve the impact of the technology, and the business outcome it has supported.
The second mistake is that we ignore one of the most compelling reasons to adopt technology in the first place – for the additional data and insights it can provide. Information is power and technology has the power to provide us with multiple points of contact and evaluations that can help us continually improve and reconfigure the technology, harnessing the opportunity for our existing technology to continue to deliver on its promise, even as our organisations change in requirement, objectives, and strategy. By leaning on data analytics and performance metrics to predict and identify trends, patterns and areas of inefficiency, we are able to analyse and identify recurring problems, root causes, and opportunities to further leverage our platforms and applications, yes, technology bought to solve one problem may actually be the key to solving another.
A possible solution may be to create a culture that uses your employees and even your customers to identify opportunities and refine processes, services and practices for improvement. This involves creating a culture of open communication and collaboration between functions, as well as encouraging employees to be as up to date as possible on current technology, emerging best practices and trends.
Ultimately, assuming that “legacy” technology can’t do what the new system is advertising, often simply isn’t true, but we aren’t actually involved enough in the parameters and design of systems to understand that we don’t need to throw the techno-baby out with the bathwater (or comms cabinet). If we increase the depth and focus of our involvement at both the start of implementation, but also make a commitment to development, assessment, and improvement on an ongoing basis – working with providers and partners as a matter of routine rather than exception, we can only achieve more with what we already have.
In increasingly constrained times, the cost (both financial and functional) of implanting new technology has to be really worth it. Across public and private sector, we need to be saving our investments for exponential outcomes, not being driven to invest because of an innate fear of falling behind in The Great Tech Race, or because of a reactive approach to problem management. Leveraging your existing technology is perhaps, the ultimate definition of sustainable business.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Chelsea Chamberlin leads Roc’s Solution and Technology strategy, ensuring continual innovation and focussed partnerships which drive outcome based value for our customers. Chelsea’s background includes designing and delivering software and networking solutions within mission critical environments. Outside of work she is a green belt in Kick-boxing and mentor to young women paving careers in tech.