Consolidation of IT is a top priority for most businesses, with 90% of IT professionals saying their organizations are focusing on software consolidation, according to a Quickbase survey of more than 1,000 IT professionals from the U.S. and UK.
However, nearly half of survey respondents said they feel overwhelmed by the challenges of tackling technology sprawl—the disconnected systems, scattered data and various point solutions.
The report also indicated 80% of respondents express frustration with managing software applications, with balancing costs and budgets adding to the stress.
The challenges faced by IT pros are not limited to technology but extend to human factors.
Employee pushback due to the potential loss of familiar tools and the need to learn new systems, along with concerns about data loss during consolidation efforts, are major hurdles.
These frustrations are expected to intensify, as 56% of respondents anticipate dedicating more time and resources to IT consolidation over the next year, while 73% expect to continue expanding software investments.
Dalan Winbush, CIO of Quickbase, said it’s hard not to see a correlation between IT professionals’ struggles with consolidation and employee pushback against it.
“Employee frustration and loss of data could set back projects and revenue at a time when competitive, customer and macroeconomic pressures are incredibly high, and many organizations see technology as an unlock to being more productive and efficient,” he said.
He pointed out scaling back the stack, even if it means getting rid of redundant tools and systems that slow the organization down, is disruption, and can feel “very uncomfortable” in the moment.
“This is where I see IT pros taking off the tech leader hat and putting on the business leader mantle,” Winbush said.
He explained at the core of this effort is change management, helping leaders, teams and employees see the bigger picture of consolidation–not just cost savings, but how it can make everything and everyone more effective in delivering value.
“For example, sales teams who have to comb through three or four different disconnected CRM or CRM-like systems with customer and prospect information and data when trying to assess pipeline and deal health and next steps,” he said.
Winbush noted the conversation about consolidation with them on tech terms, but rather IT pros must start with what’s most important to them; in this case, having a single source for uncovering the clues and details to advance prospects through the funnel and help cross-sell and upsell customer accounts.
“Consolidation brings those disconnected systems into one platform or environment, eliminating redundancies and closing gaps, so that they can hit their goals,” he said.
To effectively plan for future software investments while avoiding further contributing to technology sprawl, Winbush said its equal parts breaking a habit and changing mindsets when it comes to software.
“For a long time, organizations would solve one problem at a time by purchasing a point solution, without thinking about how that one tool could connect with other teams or projects,” he explained.
All those and bespoke systems are how we wind up with technology and app sprawl, full of software, systems and teams that can’t connect data and collaborate, reducing productivity.
“It’s time to break this habit and, in doing so, change the one tool per problem or team approach,” he said.
While IT professionals are out in front on this, consolidation only works if there is participation and buy-in across the organization.
“That includes other leaders, but more importantly the employees who will see their day-to-day experience affected by consolidation,” he said.
From Winbush’s perspective, it is a change management exercise, so IT pros must engage teams early, and prioritize transparency and a secure data migration plan.
“Roll out consolidation step-by-step with clear communications and measurable goals, starting with less critical systems, and provide ongoing support,” he advised.