Out with the Old, in with the New — It’s Time to Let Go of Outdated Technology

Investing in new technology is often seen as too expensive and time consuming for businesses. However, failing to keep up with digital developments can be extremely costly when it comes to efficiency and productivity within the organisation. 

In this article, we will be looking at why so many businesses are still so reliant on old legacy technology or tools that are no longer fit for purpose, the issues that come with these and signs that it’s time to update the tech you’re using. 

What stops businesses from updating their technology? 

There are a number of reasons why businesses delay or altogether avoid investing in new technology. We explore some of these below.

The cost 

It’s no secret that updating and replacing old technology requires financial investment. Whilst implementation costs can be expensive, there are so many solutions available now so it’s always worth shopping around to find something within your budget.

The time 

Updating software or replacing devices takes time. Training teams on how to use new equipment or technology also takes time. Whilst it’s true that there is learning required, a lot of newer software is built to be extremely user-friendly and actually requires minimal training to get started. Having easier systems in place will also be much faster to train future employees since they are often much more intuitive and quicker to run then older systems.

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it

So many business owners refuse to update or change their technology unless it breaks. Sure, it is probably easier to ignore annoying issues and persist on, however it’s important to know that even technology has a shelf life. If you keep running software until it eventually stops working altogether, you have a much longer and costly process ahead of you, especially if operations have to come to a complete standstill. 

Bad experiences in the past 

We are much more likely to remember one terrible experience over lots of positive ones. A common reason businesses aren’t in a rush to update their technology is because they have had an unpleasant encounter in the past, which can be off-putting when looking for new vendors. It’s important to ensure you are using a trusted and honest vendor who will be there to guide and support you if any issues arise. 

Old and outdated technology can be costly

Now that we have explored why businesses don’t update their technology, it’s also important to understand the impact old or outdated technology can have on the organisation. Take a look at the points below.

Costs the business more

Maintaining legacy technology and older software often requires significant costs. The more outdated your tech is, the more often it is likely to fail. For much older systems, it will also be harder to find people that are able to do the repairs, which can end up extremely expensive, since there are less options available.

Security risks

With the average enterprise experiencing around 130 security breaches per year, it’s important to recognise that newer technology doesn’t just work faster and more efficiently, it also offers you more protection. Outdated technology will not have any chance of protecting you from modern emerging cyber threats. Plus, since many older systems are often no longer supported by their manufacturers, they are much more vulnerable to cyber threats. Having no security updates means critical issues can be left unaddressed, making company data and information much more vulnerable.  

Slow and complex

Did you know the average employee loses 46 minutes a day because of slow technology? That equates to 24 days of work time per year! Older systems are going to run slower and less efficiently than newer ones. Long loading times and issues such as freezing or using older software versions means your staff aren’t working as quickly and efficiently as they could be. This can mean employees are having to work longer hours to compensate or they risk their work not being done on time, leading to low morale and more stress.

Not mobile and web compatible

With around 6.6 billion global smartphone users, having software that is mobile friendly is extremely important in this day and age. A lot of legacy systems are reliant on desktops, making them extremely inconvenient for field staff. Most web and mobile applications also require the most recent software version installed in order to run correctly, meaning older systems may not be compatible.

Signs it's time to invest in new technology

There are a few things you should be looking out for when it comes to knowing when your technology needs to be updated: 

• Frequent downtime/ outages
• Security concerns / cyberattacks
• Slow and clunky systems/ processes
• Dependent on specific hardware to run
• Affecting employee productivity / morale 

Outdated technology can impact the entire operation. Research has shown it has a huge effect on productivity and morale, with around 2 in 3 employees indicating it has a major or moderate impact on their ability to do their jobs effectively, and 1 in 10 saying technology hold-ups make them want to quit their job.

No more excuses

There will always be excuses as to why now isn’t a good time to replace your tech. However, the consequences of not doing so should be at the forefront of your organisation. Having modern and secure operations in place prevents unnecessary costs, cyber attacks and keeps your workforce happy and more likely to stick around. 

Empower your workforce

At Wluper, we are working on ​​unique voice-based AI technology, giving you access to a powerful voice and language understanding solution on any device. Using advanced NLU, we allow users to speak more naturally than ever before. No scripts or patterns, simply speak as you normally would and our voice-based technology will understand. 

Learn more about our TrueUnderstanding™ API or book a live demo to see Wluper in action.

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