Benefits of a Fully Integrated Technology Ecosystem
Many organisations are supported by a strong technology ecosystem, however, a lack of integration between business systems can prevent companies from reaching their full potential.
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Many organisations in today’s working world have built a technology ecosystem to support critical business operations. The scale and complexity of these ecosystems vary widely, shaped by numerous factors unique to each company. A common challenge within these technology infrastructures is limited integration among critical business systems. Typically, business software is introduced in various stages, each stage tackling the primary business problem for the organisation at that time. This can lead to a lack of planning and consideration regarding technology integration in favour of achieving the short-term goal of solving the immediate business problem.
This approach to technology adoption has left many organisations to contend with a patchwork of technology systems implemented at different times that do not integrate. This results in a complex technology architecture that can be difficult to manage. Siloed and disconnected systems can introduce numerous challenges for organisations. Among these are slowed business growth, wasted employee productivity and increased IT expenditure due to the increased need for manual intervention to bridge gaps between disparate systems. Prioritising the development of an integrated technology ecosystem can not only help organisations overcome these hurdles but also deliver several other benefits. Below, we explore some of these benefits.
Enhanced Visibility and Reduced Errors
Using integrated business systems can significantly reduce the risks of errors. With seamless data flow and data consolidation across all business departments, employees no longer have to spend time on data reconciliation and replicating data across different applications and reports. This ensures that data is more accurate and reliable. Further, an integrated system provides increased visibility across the business. Without having to wait on data extraction and historical reporting, businesses can now make better informed and data-driven decisions.
Enhanced Business Performance
Having an integrated technology ecosystem can help your business and employees reach optimal efficiency. Businesses can introduce smart automation in the form of workflows or RPAs to help automate key repetitive tasks across a number of applications and eliminate operational bottlenecks. This allows employees to become more productive while spending less time on repetitive tasks that can now be automated and more time on value-added tasks for the organisation that can support innovation and growth. As noted in the point above, access to real-time data and increased visibility support enhanced business performance too.
Time and Cost Savings
An integrated technology ecosystem can reduce the burden on your IT Department. Having to maintain, manage and monitor multiple separate systems and integrations can take up a lot of the IT department's time. Having an integrated technology ecosystem can lead to a significant reduction in operational costs with the IT department no longer having to spend valuable time maintaining multiple systems. This time can be spent on optimising business operations. Often, connected business systems are cloud-based which can also deliver additional cost savings when it comes to maintenance and upgrades
Increased Security
A fully integrated set of business systems can also lead to enhanced security. As noted in an earlier point there can be a reduction in errors when the need to replicate and pull data from multiple sources is eliminated. This not only helps employees in terms of productivity but it also ensures better data security. Data is less likely to slip through the cracks with all systems connected. This means that organisations can protect their data and comply with any regulations more easily. Further, if your business is taking advantage of cloud-based systems to create a connected ecosystem, you will consistently be protected by your cloud provider with new security updates and patches released continuously.
Creating a connected technology ecosystem is more accessible to businesses than ever, thanks to advancements in cloud computing, an increase in integration-friendly platforms and the emergence of business tools such as Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. If you would like to learn more about creating a more integrated technology ecosystem, get in touch to speak to one of our technology experts today.
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