At the start of summer in the Northeastern U.S., my wife and I begin the process of taking our lawn furniture out of the shed and readying it for use. We’ve been doing this for nearly three decades.
Each year we look at our stuff and think, “This is really getting beaten up. We should probably do something about it.” And then we don’t. It’s natural. It’s human. Doing nothing is easy. It’s change that’s hard.
This year, it struck me that our reluctance to upgrade our lawn furniture mirrors how many organizations treat their ERP technology. At first glance, this might seem like a stretch but let me explain the similarities.
“Change is too much hassle.”
My first thought is generally that it’s too much effort and too complicated. Getting rid of the old furniture would mean loading it into the car and making multiple trips to the town dump. Who needs that kind of hassle?
Effort and complexity often come up when considering replacing a legacy ERP. While it isn’t simple, modern data migration tools and widely available best practices have significantly reduced the burden. Upgrading is more manageable than ever before. To get some insights, check out these helpful tips from CIO.com.
“It’s expensive.”
Buying new furniture is never an easy decision. Yet, when I tally up our annual spending on hardware to fix or spruce up our aging set, the total is shocking. Why keep throwing money at something that’s falling apart?
According to an article by technical strategy and infrastructure expert Philip Rashleigh, 31% of an organization’s technology is made up of legacy systems, while 60-80% of their IT budget is spent keeping them running. When viewed annually, the cost of keeping a legacy ERP is profound, making the initial investment in a modern ERP system far more viable.
“My current system is exactly the way I want it.”
25 years ago, our children weren’t born, our garden didn’t exist, and our lawn furniture suited us. Over time, we adapted — kid-proofing corners and moving things around — while our once-functional furniture grew outdated. We grew comfortable, even lazy, with the status quo.
But as our needs and environment changed, we realized that what worked for us in the past no longer suited. Even our much-loved, weather-battered lawn furniture was beginning to fail us. The same principle applies to our corporate infrastructure — clinging to outdated systems and processes can hold us back from reaching our full potential.
These days, when I am speaking with organizations about upgrading their legacy ERP systems, one of their biggest challenges is how to match their current structure and processes within a new system. And it is a very legitimate concern. I have two thoughts:
1. You can employ a “lift and shift” strategy.
Simply put, you take your exact current structure and migrate it to the cloud. However, while it is the most straightforward process, it delivers the least potential benefit since many of the legacy challenges and antiquated workflows you have now will remain in place.
2. You can modify your modern ERP, which can give you a “good enough” solution.
This means taking the format of the modern ERP and then modifying the applications to meet your specific needs, without changing the underlying database. An example of how you can do this is with an LCAP (or low code application platform) like Tecsys’ Itopia® platform. With Itopia®, you gain the advantages of a modern ERP without the need for costly customizations. It streamlines inventory, warehouse and distribution, giving you full flexibility and control across your operations.
The concept of “it’s good enough.”
When it comes to our own personal spending, my wife and I are what we call “good enough” kind of people. Our mantra has always been, “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” But it often comes with the question, “When is something actually worn out?”
The turning point for us was when we started making excuses about our lopsided table and using cushions to hide cracked slats in the chairs.
Of course, lawn furniture doesn’t represent a competitive environment. Your business does. If your legacy ERP can’t provide you with real-time information or the flexibility to pivot when the market changes, it’s not just embarrassing: “Good enough” can mean the loss of customers to competitors. It can also lead to dissatisfaction among your employees, ultimately hindering growth. And that’s just a glimpse of the challenges. Suddenly, “good enough” is not even close.
New furniture, new ERP
It probably won’t surprise you that my wife and I decided it was time for a change and bought new lawn furniture this year. It doesn’t wobble. It doesn’t break. Our children don’t complain. And I have yet to spend a small fortune on nuts and bolts to repair it.
Making any change comes with a degree of concern and uncertainty. But, in my experience, once you begin to realize the benefits of that change, the thinking is almost always, “Why didn’t we do this earlier?”
The first step in moving from the old to the new is research. Understanding both what is available and what is most appropriate for your business is critical in beginning the decision-making process. For organizations considering ERP modernization, I encourage you to take a look at Tecsys’ Elite™ Distribution ERP. Learn more about our Purpose-Built platform, see how others have approached the process and understand the positive business impacts your organization can derive.
In the meantime, if you need me, my wife and I will be in our yard enjoying the benefits of our modern lawn furniture.
