Spring into Innovation with a Modern Tech Makeover (Part I)

The first day of spring is right around the corner and this year the new season will be more welcome than ever. Much of the nation experienced colder-than-usual temps this winter, with snow dropping down as far south as Tallahassee, Fla., which saw its first snowfall in about 11 years. Needless to say, we’re all ready for a break from the cold, a fresh start, and new opportunities.

The shifting of the seasons is also a great time for companies to reassess their technology stacks, look for gaps and inefficiencies, and find new solutions to existing and emerging challenges. Call this a “spring cleaning” of sorts, only in this case it’s your software that’s getting a much-needed refresh.

“You need to closely inspect your current digital tools to identify areas for improvement, streamline workflows, and ensure that your technology still aligns with business’ evolving needs and goals,” says Danielle Chaffin, Senior Solutions Engineer at Revenova. “Spring is often seen as a season for renewal, making it the perfect time to identify and replace outdated systems that are no longer serving their intended purpose.”

Don’t Let Your Technology Stagnate

A company’s software stack is the backbone of its operations, but staying on top of what’s new or needed when it comes to these tools isn’t always easy. Aging software systems that haven’t “kept up” can hinder innovation, limit scalability and ultimately put a company at a competitive disadvantage.

“Legacy systems and outdated or redundant technology stacks are an increasing challenge for companies to evolve at speed,” Nathan Eddy writes in Information Week. “Actively managing the portfolio of applications and technologies allows businesses to better manage critical items and get ahead of updates and migrations.”

Cleaning the tech stack can also help purge redundant, non-utilized and/or underutilized applications, all which continue to cost your company money in subscriptions. They may also create operational inefficiencies. “As a company matures, part of the natural process is accumulating a plethora of applications along the way,” Eddy explains, “which then [forces the IT department] to routinely evaluate to eliminate waste.” 

Waiting Until Something Breaks is a Recipe for Failure

A lot of companies rely on the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to technology without realizing just how expensive and resource-intensive outdated or inefficient systems can be. The problem is that stagnated software can also lead to missed opportunities. For example, newer systems support automation, are embedded with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, and can more effectively protect a company’s data and information (and that of its customers, business partners and other stakeholders).

The spring cleaning process is the perfect time to identify and assess any applications that need to be brought up to today’s security standards or replaced. “What kept us secure for the last two decades no longer works in today’s complex and heterogeneous environments, with on-premises IT, work-from-home devices, cloud, SaaS, IoT, and related assets,” Sevco Security’s Brian Contos told Information Week.

Cloud transportation management systems like Revenova TMS, for example, prioritize data security through a multi-layered approach, recognizing the critical importance of protecting sensitive logistics information. The company provides a robust infrastructure and leverages secure cloud environments with industry-standard encryption to safeguard data—both while in transit and at rest.

5 Reasons to Kick Off Your Tech Spring Cleaning Today

Here are five more reasons to put some time and effort into revitalizing your technology infrastructure, shed outdated systems and embrace new, more efficient tools:

• Eliminate bottlenecks in your operations. Underperforming technology can create massive inefficiencies and bottlenecks that you may not even be aware of. Use this time to pinpoint those issues and eliminate, upgrade or replace the systems that are causing them.

• Prep for future growth. Think ahead and use this time to upgrade existing solutions and prepare them to handle increased workloads and evolving customer demands. Scalable technologies are the key to ongoing growth without the need for added overhead and infrastructure.

• Give your transportation management strategy a fighting chance. Early TMS vendors started selling their platforms in the 1970s, and the typical TMS currently in use is around 20 years old. Most of these systems can no longer keep up with the needs of the modern customer. “If your TMS hasn’t been updated in 20+ years, you’re definitely losing efficiencies and missing out on opportunities,” Chaffin says. “It’s time to start looking at some of the new solutions on the market right now.” 

• Put your employees in the driver’s seat. A TMS that was built more than two decades ago is also going to be cumbersome for your employees to use, disconnected from other core systems and needing a lot of “spreadsheet shuffling” to share data across those solutions. The modern employee—who isn’t easy to find or retain right now—is looking for an employer that invests in more modern solutions that include features like AI and automation.

• Just in time for your budgeting cycles. If your company typically finalizes its budget in the spring, now is the ideal time to allocate resources for technology upgrades and investments. That way, you’ll have the necessary tools in place to achieve your organization’s strategic goals for the rest of the year.

Continuous innovation is a key requirement in today’s fast-paced business environment. Spring cleaning your tech stack can help you adopt cutting-edge technologies that give your organization a competitive edge. This proactive approach positions your company as a leader in your industry and a company that gives its employees the tools and resources they need to excel.

In Part II of this blog series, we’ll walk you through some of the most important steps to include in your spring cleaning process and help you avoid “shiny object syndrome” when evaluating and investing in new solutions. 

To learn more about Revenova TMS, Request a Demo. Follow Revenova on LinkedIn, YouTube, and X for the latest updates and news about Revenova TMS, the original CRM-powered Transportation Management System.