Wish to know one thing loopy?
There are 585,000 tech companies in the United States. And guess what—nearly all of them need to promote your corporation one other life-changing gadget or earth-shattering software program.
Sadly, the worldwide economic system is on the fritz. Inflation is sky-high, and most consultants predict a recession of some type in the next 6 to 12 months. Meaning you in all probability cannot maintain paying on your firm’s bloated know-how stack. Chances are you’ll have to tighten your belt.
That is truly an excellent factor. Shelling out for 53 completely different SaaS options is dear. And navigating between all of those instruments every day is time-consuming. You could discover a method to streamline your tech, whereas sustaining your present gross sales course of. Can or not it’s achieved?
Completely! On this article, I am going to inform you why tech stack consolidation is helpful and how you can do it in easy steps. That means you will get again to crushing division initiatives ASAP.
The Advantages of Tech Stack Consolidation
I will not lie; consolidating your tech stack will take effort and time.
The query is, will or not it’s value it in the long run? That is so that you can determine. That will help you determine, it’s worthwhile to perceive the quite a few advantages you will expertise.
Listed below are 4 key benefits to tech stack consolidation:
It Saves Your Group Time
Based on the Harvard Business Review, it takes the typical workplace employee slightly over two seconds to modify from one app or web site to a different.
That does not appear to be a lot, till you notice that stated employees are switching between apps and web sites 1,200 occasions daily. The consequence? 40 minutes misplaced, per worker, per day. And that assumes they don’t get distracted whereas switching over.
It will get worse. The identical HBR article claims that switching between apps and web sites like that is “cognitively taxing.” Doing so “will increase the mind’s manufacturing of cortisol (the first stress hormone), slows us down, and makes it more durable to focus.” Ugh…
Tech stack consolidation will assist eradicate inefficiencies attributable to app switching and enhance productiveness. Consider what number of extra offers your workforce will be capable of shut.
It Lowers Bills
The typical firm spends $2,623 a year on SaaS products—per worker.
What number of gross sales reps do you handle? 5? 10? 20? The price of these instruments provides up quick. Tech stack consolidation will assist you to put a bunch of inexperienced again into firm coffers.
What in the event you might spend money on a single app for pipeline management, automation, forecasting, and different gross sales duties, as an alternative of three separate options? CRM platforms like Shut make this a actuality. You simply have to seek out the proper instruments on your wants. (Extra on this beneath.)
It Improves Communication
What number of messaging apps does your organization use? Let me guess: Slack for fast queries, electronic mail for detailed responses, Zoom for face-to-face interactions… Did I miss something?
In case your workforce’s “communication ecosystem” consists of multiple app, you might need to rethink your technique. It prices your organization some huge cash, as we simply mentioned.
Nevertheless it’s additionally reinforcing information silos. Data will get logged away on sure platforms, by no means to be seen once more. Why? As a result of no person can bear in mind which app they used to share the information. It is a significant issue—one which tech stack consolidation can simply resolve.
It Enhances Information Safety
There have been 1,802 data breaches in the U.S. last year, affecting 422 million people.
All of these new applied sciences you have bought on your gross sales workforce? They may put your organization in danger. Tech stack consolidation limits the variety of targets in your again.
I like SaaS instruments and fancy devices as a lot as the subsequent man. However let’s be sincere. You in all probability do not want the entire apps your gross sales workforce subscribes to. Eliminating a couple of of them will give cybercriminals fewer alternatives to steal firm and private information.
A Step-by-Step Information to Consolidating Your Tech Stack
Tech stack consolidation is clearly helpful. If you happen to’re able to make the leap and optimize your division’s know-how suite, observe this easy, seven-step information:
1. Audit Your Tech Stack
Begin by assessing your present tech stack. Which off-premise software program instruments do you utilize? Which SaaS suppliers truly present the companies you want? Additionally, ensure that to examine what number of seats you’ve on every plan–many SaaS firms cost by seat, so if customers embrace previous staff or individuals who don’t use the instrument, you could possibly be paying greater than it’s worthwhile to.
There’s in all probability much more in your tech stack than you notice. In spite of everything, the typical firm makes use of 110 different SaaS apps. Sure, you learn that proper: 110. Yikes!
To be clear, do not begin deleting software program and canceling service agreements but. All it’s worthwhile to do proper now’s decide the apps your gross sales workforce makes use of regularly, the profit every one supplies, and the amount of cash you spend to entry these instruments.
You’ll be able to take a metaphorical machete to your tech stack later, as soon as you have decided which apps to maintain. Endurance you should have, my younger padawan.
2. Determine Redundancies
You’ve got taken the time to audit your present tech stack. It made you need to barf, excited about the lots of (hundreds?) of {dollars} your division spends on software program. However you took a deep breath, and now you are prepared to maneuver on. It is time to establish redundancies.
Look via your present know-how suite and pinpoint apps that accomplish related issues.
For instance, you may pay for a CRM resolution and a gross sales enablement instrument. Do you want each? Not in the event you solely use the enablement instrument to distribute content material to prospects. Your CRM ought to be capable of deal with this simply positive. The identical goes for CRM and electronic mail platforms.
CRMs like Shut embrace fully-featured email marketing suites. You in all probability needn’t pay for Mailchimp or Fixed Contact, too, except your organization’s advertising workforce needs them.
This jogs my memory: get suggestions from different folks in your organization. Simply since you and your reps do not use a instrument, does not imply it is nugatory. It is likely to be designed for different groups.
3. Prioritize the Proper Instruments
At this level, you have assessed your present tech stack; realized which apps your organization pays for, what they do, and the way a lot they price; and recognized redundancies.
Nice work. Now it is time to determine which apps to maintain and which to present the boot. To make this course of simpler, ask your self these three questions:
- Do we actually want this app? To be sincere, the reply might be no. Aside from a confirmed CRM and, perhaps, a workforce communication app, the remainder of the instruments in your organization’s tech stack are in all probability non-essential. However do not do away with them but.
- Does the advantage of this app outweigh the price? An app could also be non-essential, however that does not make it nugatory. Assess the worth of every app. If the advantage of having it’s higher than its prices, contemplate maintaining it. If not, it ought to in all probability get the ax.
- Do different departments agree with my assessments? Bear in mind, different departments use instruments that yours does not. Do not banish apps as a result of your reps do not perceive their correct use circumstances. Seek the advice of with different workforce leaders to see which instruments they want.
Yet another factor: ensure that to account for staffing shortages.
As talked about earlier, the economic system has seen higher days. A recession could also be on the horizon. Sadly, your organization may have to put off a couple of staff to climate the approaching storm. Attempt to not ditch apps that you could be want sooner or later, when your workforce is smaller.
Instruments that embrace automation performance, for instance, will assist you to get extra achieved in much less time—even when your workforce has fewer members. And, on a extra optimistic observe, these instruments might assist your present workforce deal with a bigger workload with out burning out.
4. Develop a Consolidation Plan
Now that you recognize which apps you want, you may create a consolidation plan. That is only a fancy means of claiming, “We’ll maintain paying for these apps, not these ones.”
There are a couple of methods to go about this:
You’ll be able to do away with each resolution that’s non-essential. Chances are you’ll find yourself utilizing spreadsheets as an alternative of a CRM, have zero entry to automation, and lose out on gross sales as a result of your reps cannot bear in mind who they should observe up with, which looks as if a nasty thought.
However, hey, it is your tech stack. You make the choice you assume is finest on your division.
Or, you may eradicate all level options, i.e., instruments designed with one particular objective in thoughts, and spend money on a single platform that may permit your workforce to do a number of issues. This can in all probability assist your division get monetary savings, and you will not have to fret about pesky integrations. However you might need to surrender essential, business-boosting options.
Or, my private favourite, you may spend money on a couple of instruments that do a number of issues. Then join them in order that your complete tech stack operates as one unit. It’d look one thing like this:
- Shut: Close is a CRM that helps gross sales groups manage buyer information, talk with prospects, handle pipeline, forecast future gross sales, and extra.
- Slack: Slack is a well-liked communication instrument that gross sales groups can use to talk to one another, host video calls with prospects, and distribute information.
- DocuSign: DocuSign is a doc administration and e-signature instrument that gross sales groups can use to create contracts and attain binding agreements.
- ChartMogul: ChartMogul is an analytics instrument that enables customers to get deep insights into the well being of their companies with metrics like MRR, ARR, Churn, and LTV.
That is simply an thought, after all. Your tech stack will in all probability look quite a bit completely different. Nevertheless it does illustrate my level: a couple of well-chosen apps can go a great distance.
5. Get Suggestions from Your Group
You’ve got created a strong consolidation plan. It is time to put it into motion, proper? Not fairly…
Get suggestions out of your workforce earlier than you play whack-a-mole along with your tech stack. They’re those that should use the instruments you have chosen every day. Be certain they like them.
I recommend studying software program opinions on websites like G2 and Capterra as effectively. You may as effectively seek the advice of your connections on social media websites like LinkedIn, too.
What have they got to say in regards to the apps you have chosen? The very last thing you need to do is spend money on a couple of instruments, hoping they’ll every do a number of issues, then notice that they can not deal with your workforce’s present workflows. Speak about a significant letdown.
6. Migrate Firm Information and Prepare Customers
Your subsequent activity? Migrating data and coaching customers to make use of your new options.
Now that you recognize which software program purposes shall be in your tech stack, it’s worthwhile to cancel outdated companies, join new ones, and switch all the things over.
This course of might really feel lengthy and tedious. However attempt to bear in mind the entire advantages you will obtain: your workforce will turn into extra productive, you will save a boatload of cash, your employees’s communication will enhance, and you will not be as inclined to cybersecurity threats.
As soon as you have made the change, it’s worthwhile to educate your reps to make use of your new instruments. This does not must be a herculean activity. Most software program apps supply thorough coaching by way of YouTube movies, stay webinars, and weblog posts. Dive into them to be taught the ins and outs of every app.
7. Monitor and Regulate When Crucial
Lastly, monitor your new and improved tech stack to verify it really works on your workforce.
Do your reps benefit from the instruments you have chosen? Are you continue to capable of shut offers at a constant clip? Can you narrow away different options? Or did you narrow too a lot of them already?
These are all essential questions. Take time to essentially assess your new tech stack to verify it really works on your workforce. If it does not, make the mandatory changes. All the effort you expend now shall be value it in the long run. You simply must soldier on and muster via.
Do Extra with Much less
Here is the underside line: your bloated tech stack is damaging your organization. It prices a ton of cash. It reduces worker productiveness. And it opens you as much as cyber-attacks.
You’ll be able to resolve all of those issues by committing to tech stack consolidation. Comply with the seven-step course of above to eradicate instruments your reps do not use, and/or buy new instruments that do a number of issues, supplying you with far more bang on your buck.
Talking of instruments that do a number of issues, have you ever tried Shut but? Our standard CRM platform will assist manage prospect and current buyer information, supercharge your reps’ cellphone name workflows, design full-fledged electronic mail advertising campaigns, forecast future outcomes, and a lot extra.
Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Close today to see if it is worthy of your organization’s tech stack.
