5 best practices for transitioning from a legacy sales infrastructure to a new system
In the world of sales infrastructure, legacy systems can be a major obstacle to growth and innovation. Legacy systems are outdated software or hardware that are still in use, despite the high maintenance costs, integration issues, and security risks they pose. In this blog post, we'll explore the impact of legacy systems on sales infrastructure and discuss strategies for modernisation.
What are Legacy Systems?
A legacy system is any outdated software or hardware that is still in use. Although the term may imply it, a legacy system isn’t necessarily an aged technology. It can be a system that lacks vendor support or doesn't meet an organisation's evolving requirements. Legacy systems can be a significant challenge for businesses, particularly in the sales infrastructure space. They can hinder an organisation’s ability to innovate and adapt to changing business needs, resulting in reduced productivity and competitiveness in the marketplace.
Whilst we are clearly thinking about actual systems here, it is also worth considering the other systems and processes in the organisation. When these are out of sync with the needs of a growth environment and evolving client needs there can be a significant impact on effectiveness.
Examples of Legacy Systems in Sales Infrastructure
Here are some examples of legacy systems in sales infrastructure:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems: Many companies still use legacy CRM systems that are difficult to integrate with other systems and lack modern features such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Order Management Systems (OMS): Legacy OMS systems can be difficult to customise and integrate with other systems, leading to inefficiencies and errors in the order fulfillment process.
Inventory Management Systems: Legacy inventory management systems can be slow and difficult to use, leading to inaccurate inventory levels and lost sales.
Sales Reporting Systems: Legacy sales reporting systems can be difficult to use and lack modern features such as real-time reporting and data visualisation.
How can a company determine if it's time to update their legacy sales infrastructure
Determining when to update legacy sales infrastructure can be challenging for businesses. Here are some signs to look out for when deciding whether to upgrade legacy infrastructure:
High maintenance costs: Legacy systems can be expensive to maintain, particularly if they require specialized skills or hardware that is no longer widely available.
Integration issues: Legacy systems can be difficult to integrate with modern systems, leading to inefficiencies and errors in business processes.
Security risks: Legacy systems may lack modern security features, making them vulnerable to cyber attacks and data breaches.
Reduced productivity: Legacy systems can hinder an organization’s ability to innovate and adapt to changing business needs, resulting in reduced productivity and competitiveness in the marketplace.
Customer experience: Low-performing legacy software can result in disappointed clients and diminished revenue for the organization. Maintaining great client experience is imperative to any organization's achievement in the present cutthroat market.
Once a business has identified these signs, they can define their goals and objectives for upgrading their legacy sales infrastructure.
What are some best practices for transitioning from a legacy sales infrastructure to a new system
Transitioning from a legacy sales infrastructure to a new system can be a complex process. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Define clear goals and objectives: Establish clear goals and define the desired outcomes of the upgrade process. This will help ensure that the new system meets the needs of the business and its customers.
Choose the right modernisation strategy: There are several modernisation strategies to choose from, including rehosting, replatforming, refactoring, and rebuilding. Each strategy has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it's important to choose the one that best fits your business needs.
Partner with a trusted modernisation provider: Partnering with a trusted provider can help ensure a seamless legacy systems redevelopment and minimise disruption to your business operations.
Train employees on the new system: It's important to train employees on the new system to ensure a smooth transition and minimise disruptions to business operations.
Monitor and evaluate the new system: Once the new system is in place, it's important to monitor and evaluate its performance to ensure that it is meeting the goals and objectives established at the outset of the project.
By following these best practices, businesses can successfully transition from a legacy sales infrastructure to a new system that meets their needs and supports their growth and innovation.
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