5 Best Practices For Businesses To Modernize Legacy Systems

 

As reliable as legacy software systems may be, they can cost you dearly. It’s not a statement we are making lightly. According to Deloitte’s MarginPLUS study, 82% of the 300 business leaders surveyed reported that their companies had failed to accomplish the cost reduction targets they had set out for themselves.

 

Why? Well, while different companies had different reasons, 50% singled out the inability of the existing technology infrastructure to keep up with changes in the internal workings of a business as the prime reason. That is a pretty strong figure, if you ask us.

 

The best way out is to modernize your legacy systems. While taking the help of a custom software development company like Vestra Inet is the way to go, there are certain other things you can do to achieve the same goal. Let’s dive in! 

1. Conduct An Assessment Of Your Legacy System

 

Modernizing your legacy system is a big leap forward. However, before you make any sweeping changes, thoroughly evaluate the state of your existing infrastructure. You can begin by analyzing the system’s performance. Is it slow to load with an outdated interface? Chances are it might be very inefficient.

 

You must also check the system’s data management capabilities. Fragmentation of critical data across various platforms can lead to disorganization as well as duplication of data. Furthermore, integration challenges can arise with legacy systems. Your existing software may not be compatible with modern applications.

 

Lastly, you should closely inspect the user interface of your legacy system and survey employees on its usability. If you find most employees (as well as customers) struggling to use it, it might signal the need for a change. Taking the help of a custom software development company like ours can help you fix these issues. 

2. Set Clear & Actionable Digital Transformation Goals

 

The modernization of your business’s software should be driven by clear and actionable goals that actually help you make the most of the latest technology. Some example goals you can set include:

 

• Increasing operational efficiency 

 

• Improving customer experience 

 

• Automating mechanical or repetitive tasks 

 

• Reducing cost of operation 

 

• Implementing data-driven decisions

 

• Improving cybersecurity

 

Having a proper structure in place with well-defined goals will help in the alignment of your digital transformation efforts with overarching business goals, thus ensuring tangible results. 

3. Pick The Right Technology Stack

 

Simply transforming your current system will not guarantee long-term scalability and efficiency. For that, you need to pick the right technology. This involves picking the components of modern systems that make the most sense for your business. Some of the infrastructure you can choose from include:

 

• Cloud Computing: Cloud-based services that offer your business greater flexibility and scalability while being cost-effective. They are perfect for hybrid or remote work environments. 

 

• AI & ML: Namely Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. These two are responsible for a number of functions such as data-driven insights, automation and predictive analysis. 

 

• IoT: The Internet of Things allows your business access to key features such as real-time monitoring, process automation and asset tracking. 

 

• Custom ERP Systems: Custom ERP as well as CRM can help you streamline your business operations, ensuring efficient resource management as well as improved customer interactions. 

 

• Cybersecurity Solutions: Cybercrime is an evolving threat, which businesses need to protect themselves against with airtight solutions that offer data security.

 

Your business may require a unique combination of the above, which off-the-shelf solutions might not do justice to. It’s best to invest in custom software that offers you tailored solutions suited to your needs. 

4. Treat Data Migration As a Priority

 

Data migration from legacy systems as well as their seamless integration with modern applications can be a major hassle for businesses. However, you can overcome this hurdle by doing a couple of things. For example, conducting a data audit can help you verify, clean and standardize existing data, which makes migration smoother.

 

Meanwhile, secure data migration tools can prevent the corruption or loss of data. You can also implement middleware and APIs to ensure smooth integration of data with third-party applications. We also recommend testing system compatibility to minimize disruptions during migration.

 

5. Increase Efficiency With Automated Processes

 

Automation isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a real-time and money saver. Automating manual, repetitive tasks is key to reducing errors while boosting efficiency. It can also help you direct your valuable resources towards more valuable tasks such as strategic initiatives.

 

Some of the key areas of your business that you can automate include order processing and fulfillment, including automatic billing as well as shipment tracking. Deploying chatbots to offer 24x7 customer service is another good idea. So is automating payroll, compliance tracking and onboarding workflows. Lastly, automation of data entry and reporting can reduce human errors.

 

Conclusion

 

Modernizing legacy software with the help of custom ERP or similar solutions is the only way to gain a competitive edge in today’s digital economy. Hence, post-implementation, it is important to train your employees to use the modern system and encourage company-wide adoption. Be sure to monitor the software and continually optimize its performance as well.

 

As for acquiring a modern system for your company, Vestra Inet. is your best bet. With 20 years of experience, our customer software development company can craft tailor-made solutions for your business that do exactly what you need them to. Contact us today to transition to a future-proof digital platform.