5 Problems With Legacy Software

Struggling to stay in control of a sprawling legacy software system? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!

We speak with countless companies — from SMEs right through to multinationals — that are stuck with legacy software systems, and don’t know how to move forward.

It’s only natural that businesses end up in this situation; as they grow, they add new technology, piece by piece, to meet their evolving needs. Before they know it, they’ve got an interconnected mix of various technologies, holding the business’s functions together.  

5 reasons to be wary of legacy systems

You might not realise it, but this a dangerous situation for any business to be in. Why? Well, here are five reasons that you should definitely keep in mind:

1. They’re complex

When you take multiple technologies (some cloud-based), from various providers, and stitch them together, the result is inherently complex. Not only does this make it harder for IT to fix issues, it also makes it more difficult to grow the system, or update a single part of it.

2. They’re expensive

The increased complexity of legacy systems also makes them more expensive to use and maintain. You’ll need more staff-hours to keep it up and running, while potential costs of unexpected downtime could be huge.

3. They’re unsecure

Legacy systems are, by their nature, unsecure. The more complexity a system has, the more opportunity there is for gaps in security. This is particularly important for larger businesses, who are more likely to be targeted. And doubly important, considering that in 2018 the global average cost of a data breach was an astonishing $3.86 million!

4. They’re a drain on your IT

When your IT system is made up of many tools from multiple providers, you end up needing IT expertise in multiple areas. This means either hiring a large number of experts in these different areas (which would be overly expensive), or relying on a few experts with deep knowledge of a complex system (which could cause problems, should those people leave).

5. They’re informationally inefficient

Informationally inefficient is just a fancy way of saying that a legacy system often won’t give you the information you need, when you need it. The complexity inherent in a legacy system often means that your data is stored in multiple places, rather than a single source of “truth”. So when you’re trying to get sales figures at a glance, for example, you might have to get them from two different places.

How to move forward from legacy software

Here at Newicon, we’re focused on the future — pushing towards your new tomorrow. Whereas legacy systems are defined by the past. That’s why we’re so passionate about helping businesses leave their legacy software behind them, and find a new way forward.

We generally find that there are two potential solutions that you can take advantage of, and which one you choose depends on your situation. Here’s our advice:

Option one

If you already know what you want to achieve with the system you have, but don’t have the resources to achieve it, then option one could be for you; work with us to create a solution that connects your solutions together into a more cohesive whole.

We’ll use APIs to connect your services together more securely and efficiently. And we’ll create user/customer interfaces and portals that draws data from various solutions to give you one place to go for information.

Option two

If you need help in figuring out exactly what you want to achieve as you move away from legacy infrastructure, then the second option is worth considering. Essentially, it’s this: wipe the board clean and start afresh.

First, we’ll conduct workshops and interviews to examine exactly what your solution needs to achieve. Then we’ll build you a new system (complete with intuitive experiences and beautiful interface design) that replaces your legacy system in its entirety.

We’ve worked with many businesses — big and small —  to do this. The costs of such a transformation are higher than option one, but they’re soon offset by the future gains in operational efficiency and time-saving.

Unlike a legacy system, this new solution is built with the future in mind. We build our software to be flexible, so it can grow with you. And because we build with standard, modern coding languages, you can easily get any developer down the line to jump in and make changes.

What next?

The effect this can have on a business is often quite profound, increasing efficiency and productivity while delivering a very healthy ROI. It’ll change not only the way people work but how happy they are in their jobs.

After all, who doesn’t want their IT to do what it’s supposed to do — make life easier, rather than get in the way?

Get in touch today to have a chat about transforming your legacy IT infrastructure.