Review The Tech Stack And Operating Systems Used By Your Team. Here’s Why
Hello everyone! Welcome to the Real Estate Heaven Youtube channel. When a new tool or software that can make an easy marketer’s life is released, it is very tempting—especially if the said tool can increase productivity and decrease time spent staring at spreadsheets.
If your team uses old, incompatible programs that use separate databases and dashboard structures, it’s difficult to manage your content. If you don’t invest in different softwares, your competitors might outsmart you by investing in new tech. Learn more of this content by subscribing to the Real Estate Heaven Youtube channel and hitting the notification bell.
If you’re interested in looking at your current software platforms or your company’s current IT software, these are some signs that it’s time to evaluate them.
Data Silos—Your Tech Doesn’t Integrate
The technologies you use may be good within their systems but don’t record or share data with other systems that are also needed. There is a wide range of inefficiencies in marketers’ schedules because they have to search through 10 different platforms for the data they need. An example of this is when you create reports and have to look on a platform for 10 different pieces of information.
Silos limit data sharing and thus collaboration between the company’s departments. Communication is important to help drive new revenue and measure the value of a product.
If you try to integrate the new technology but it is not an easy solution, consider using a different technology that is better matched to your needs. Even if the more expensive technology saves less time than expected, weigh the overall cost against the number of hours saved and see whether or not it is worth potentially turning away from other projects.
You Don’t Trust the Data
When the tools you use to automate are creating errors instead of efficiency for your team, it may be time to find a better solution. Even the small issues can turn into big issues over time or when looking at the big picture and the amount of time it takes your team to correct for accuracy.
You need to make sure to check for data issues, since they may make your experience with the app or website difficult. Fix any bugs and try again until you find one that works for you.
Inconsistency in the tools your business uses can lead to wasted resources, which might end up costing you more money. Use MarTech Stack Audit Template to ensure that your company doesn’t waste resources.
You Are Spending Money on Tools Your Team Doesn’t Use
As software becomes more advanced and startups focus on products, the pitfalls can be many. If your company is lacking in technology, it’s time to do a tech stack audit. You might find great software that you can’t use– or perhaps your team is unaware they have access to it.
As you hire more remote workers, consider onboarding them by having them learn about the tools you have on your tech stack. This will ensure that new team members know what tasks are available and how to use them.
Be sure to evaluate tools that duplicate functions, such as apps with overlapping capabilities. Consider consolidating programs behind a cloud SaaS platform, with complementary services for customer care and management.
For example, Terminus, an ABM platform, just acquired an ABM chat company. This is possible because it’s now part of the Terminus toolkit and a company that uses Terminus likely doesn’t need to allocate a budget for a separate chat platform.
You’re Working on a Yearly Budget
Using tech stack audits to plan your yearly marketing budget is a great way to stay on track and make sure that every cent you spend fits in with your style of business. One important consideration when evaluating your tech is understanding what it will cost for the investment in new software or supporting hardware, and whether the return on that investment is worth the cost.
Are you making enough money from the people using your software?
Would the sites fit into your long-term goals, or were they purchased as ad-hoc solutions in the moment?
In the digital age, the business environment is constantly changing and evolving. As a business, you need to review your technology and be prepared to invest in new tools to meet your needs.
The technology stack consists of the algorithms, software, and apps that accomplish business tasks. The technology stack includes the languages used to create applications through the front-end or back-end.
An audit is usually necessary before revamping an existing tech stack or building a new one. Finding the appropriate technology requires knowing what processes and apps are available, as well as what their strengths, weaknesses, and redundancies are.
Companies have different needs and challenges, and their features should be customized accordingly. For instance, Hubspot has a variety of ways in which to reach the goals listed.
It’s advised to audit your tech stacks regularly because new apps and updates are coming out every day.
By reviewing apps, business leaders can discover ways to:
Save time
Save money
Consolidate apps
Maintain data
When auditing a tech stack, ensure the size and type of the content management system the website is built on and any IT, data, and configuration management tools are in consideration before it’s determined which tools will be used for auditing.
Instead of focusing on the individual apps, consider how each app accomplishes a business process.
Get input from the people who use your apps, the bosses of your directors, and anyone else involved to ensure a strong vision for your projects. Directors, team leads and individual contributors should be included in these discussions to help shape the vision.
You might want to ask questions like:
What are the business processes?
What are all the apps each team uses to complete daily tasks?
Which app is best for the business and how does it impact the employees’ and customers’ experience?
Is the app part of the daily workflow, or are people effectively going through the motions?
How much would it cost to move to a different system?
Does the app have the potential to meet more than one need? If so, which needs?
Before going ahead in introducing new apps without understanding the current tools, create a spreadsheet of all the tools used, so that it is easier to review as the business moves on.
In 2020, a Pew Research report found that only 7% of civilian workers in the U.S. had access to flexible workplace options. In September of 2020, 64% of Americans were found to be working at home by the National Compensation Survey published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
If your company is struggling to compete in the digital economy, it might be due to a lack of business technology. How your company uses technology as you enter the digital age will determine its success or failure.
To discover how technology is supporting your business goals, you need to perform a regular tech audit. Keep reading to learn how to conduct a structured technical review.
The tech stack
A tech stack is a group of technology-based tools that enable businesses to run more smoothly, reach audiences more accurately, and empower sales and customer service teams to deliver an excellent experience.
Organizations were able to shift their focus and lower costs with their investments in tech. Some organizations are boasting improved digital operations, while others are using the time to invest in leanness.
Some systems may require a higher level of technical knowledge to integrate or may run slower than you are comfortable with. It might be time to evaluate your technology stack.
When will your business have to have an audit?
There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for your business needs. Each brand has unique needs, goals, and challenges that need to be considered. Considering also that new apps and platforms are developed each day, it’s helpful to audit your tech stack to stay on the right track.
A constant review will help you to:
Gain better ROI on all software and tools
Diminish labor costs and employee time
Consolidate systems and improve your integrations
Maintain a universal source of truth for all data
Improve customer providers
IT audits require systems to be tied back to business strategy. Some of the important systems are accounting, website management, CRM, social media, and customer relationships.
What types of tools are part of a tech stack?
Nowadays, the best tech stack would include all of these components:
Marketing
Marketing automation
Content management system (CMS)
Lead management, including lead scoring and tracking
Email automation
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Data analytics
Ad management tools
Social media management
Creative asset
Chatbot automation
Sales
Customer relationship management tools (CRM)
Meeting scheduler
VoIP/call tracking
Data management
Video recording/editing
Sales enablement
Service
Ticket management
Live chat
Knowledge base
Help desk automation
Time tracker
Survey automation
Signs it’s time to audit your business technology
The major reason to do an audit of your tech stack is the shift of the global economy and the rise of the remote workplace. From productivity to collaboration, customer management needs are changing. You may need new and different tools to meet these needs.
In the next few paragraphs, we’ll mention some other factors that indicate it’s time for a technology audit.
Data silos
When you start seeing data silos make your workflow inefficient, it’s time to audit. A good sign that it’s time to do a technology audit is when you see that no separate tech tools are communicating with each other. When this is the case, your work becomes less efficient in terms of both your employees and getting the job done.
Because of their usual separation into different silos, it will be hard to identify success and determine unique approaches. This limits the available data, which adversely affects decision-making and operations.
To save time, it may be better to eliminate or replace a system that’s not efficient and isn’t easy to integrate into your schedule.
Why data silos are bad for business
Identify how you can limit your data silos in your business.
Bad data
If data is a source of mistrust for your company, it’s time to conduct a tech audit. Inconsistencies, errors, duplicates, and problems with shared information can all result in a disaster.
Currently, there exists an affordable option for fixing issues that arose with a system, so it’s best not to leave them unresolved. The best practice is to fix the issue immediately or replace the system altogether.
Wasted time
Once positions become less laborious, businesses are often forced to give their employees a better solution. These improvements take more time and effort from the employees than just helping customers shop for something that’s better suited for them. People stay with the same mediocre software because it’s familiar and easy.
Spending too much time on tools is a sign that it is time for a system audit.
Introduce new staff members to easy-to-use systems and train them on how things work to increase their adoption rate and get ongoing usage.
Duplicate functions
If systems perform the same function and don’t require the use of both, it’s sometimes better to focus the resources on a single system rather than two. This may be in the form of one side being abandoned or getting replaced by a more advanced system.
Budget changes
If you need to get a budget approved by the board, it’s time for a technology audit.
Here are a few questions to consider:
Are you seeing a return on investment (ROI) from the technology you use now?
Do the number of people using paid subscription services equal the number of paying users? Or, what is the system usage rate?
Do the tools fit in with your long-term goals?
How to conduct a business technology audit
There are plenty of methods that can be used in auditing, so businesses must know what fits best for them. Consider:
How a tool is used in business processes
The cost to move to a different system
The greater the number of needs a single tool or system meets
Systems with overlapping functions
Can you scale your business with the existing tech stack?
A better approach to using these apps is to think about the business processes they support.
You should also consider how each tech tool affects employee performance and productivity. This will have a direct influence on the customer experience.
SALES
Should you build or buy a CRM?
What are some of the questions and considerations to ask before purchasing a CRM? In particular, let’s take a look at comparing build vs buy options.
The audit process: step-by-step
If you want to know if your technology is functioning, it’s helpful to ask some questions. These questions should be asked:
What tools am I paying for?
How many licenses/users does each program have?
What does each tool do?
What can we do to improve sustainability through the system?
Which systems are critical to business success?
How much does each solution cost?
Once you have a better understanding of what’s happening with the company and its technology, you should take these steps for conducting an IT audit. By going through these basic steps, you can spot potential issues and help prevent them from happening again.
Conduct a security sweep of the network and every device attached to it
Audit the software in use
Consolidate the hardware
Inspect all security and backup systems
Audit the document management system
Ensure the company has a strategic technology plan
Deciding on what you need
If you’re looking to operate as a remote company, here are a few crucial things that you need:
Secure and easy access tools
The human brain is faster than any VPN and will always use tools for which there are no rules. Making your worker’s day-to-day life harder ultimately leads them to find more efficient ways to do their job.
Working remotely has never been easier with apps like Slack, which is why it makes sense for companies to use remote collaboration tools.
Leveraging the cloud
As a result of the cloud and SaaS revolution, it is easier than ever to maintain a business. Businesses can reduce their expenses by storing as much data as possible off-site.
Increasing your cloud footprint means you save money. Ways to save include plugging into powerful services and implementing infrastructure as a service.
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