
How Legacy Software Modernization Impacts your Business Growth
Author: | Amr Fahmy |
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Last updated: | May 5, 2021 |
Categories: | Development |
Reading time: | 7 mins |
Today’s world is moving at a rapid pace; new technologies are changing our lives daily. Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword – it’s indispensable. To avoid falling behind, you must analyze your competitive edge constantly. Are your competitors offering more secure and user-friendly applications? Are they up to date with the latest technology requirements and providing stronger results? Asking yourself these questions will keep you ahead of the game, consider market trends and business dynamics, as well as make sure you are continually meeting your customers’ expectations. If your current systems lack security, flexibility, are not cost-effective, and cannot meet customer demands, you only have two options. You can either work on your legacy software modernization plan or build new software from scratch. We’ll compare both choices, so you can evaluate what suits your business needs best.
But first, let’s start with the basics.
Building on top of your legacy software is easy and convenient if slight changes are required. For example, it minimizes the risk of losing data or experiencing a business disruption in the short term. The development time is quick, which guarantees a fast go-to-market (GTM).
However, the more outdated the design or programming language, the more difficult it is to support its integration with other business-critical apps like mobile devices. They may lack the built-in integration capability, such as APIs, to connect to a third party. To overcome this issue, the legacy software requires much customization and coding effort. This is in direct contrast to nearly all modern technologies that easily connect to third-party apps.
Maintaining modernized legacy software can be a bit tricky. It is much easier to maintain your systems if they use well-known modern development languages. But most legacy systems use outdated programming languages. Furthermore, it might be challenging to find skilled software developers with deep experience in those old languages to maintain your modernized legacy systems.
It is crucial to consider long-term productivity gains and profitability. Providing your employees and customers with easy-to-use and secure apps is a competitive advantage you cannot ignore. Examine your legacy software, check to what extent the design is outdated or how your customers rated their experience with it recently. Also consider software that your suppliers, vendors, partners work with that impacts your collaboration, relationships, and ultimately your bottom line. Then decide which would make your clients, vendors, and partners happier: building on top of it or providing a new platform meeting UX and performance standards.
Though software legacy modernization might be cheaper than adopting an entirely new system, this remains a short-term success. When considering your market position, constantly assess the productivity gains, security protection, and added value you achieve in the long term. Agile and innovative platforms pave your way to scale in the near future. The more you stay efficient, create competitive advantages, and meet your customers’ expectations, the more you maintain your market position and increase your long-term profitability.
Going for legacy application modernization or building a new application from scratch, the choice is yours. There is no doubt that this step is vital for maintaining and optimizing your business. Although it might seem like a huge task, it will not be if you pick the right team. And this is the final step in taking a confident decision and setting a solid strategy. An experienced team can help you develop the right plan that suits your budget and business objectives.
Let us help you determine the best approach and build a business case. Talk to one of our experts at Book A Meeting.