Is your association or nonprofit struggling with legacy software solution and now considering more modern systems? Legacy software is common in the association and nonprofit industry. This is attributed to various factors. We have found some users often prefer to stick with familiar software that has been tried and tested over time. Additionally, some functionalities, such as membership renewals and event registration, may not require frequent updates because it rarely changes.
Some organizations lack the resources needed to carry out a complete overhaul of their systems. And some software solutions have become so ingrained in an organization that replacing them may be perceived as a risk to business continuity.
Replacing legacy software with more modern software is necessary for organizations to keep up with the ever-evolving technology landscape and meet the needs of their constituents. Legacy software can hinder growth, impede scalability, and increase security risks, while modern software can offer greater efficiency, flexibility, and innovation to help organizations stay competitive.
What are the indicators that suggest it’s time to initiate the replacement of legacy and proprietary software with more modern solutions?
- Increasing amount of time spent trying to access, report, and make sense of data.
- Inability or limited ability to integrate with other systems due to technical restrictions that cannot be quickly fixed; upgrading one system may result in losing integration with another system.
- Lengthy process (weeks or months) to make changes in the system(s) when a business process is changed.
- Dependency on the vendor to make even small changes to the system.
- Limited scalability
- Considerable number of manual operations and workflows that should be fully automated.
- Incompatibilities with other solutions.
- Decrease in adoption because user experience is dated.
- Your constituents have multiple logins to different areas of the website.
- The customer portal looks outdated.
- You are operating an old version of the software.
- Slow and reduced productivity
As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, legacy software can become outdated and unable to keep up with new business challenges. Maintaining legacy systems can be costly and time-consuming, as it requires constant updates and maintenance. Furthermore, legacy software may lack the advanced features and functionality that modern software solutions can offer, which can limit business efficiency and productivity.
The top 3 main reasons why associations and nonprofits should consider a modern system versus keeping their legacy software.
- Security Risks: Legacy systems pose a security risk because they are older technology that has not been updated. These systems lack regular maintenance and updates to fix vulnerabilities, leaving them vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
- Inefficiency: Legacy systems may have been efficient when they were purchased, but with the rapid advancements in technology, they can become inefficient and disrupt the ability to grow. For instance, a legacy system may not have the ability to scale as your organizational needs change.
- Lack of Insights and Information: Modern software applications offer advanced reporting capabilities and deep data insights that help support critical business decisions. Modern software companies invest billions of dollars in R&D a year, that result in cutting edge technology like automated Chatbots and AI. Legacy software oftentimes lack functional reporting tools and vendors are financially unable to keep up with the technological landscape.
Replacing legacy software can be a challenging task, especially if it is central to the organization’s operations. Some organizations rely heavily on these systems, and without them, the organization cannot function. Additionally, modernizing an outdated solution can sometimes require technical resources, subject matter experts and a substantial budget. In addition to the costs associated with upgrading the technology, going through an evaluation and selection of new software can be time consuming.
Software that has been used for years may still be adequate for the organization’s daily operations, but relying on outdated software can impede growth by limiting the ability to tackle new business challenges that arise.
About Systems Rewired:
Systems Rewired is a Salesforce consulting company that works with associations and nonprofits. If you are considering replacing your legacy software with a modern platform, contact one of our Salesforce association consultants today for a free consultation.