Around two millennia ago, in the Ionian city of Ephesus, Heraclitus, one of the most important figures in the history of philosophy, was born. Heraclitus spoke of ‘everything flowing’, meaning that the universe is in a constant state of turbulence and flux.
His idea that 'the only constant in life is change' is captured by one of the most profound and influential sayings in the history of western civilisation:
Everything changes and nothing remains still; and you cannot step twice into the same stream.
Looking at this through the lens of technological change within business I would posit that the inability to embrace change can in fact result in slow growth or lack of progress.
At Candyspace we see technology platforms as being key enablers and the foundational underpinnings of both business growth and great customer experience. Modern web technology stacks are the very foundation by which digitally enabled businesses are able to adapt to change, transact, deliver content and adapt to market trends and consumer habits.
We work with a wide range of businesses all at varying stages of digital maturity. In our experience, as business evolves it is essential that it is supported by a set of highly scalable, secure, performant set of technologies that enable (not hinder) this growth. Let's not forget, a business’s web platform is its brand!
Here are a number of key indicators that you may have outgrown your technology stack:
1. Performance Issues
A website's performance is not just a technical metric, but a reflection of a brand's commitment to its customers. Slow website speeds or frequent crashes can negatively impact a brand's image. Research suggests that over 50% of users leave a website if it doesn't load within a few seconds or less.
Customers encountering a lagging website might not return, leading to lost sales and eroded brand trust. We use a variety of tools (such as GTMetrix and SiteImprove) to ensure that all digital products are fully optimised for performance in the hands of our customers.
2. Poor User Experience
User expectations are ever-evolving so delivering a contemporary, intuitive user experience is non-negotiable. If a platform cannot be updated to meet these changing standards, it might deter users and lead to decreased engagement. Technology needs to be an enabler of great digital experiences and brand engagement, not a barrier.
At the same time, the experience of internal content editors is often overlooked. If the marketing team is struggling to update or manage content it can delay campaigns, hamper SEO efforts, and lead to inconsistencies in the brand narrative. Don't forget to think about all of your use cases.
Every digital experience we have is subconsciously compared to the most recent favourable experience – and the bar is continually being raised. From a consumer perspective a poor ecommerce experience can lead to a loss of trust in your brand – never before has the mantra been true that ‘trust is always hard to win and easy to lose’.
3. Increasing Operational Inefficiencies
Efficiency isn't just about speed—it's about optimising resources and effort. If teams are bogged down by platform-related issues, they are being diverted from core business objectives and growth opportunities. It's essential to weigh the cost of maintaining an older platform against the investment in a new one.
When maintenance becomes prohibitive, it's not just about the monetary expense, but also the opportunity costs associated with potential downtime, lost functionalities or time wasted maintaining technical debt. Digital product teams should be focused on optimising their digital stack for increasing engagement rather than feeding and watering legacy systems.
4. Scalability Issues
The capacity to scale seamlessly is the backbone of businesses aiming for expansion and growth. A platform that falters during high-traffic periods or struggles to accommodate increasing customer demand can be brand damaging. It's not just about handling increased traffic, but about nurturing and fostering customer trust during these peak times.
5. Limited Integration Capabilities
Modern businesses are ecosystems interconnected by various tools and platforms. Limited integration capability isn't just a technical constraint, it's a potential hindrance to holistic business growth.
Without robust integrations—from CRM systems to experimentation and advanced analytics tools—a business might miss out on valuable insights, leading to slower decision-making and a more labour-intensive workflow.
6. Security Concerns
A legacy platform that is not receiving regular security updates poses a significant business risk. An outdated platform, or one that doesn't adapt to emerging security threats, can jeopardise a business's reputation, customer trust, and even lead to significant financial and legal repercussions.
As technology leaders we really need to ask ourselves: are we spending our IT budgets patching and maintaining our legacy systems or are we spending our valuable tech resources building out the next generation of customer experience?
No matter where you are on your journey to digital maturity, we can help you move forward with confidence.
