Is Your Agency Using Too Many Tech Tools?

The allure of technology in each stage of business is undeniable. Each new platform promises to revolutionize your agency’s workflows, increase sales, optimize marketing efforts or help you achieve another elusive goal.

While many software platforms have the potential to generate results, they won’t be very effective if they’re siloed and costing you more than they should. 

How a Tech Stack Expands Over Time

In the early days of running a business, it’s common to solve problems one at a time without thinking of the cumulative impact. For example, when you discover that spreadsheets aren’t working to keep track of your invoicing, you go out and look for a billing solution. Then, when your team loses information about a potential sale, you seek out a CRM. And so on.

It’s easy to get carried away and end up paying for many tech tools that you’re not using wisely — or at all. You could end up with one or more platforms for time tracking, proposals, project management and every other function of your client work stages. Even if a singular tool is affordable on its own, the expense isn’t worth it unless it aligns seamlessly with all of the other solutions you’re using.

There are also tangential costs that could be racking up in the background, including the time and effort it takes for your team to learn, integrate and manage tech effectively.

Signs Your Agency Is Using Too Much Tech

Excess tech is a common problem for lots of agencies, but you may not know for sure that you’re in this position. How many platforms is too many?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all number that’s right for every agency, but there are several telltale signs you have too many tech tools. You might notice:

• Overlapping features: One clear sign of tool overload is redundant functionality. It’s not only unnecessary to have more than one platform with the same capability, but it can lead to confusion and inefficiency for your team.

• Data fragmentation: If you struggle to compile and analyze data because it’s spread across various tools, it’s time to take a step back and reevaluate why you use each one.

• Dissatisfied team: When your employees express frustration or start making mistakes due to consistent switching, their productivity and enthusiasm are being hindered. Worst case, you could experience high turnover.

• Integration hassles: Some tech tools might not integrate well with one another, causing unintended bottlenecks to arise.

➡️ Register now for our on-demand webinar and discover whether your agency has a tech stack problem.

Outcomes of Platform Consolidation

Consolidating your tech stack can bring about short-term and long-term positive returns, including:

• Cost savings: With consolidation comes the opportunity to streamline expenses. By eliminating overlapping tools and optimizing your software choices, you can significantly cut back on costs.
• Enhanced efficiency: Fewer tools mean less time switching between them. Your team will have more time to focus on meaningful tasks — and more of that will be billable.
• Better data insights: Moving data into a centralized system allows for more accurate data generation and analysis. With a comprehensive view of your agency’s performance, you can make more informed decisions about strategy and operations.
• Simplified training: Training employees on numerous tools is time-consuming and inefficient. Develop a faster onboarding process and reduce frustration for your team by choosing tech that fits together nicely.
• Improved collaboration: A unified platform fosters better collaboration because it houses all of the critical information your teams need to know without requiring time-consuming internal communication across tools.

Exclusive Webinar for Agency Leaders

Suspect your team is using more tools than they need? Evaluate your tech stack with us! 

Join our on-demand webinar and dive into this common agency problem by discussing:

• How many tools the average agency has
• Why so many agencies end up with too much tech
• The real costs of having too many platforms at once
• The impacts of disjointed tech on your client journey

Register and watch now! 

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About the Author

Whitney Luke is Director of Solutions Consulting at Accelo, where she and her team help prospective customers identify and solve challenges in managing their client work. In over three years at Accelo, Whitney has onboarded several hundred clients. Her favorite part of the job is getting to know talented business leaders and seeing the huge impact Accelo can have on efficiency and profitability.