My last update on the growing Technology Gap that exists in many firms was the third in a series of three discussing actions you can take to promote a plan to start upgrading or replacing technology solutions that no longer meet your operation’s current and evolving needs in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
And yet, this is update number four. But it isn’t really another option, it is the consequence of being unable to implement a technology plan to start closing the gap between what you have and what you need.
The intent of developing a detailed strategic plan, developed co-operatively with your colleagues, augmented with the results of a software audit, and further supported in the form of an external review of your technology environment, is to validate the need to invest in closing the technology gap.
The alternative is to do nothing, and remain as you are. The statement “Hope is not a strategy” has been used by so many people that it is difficult to determine who was the first to coin the phrase, but regardless, it is not a strategy, and hoping for the best makes sense only if one is planning and preparing for the worst.
No technology product, no matter how stable and reliable it has been, will function forever without periodic updates, bug fixes, and enhancements. No manual workarounds, no matter how well they have worked to date, will function forever without errors or failures. And no manual controls, even those working well, will manage to prevent errors and related losses forever.
The unfortunate truth is that those who entrust their technology future to legacy systems not being updated are destined to discover the consequences in a dramatic way at some future date. It is vital to win support for a managed technology upgrade program to prevent this outcome.
