Duct tape and technical debt go hand-in-hand. Indeed, duct tape literally or figuratively applied as an all-purpose IT and Telecom fix leads to Technical Debt. We’ll explain what Technical Debt is, provide examples of how it keeps your clients stuck in an endless, unproductive cycle that pulls the organization down, and what you can do about it.
What is Technical Debt?
Technical debt has many names. Some call it “design debt,” “code debt,” or “deferred maintenance.” It results from prioritizing the quick and easy “duct tape” fix over doing things right the first time. It creates a situation in which resources must be budgeted or “refactored” for the long-term fix somewhere down the line. Ultimately, the quick and easy fixes begin to outnumber the long-term ones. As a result, you get tech sprawl, quirky or isolated tech stacks, and endless deferred maintenance costs.
How Does Duct Tape and Technical Debt Pull the Organization Down?
In short, the ball of ‘duct tape’ fixes grows until it undermines an organization’s ability to create customer value and deliver business results. This situation is the stark reality of technical debt, which demands immediate attention and action.
The duct tape dragon rears its ugly head in several places. Most notably in the form of a poor customer experience, lost revenue, and increased costs.
Poor CX
Poor CX occurs when outdated or suboptimal technology fails to meet customer expectations. As an illustration, here are a few retail industry examples:
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- An unforeseen network outage disrupts the ability to process transactions.
- Poor in-store connectivity renders a loyalty app useless.
- An overly complicated phone system results in constant dropped calls.
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Lost Sales
Lost sales are a natural outcome of poor CX.
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- If customers can’t complete a purchase, they put down their merchandise and turn to a competitor for their needs.
- If customers can’t connect in your steel and concrete retail bunker, they delete your app and unsubscribe from your mailing list.
- If customers can’t easily communicate with you to place an order or make an inquiry, they take their business elsewhere.
Increased Costs
Increased costs are a business decision at the intersection between “duct tape” fixes and investing in solutions that deliver long-term value. Here are a few examples:
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- Wisely investing in Managed Network Services (MNS) Monitoring saves money in the long run.
For instance, by proactively recognizing and remediating potential network outages before they cause a service interruption. This solution reduces/eliminates downtime and saves an organization up to $5,000 or more per minute.
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- Implementing proper Connectivity solutions improves the customer and employee experience, resulting in fewer lost sales, empowered employees, and better morale.
Leveraging a Technology expense and activity management solution like EnVision Life Cycle Management helps too. Enabling you get your arms around all your organization’s circuits, eliminating waste, and optimizing services for early and ongoing ROI.
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- In addition, POTS lines and Hosted Voice can be cost-effectively optimized to immediately reduce costs and increase customer safety.
Leverage solutions such as an All-In-One POTS Alternative and Simplified Hosted Voice. There’s no need to overpay for traditional POTS lines or to continue disappointing customers and frustrating employees with a complicated phone system.
What Can You Do to Address the Issue with Clients?
While everyone tries to do more with less, there’s a difference between doing the right thing and the easy thing. As a Technology Advisor or MSP, you can help your client rationalize the cost of “duct tape” fixes versus long-term solutions. In doing so, you can grow your reputation and MRR. Place yourself on the same side of the table as the client. Demonstrate the cost comparisons and potential savings and be instrumental in helping them pave the right path forward.
If you need help, EnTelegent Solutions is ready to partner with you. We can provide you and your clients with a free, comprehensive IT and Telecom consultation. You’re not alone in this. Contact our Sales Team for more information and support.
