How An Outdated ECM Strategy Could Be Holding You Back

We hear it all the time. Legacy ECM systems are holding organizations back. Have you stopped to consider that maybe the problem isn’t just your legacy system, but that it could be the strategy surrounding your ECM?

While the argument is valid that legacy ECMs can lack in functionality and often have less modern user interfaces, that is not the only reason ECM implementations fail. Let’s do a quick sanity check here. Who believes that the ways we manage, share, and store content have remained the same over the past ten years? I am assuming that anyone reading this disagrees with that statement. We all know that the way we share, manage, and store content has changed ten-fold over the past decade, and is continuing to change rapidly. And sure, the ECM system that you implemented five years ago probably doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that new systems do. But you can’t just blame the system for failure.

Think back to when you first implemented your ECM system. It was probably such a wonderful feeling to have finally finished this process. Well, that’s where you made your first mistake. The process never really ends. Even after an implementation of an ECM system, you must remember to set a strategy that will allow you to allocate resources maintain your system over time. This step is often missed or ignored by organizations, but it is one of the most important pieces to making your ECM implementation a success. At SeeUnity, we have seen what happens when organizations implement systems, ignore them for a few years, and then decide to move on from that system. For many, it may seem easier to jump ship than to upgrade and maintain the legacy system. While we do help organizations migrate from one system to another, we do also ask them if integrating best-of-breed systems, like their legacy ECM and CRM, collaboration solution, or file share, together might be a better solution to their problem.

In many cases, an outdated ECM strategy may ignore the possibility of integrating systems as new technology is available in the future. This is very easily where your strategy could begin holding your organization back. Instead of planning to move forward with technology in the future, organizations focus on the initial implementation of the system and leave it at that. This type of strategy is not sustainable for the long-term success of an ECM system.

When you feel like your legacy system is holding you back, we suggest you first take a step back and evaluate your ECM strategy as a whole. Identify areas in which integrations or upgrades might save you from spending a lot of time or resources to switch over to a new system. If you do decide on a complete overhaul of your ECM, don’t forget to include a new strategy that involves maintenance and updates in the future. It is also a good idea to engage with an ECM consultant or system integrator to help you through this process. For more information about how SeeUnity can help, please email info@seeunity.com.