Why Legacy to Cloud Migration Is Key to Your Growth

Despite technological advances and new digital trends, many businesses still use legacy software. Outdated systems cannot cope with the demands of modern businesses, and relying on them can be a significant barrier to growth. 

In fact, around 90% of businesses are being held back in terms of growth and efficiency due to legacy software.¹ Often, businesses don’t even realise that their legacy systems are the issue, and cannot identify the problems these systems cause that are preventing growth.

Three problems with legacy systems

1. Poor customer experience: Legacy software frustrates users and has a negative impact on the customer journey. Surveys show that 45% of customers will abandon a company after just one bad experience.²
2. Poor employee experience: Outdated legacy software harms employee productivity and workplace satisfaction. In fact, a recent survey revealed that almost 50% of employees would leave their job due to frustrations with technology.³
3. Poor brand image: Using legacy software will demonstrate that your company is not open to change or embracing digital transformation. This is likely to have a negative impact on employee retention, customer loyalty, and ultimately, profits. 

So how can your company overcome this barrier to growth? The simple answer is application modernisation. Migrating to the cloud will boost operational efficiency and take your business to the next level, but only when you upgrade your legacy technology to modern, cloud-based applications.

Suggested reading: Check out the guide Legacy Systems Are Costing Your Business Growth to find out more about the issues caused by outdated technology. 

What is legacy to cloud migration?

Cloud migration is the process of moving existing business applications from on-premises infrastructure to the public cloud. 

Moving applications to the cloud will take your business forward, but it requires the support of a cloud software partner. Data migration can be complex, but cloud specialists will ensure that the migration runs smoothly and causes minimal disruption to your business. After that initial migration, specialists can modernise your legacy applications and innovate new, cloud-native applications to boost efficiency.

This blog will discuss the key benefits of cloud application modernisation, and what you can do to ensure your business reaps the rewards of a seamless migration. 

Benefit 1: Cloud computing is more cost-effective 

Investing in cloud-native applications can seem like a waste of money if you can’t visualise the end product. However, relying on legacy software could cost you more money in the long run. 

A recent study revealed that employees waste around 46 minutes of their day when their business relies on outdated legacy systems. This equates to a loss of more than £3,000 per team member every year!⁴

Key takeaways: 

• Legacy software will prevent your business from growing at scale and achieving its full potential.
• The modernisation of legacy systems requires an upfront cost, but it’s a smart financial investment as it will reduce maintenance costs and support cost-efficient scaling. 
• Partnering with cloud software specialists will ensure that you get the most out of cloud native technologies and maximise your return on investment. 

Benefit 2: Your applications can adapt and thrive

The past two years have shown us that anything can happen. Organisations were forced to adapt and digitise at an unprecedented rate, and data shows that 78% of businesses now allow hybrid working.⁵ It looks like agile working is here to stay, with the majority of employees preferring hybrid work.⁶

Cloud-native applications support flexible work environments as they can be accessed from anywhere. They also offer on-demand scaling and can be upgraded to suit the fluctuations that could occur within your company.

Pro tip: Building scalable cloud native software can be difficult. Partnering with an experienced cloud solutions provider will ensure that your applications suit your business needs and give you the best results. 

Benefits 3: Business applications are tailored to your needs

Modern businesses must embrace digital transformation if they want to remain competitive. A report by Avanade revealed that 31% of technology within businesses is made up of legacy systems, despite 80% of companies believing that outdated software will harm business growth.⁷

Cloud based applications, built with the support of an experienced cloud software partner, can be developed with your specific business needs in mind. Managed application support also ensures that your business applications can be adapted as your company evolves. 

Suggested reading: Check out this blog if you want to find out more about the growth-enabling benefits of cloud databases. 

Benefits 4: Layered defences keep your sensitive data secure

Cloud architecture is more secure than on-premises, and both private and public cloud providers invest heavily in security innovation. 

Why the cloud is more secure than legacy systems

• Multi-layered protection: Cloud providers like Microsoft Azure offer layered security that protects against a wide range of attacks and reduces the risk of breaches. 
• Reduce human error: A cloud service stores data off-site and can only be accessed by authorised people. This reduces the risk of human error, which is responsible for around 82% of data breaches.⁸
• 24/7 monitoring: Cloud systems can be monitored 24/7 to look for potential threats and offer a proactive approach to cyber security. 

Why you should partner with a solutions provider 

Creating an effective cloud security strategy requires real expertise to ensure that your sensitive data is secure. Partnering with a solutions partner and opting for managed application support will improve network security and ensure your applications run smoothly. 

Are there other ways to modernise business applications? 

There are alternative approaches to modernisation that organisations may consider.

Legacy patch management: This is the process of updating legacy software and business applications to repair flaws. Patch management is time-consuming, and there is no guarantee that the update will resolve the fault. 

SaaS solutions: Software as a Service (SaaS) is a type of cloud service that allows the software to be delivered over the internet. It shares many similarities with cloud services, although it can be more difficult to customise and manage SaaS business applications. 

Pro tip: Relying on a cloud technology partner to design your modernisation strategy is the best way to ensure a smooth digital transition and maximise growth in your business. 

Unlock your business’ true potential with Talk Think Do

Migrating from legacy systems to cloud- native architecture will help your business operate more efficiently and achieve its full potential. 

Moving your existing system to a cloud service can be a difficult and time-consuming process – but it doesn’t need to be! Talk Think Do offers end-to-end support and bespoke cloud applications to fit your needs.

Don’t just take our word for it – see how we’ve been supporting businesses with legacy to cloud migration:

How we supported digital transformation at Explore Learning 

Challenge

Explore Learning is a leading private tutoring provider with 145 centres across the UK. They needed to adapt their business model and offer online lessons during Covid-19. 

We were asked to create a bespoke cloud native solution that would suit their unique requirements.

Solution

We integrated various API tools into their existing system to create a dynamic online teaching environment. Our cloud experts developed the solution with new features and optimised the existing features based on real-world feedback.

Results

Explore Learning was able to retain staff during the pandemic and their educational programmes were able to continue supporting families throughout the lockdown. 

The new online offering has proven so popular that, despite the reopening of the classrooms, a third of students use the online offering exclusively while the remainder uses a mix of both in-class and online learning.

Want to know more? Check out our full list of case studies to see how Talk Think Do turns ideas into results. 

Want to find out more about cloud technology? 

Here at Talk Think Do, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive, customer-focused experience. Our team will help you identify new business opportunities and maximise revenue by:

• Innovating new, cloud-native applications.
• Modernising your existing business applications.
• Providing dedicated customer support.

Book a consultation with our experts if you would like to learn more about maximising the benefits of cloud migration, and how it can drive growth in your business.

¹  Legacy systems holding back 90% of businesses | ComputerWeekly.com

² Which Industries Are Suffering Most from Poor CX? | Marketing charts

³ Nearly half of workers will quit their job if their workplace technology is not up to scratch | ZDNET

⁴ 4 Hidden Costs of Using Legacy Tech Stacks | Talent Tech Labs

⁵  Three-quarters of employers now offer hybrid working | CIPD

⁶ Majority of UK employees prefer hybrid work according to new report | Business Leader

⁷ Critical to digital transformation | Avanade, IT Modernization

⁸ Human Error is Responsible for 82% of Data Breaches | GRC eLearning