5 Strategies for Implementing Your Dream Tech Stack

Strategy #2: Leverage existing cloud provider partnerships 

Enterprise organizations use cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google for scalable and cost-effective computing power. These platforms provide on-demand access to services that help companies innovate faster, build and optimize products, scale resources, and reduce up-front infrastructure costs. In essence, cloud providers allow businesses to focus on their core mission while leaving the complexity of infrastructure management to the experts.  

The cost of cloud computing services is typically based on consumption, but bulk discounts often apply—so the more you use, the more you save. In order to make the most of these cloud provider relationships, it’s critical to first know whether your company has committed spend with one or more cloud providers. (Finance is a great place to start for this information.) 

So how does all of this relate to software implementation? When companies make a software purchase on their cloud provider’s marketplace, that expense will typically count toward their annual cloud spend commitment. So, for example, a company looking for a reliable, enterprise-grade eSignature solution could purchase Conga Sign through the AWS Marketplace and use the cost to retire a portion of their committed AWS spend. In the current macroeconomic climate, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get budget approval for new technology, so this approach lets you use funds that are already committed to get the solutions your company needs—and avoid under-utilizing those cloud spend commitments. 

Strategy #3: Exercise application rationalization 

In today’s business environment, the cost of literally everything is rising—but budgets are not increasing at the same rate. So it’s important to ensure that every tool and solution is truly needed. Application rationalization is the process of strategically cataloging business applications organization-wide and taking steps to determine which should be kept, replaced, retired, or consolidated. There are two critical parts to this strategy. 

First, take a critical and holistic look at all your business applications—including those that may have been inherited over the years through mergers and acquisitions. More likely than not, you’ll find multiple solutions filling the same role—or even multiple instances of the same software platform. By retiring or decommissioning duplicate solutions, you can reduce hidden costs and directly improve your company’s bottom line. 

Second, recognize that software is not your only option. Technology and automation have their place, but it’s important to consider whether you can get the same results through more efficient and effective use of human capital—for example, by creating a new process or investing in training. When you do decide to invest in new technology, be sure that your employees are getting the best out of the systems available—ideally by leveraging what’s already available within the business or implementing a single, consistent solution across the organization.  

Strategy #4: Leverage vendors with a suite of offerings 

Consolidating vendors, as discussed above, can often create economies of scale—giving organizations the ability to purchase more at a lower price. And the fact is, many vendors offer multiple solutions to meet a variety of related business needs. So working with a single technology partner can be far more efficient than selecting individual point solutions from different vendors. 

For example, Conga provides multiple solutions that integrate seamlessly together to drive business efficiency across the entire revenue lifecycle—including document generation, CPQ, CLM, eSignature, and more.   

Identifying vendors that offer multiple solutions can drive massive efficiencies and reductions in overhead. It’s easier for end users because they can get familiar with a single, integrated solution. And it requires fewer IT resources to maintain those integrated systems, as opposed to having multiple point solutions that must be stitched together with a custom interface.  

Strategy #5: Evaluate time to adoption + change management 

Whether you’re expanding your tech stack with a new vendor or purchasing additional software from an existing partner, it’s critical to understand exactly what the project entails. That means sitting down with both your IT team and any internal stakeholders to make sure you’re aligned on what you’re trying to accomplish, how much it’s going to cost, how it’s going to impact the business, and what the timeline looks like. 

Just as importantly, you need a detailed view of the change management process required to ensure successful adoption of the new software. There’s nothing worse than spending time, money, and effort to implement a new solution, only to have it rejected because users don’t understand it and weren’t involved in the process. So begin with the end in mind, and keep your stakeholders involved throughout. 

For more detail from this insightful discussion—plus an actionable “playbook” for executing these strategies and Q&A from our live audience—you can watch the webinar recording above.