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The Hidden Costs of Using Poorly Supported Software

February 28, 20243 min read

No matter how well-designed your business software is, there are bound to be issues that arise - from simple bug fixes to significant updates - and if you're not getting proper tech support - it will cost you. 


The Cost of Poorly Supported Software

A 2020 report estimates the total cost of poor software quality (CPSQ) in the U.S. in 2020 as close to $2.08 trillion. And while it can be challenging to quantify the cost of poorly supported software in every situation, here are some common ways that poor support could be costing you: 


Data Security
Software is updated not just for functionality but security. Using outdated and unsupported software leaves your company open to cyber-attacks.

Cyber-attacks and potential data breaches can have catastrophic reputational and financial consequences. Research shows that over 560,000 new pieces of malware threats are detected each day. If your technology is not adequately supported, your risk increases exponentially. 


Migration/Installation Costs

Do you have a process to retire out-of-date software? If not, you'll wind up having to pay simultaneously for large software purchases and migrations.


Data Loss
If your backup solution needs to be updated, and the systems they help keep secure were to fail, you have a much higher chance of losing data. Losing any data is a problem, but explicitly losing customer or sales data could be catastrophic for many businesses.

Team Efficacy
Your team wants to do their jobs well, but they are only as good as the support they receive. Dealing with outdated software and an unresponsive support team will lead to frustration and lower morale.

Cost of Support
Legacy systems require more maintenance, and higher support can be cost-heavy. Deciding where your money is best spent is essential — would you rather pay to maintain out-of-date systems or integrate new custom software to help meet your business goals?

Decreased Productivity
Legacy software runs slower, takes longer to execute tasks, and requires much more time-consuming maintenance, patches, updates, and helpdesk calls than its newer counterparts. Because of this, it becomes even more crucial that you have the best support if you are going to maintain legacy systems.

Wasted Resources
While it's true that moving to an up-to-date custom solution requires an upfront investment, repairing an outdated system requires costly ongoing maintenance and repair. The older a system gets, the more expensive it will be to maintain.
 

Issue Resolution
90% of consumers worldwide have said that
issue resolution is their number one customer service concern.


To provide the best support possible, service technicians should experience including:

  • Maintaining software

  • Supporting legacy systems and software products developed by outside vendors

  • Storing source code for effective technical support and maintenance

  • Managing project documentation, user manuals, and run books


To Upgrade or Not

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Organizations that invest in replacing outdated legacy systems can avoid the concerns outlined above and significantly improve their overall productivity and security. However, upgrades aren't always feasible. If you need more years out of your legacy systems, you'll need a top-notch support team – so let our trusted experts take control for you.

Whether you need support for your existing systems or are ready to upgrade to cutting-edge technology, schedule a consultation with
ETHANY today to ensure your tech works for you, not against you. 

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Mike Dakin

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