Addressing the Evolving Challenges of Business Software


Tom Smyth | Updated: 29-09-2021 12:36 IST | Created: 29-09-2021 10:35 IST
Addressing the Evolving Challenges of Business Software
Image Credit: Rodrigo Santos from Pexels

In modern business, the use of digital software and computers is a strict necessity. This has been the case for decades, but the long-term usage of such systems is often misinterpreted. Though businesses need to constantly lean on software solutions, software is never timeless. Instead, it goes through constant evolution, both on the small and large scale, where keeping track and addressing each element is fundamental to business success. Taking a look at a few examples of this concept in action, we want to explore why staying current in the software sphere is not something a flourishing contemporary business can avoid.

Photo Credit: Flickr

The Building Blocks

On a direct business to the customer level, taking care of software evolution finds itself as a basis for ITSM. What Is ITSM (IT Service Management)? — Learn the Basics here. In a general sense, ITSM puts a focus on consistency over business/customer processes and technologies. This often manifests in the space of software, where keeping a strict standard of interaction can aid in streamlining the purchasing and deployment processes for both sides of the sales equation.

For a direct example of ITSM concerns with software, consider the act of upgrading a computer network to better aid in online sales. While new system software could be much more powerful than older solutions, if the systems are inconsistent in their appearance or functionality, customer relationships will falter. While there are many possible solutions here, common techniques to address this issue include building a classic storefront on top of newer software. Alongside this option, a business could also create a new storefront to run in parallel, to simultaneously offer all the advantages that more modern software can create.

The Social Media Issue

On an advertising and visibility front, few aspects of a modern business are going to be as important and challenging as social media. Like any other software system, these continuously evolve, but it's not just the software itself that changes. Also important are the prevailing attitudes and understandings that make up the social media sphere, which is similar in a constant state of flux.

Take how a social media system like Instagram worked a decade ago. As a software system, the increase in image and video quality has pushed the demand for high-quality imagery to new heights. This means businesses hoping to take advantage of Instagram need to consistently raise the bar of their photos and videos to stay relevant.

Aside from this, businesses also need to account for how much more social media has moved towards mobiles over the last decades. This development means a more targeted mobile approach to social media management, creating content better suited to the evolved phone market.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Balancing these aspects of evolving business software is achievable, but it's a discipline that requires long-term commitment and work. Those who rest on their laurels and assume that older but functional approaches are still viable risk falling behind. Business downturns due to failing to address software evolution can be slow and imperceptible at first, but they will eventually add up. It might take some time and effort, but businesses should seriously consider putting the time into researching the evolving software market, at least if they want to stay at the front of the pack.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)

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