The Benefits of Consolidating Your Tech Stack

Streamlining Property Management with Spaciable

In today's digital age, businesses often find themselves entangled in a web of software subscriptions.  Each tool promises to improve efficiency in its particular area of operations, yet collectively, the sheer number of subscriptions can lead to a complex juggling act, fragmenting the workflow of its users, while hampering their productivity and inflating costs.

This phenomenon, known as ‘SaaS sprawl,’ is particularly prevalent in the property industry, where multiple platforms are used for resident communication, maintenance tracking, document storage, and more.

In this blog, we will explore the drawbacks of having a high tech stack and what can be done to mitigate these issues.

The Hidden Costs of a Fragmented Tech Stack

Recent studies have revealed the extent of the tech stack issue and highlight some key areas of concern.

 1.     Proliferation of Tools

Not so long ago, businesses could source applications and software to carry out myriad tasks but would often find gaps where processes still had to be carried out manually.  Fast forward to the 2020s and the difficulty is not so much filling in the gaps, but revolves more around the task of choosing from an abundance of solutions that can digitise the entire process, albeit on separate systems.  As data management provider, Kintone, points out, ‘The problem now isn't too little software, but too much.’ 

According to software management provider, Zylo, ‘Many organisations have become oversaturated with redundant and abandoned SaaS applications.’  Their Saas Management Index report revealed that the average organisation uses around 275 SaaS applications, and that, ‘For large organizations, this number skyrockets to an average of 660.’  Tech Republic points to a broad study carried out by Pegasystems Inc: ‘​After studying nearly 5 million hours of live desktop activity of operational support employees, the report found that the average employee switches between 35 job-critical applications more than 1,100 times every day.’  This constant switching from application to application forces our brains to multitask, and as Kintone points out, ‘Attempts to multitask lead to a 40% drop in productivity.’

2.     Rising Expenses

With the rising number of applications businesses are using comes a significant increase in cost.  ‘The amount of funds companies and consumers have spent on SaaS tools has skyrocketed in past years,’ reports procurement and spend management platform, Spendesk.  And this is not surprising.  According to Statista, ‘In 2024, there were approximately 9,100 software as a service (SaaS) companies in the United States.  Together, they had around 15 billion customers worldwide.  The United Kingdom takes the second place with 1,500 companies and 293 million customers worldwide.’  With all these SaaS companies come their sales and marketing teams, convincing businesses and end users that they can’t operate effectively without their solution.  This cost falls heavily on organisations.  Zylo explains that, ‘With too many apps, it becomes difficult for an organisation to achieve total visibility into all SaaS spending.’  Meanwhile the updated SaaS Inflation Index created by Vertice reveals that annual spending on SaaS has reached ‘Approximately $8,700 per employee, up from $7,900 in 2023.  This is an increase of almost 27% over the past 12 months.’ ​

While some companies are seeing the drawbacks in this level of spending, removing software from operations isn’t easy.  SaaS management platform, Productiv, points to the Gartner IT Symposium where it was revealed that, ‘25% of employees would consider leaving their job because they don’t have the tools they need.’ 

3.     Underutilisation

With such a high volume of SaaS being used in business operations, and a high cost to go with it, one would hope that at least these systems are being used to their full potential to help the business run smoothly.  Unfortunately, this has not been found in studies carried out in this area.  Productiv collated data that ‘Shows that the average percentage of engaged users across all apps is only 45%.  In other words, more than half of the SaaS licenses a company is paying for aren’t being used regularly.’  In fact, as digital PR boutique, Redline, highlight, ‘More than 50% of SaaS licenses remain inactive for a period exceeding 90 days,’ indicating inefficiencies in either the use or suitability of chosen software.

Evidently, there are financial and operational burdens of managing a sprawling tech ecosystem, but these are not the only challenges.

The Training Dilemma

Beyond costs, multiple software platforms necessitate multiple training programs.  Each new software demands its own training regime, consuming valuable time and resources.​

Each tool requires onboarding, leading to:

• Increased Training Time

Employees spend significant hours learning different systems.​  Initial training will last an average of 60 to 90 minutes, but the familiarisation of the new software can take days, or even weeks, before optimum usability is achieved.

• Inconsistent User Experience

HR consultancy service, SHRM, points out that, ‘Although adding new apps can be beneficial in many ways, the downside is that employees are struggling to keep up with the rollout of a new app each month.’  Varied interfaces can lead to confusion and errors, and a multitude of login and user details to remember.​ 

• Reduced Productivity

As mentioned above, users are switching between systems in excess of 1,000 times per day.  Time spent switching between platforms detracts from core responsibilities, which results in a reduction in productivity.​

Introducing Spaciable: A Unified Solution

To address these challenges, Spaciable offers a comprehensive solution for property management and resident engagement. Working as a single tool with a user-friendly interface, Spaciable streamlines processes and improves efficiency in key areas, including:

• Centralised Management

Handling maintenance requests, document storage, and tenant communications all in one place.​  A centralised platform fosters better communication among team members and residents, leading to improved service delivery and satisfaction.​

• Enhanced Resident Engagement

Providing residents with a seamless experience, from build-progress updates and move-in checklists to community notices and important information.​

• Simplified Training

With only one system to learn, onboarding new team members becomes more straightforward, and existing staff can deepen their expertise without the distraction of multiple tools.​

Benefits of Consolidation

Beyond the immediate operational benefits, consolidating your tech stack with solutions like Spaciable offers strategic advantages, inlcuding:

• Cost Savings

Reduce expenditures by eliminating redundant software subscriptions and consolidating your requirements on one platform.  If you would like an estimate of your monthly cost savings by using Spaciable, you can find out an approximate saving using our new ROI Calculator.

• Operational Efficiency

Streamline workflows to optimise the efficiency of your processes, leading to faster response times and improved tenant satisfaction.​

• Data Cohesion and Collection

Maintain consistent and accurate data across all property management functions.​  A unified system reduces the risk of data discrepancies, ensuring that all stakeholders have access to consistent and up-to-date information.​

Auditable trails of communication between you and your residents are available to review in cases of disputes, and to monitor for training and investment purposes.  Survey data, as well as feedback on services and facilities, can be used to understand areas for improvement, while also keeping check on resident satisfaction levels.

• Scalability

As your property portfolio grows, Spaciable scales with you, eliminating the need to adopt additional tools.​  New plots can be added to the platform with ease, as can any new developments as they become available to prospective residents.

• Competitive Edge

Streamlined operations and enhanced resident engagement can differentiate your services in a competitive market.​  Spaciable can be the tool that helps you stand out in terms of both your operational efficiency and your customer care.  With everything your home users need to live comfortably in their new homes available at the tap of a button, satisfaction levels increase, along with high-scoring reviews.

In an era where digital tools are indispensable, it's crucial to evaluate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your tech stack.  Consolidating platforms not only alleviates financial burdens but also enhances operational efficiency.  Spaciable provides a robust, integrated solution that addresses the multifaceted needs of housing providers in both the social and private sectors, allowing you to focus on delivering exceptional service without the overhead of managing multiple software platforms.

For more information on how Spaciable can transform your operations, please get in touch here.