When is it time to switch to a Content Services Platform

Many organizations are actively considering whether to stick with aging, but functional enterprise content management (ECM) systems or whether now is the time to make the switch to a more modern Content Services Platform.

This question is particularly poignant for organizations that are now faced with upgrading one or more of their existing ECM systems, an activity that is often expensive and time-consuming.

For some companies, this is a viable option. In this circumstance, you should consider the following questions:

• Is the performance of your current ECM system adequate? Are end-users able to access information in a timely manner?
• Can your users (and your customers) easily find the right information? Can they access all of their information from a single system or interface?
• Is your planned upgrade relatively inexpensive? Will your planned upgrade take less than a month or two? Are the project timelines and deliverables clearly defined and achievable?
• Does your existing ECM system meet the current needs of your business? Are end-users (or customers) happy with the user experience? Will your ECM system enable you to support the future needs of your organization?
• Is it easy to move your current ECM system to the cloud? Does your vendor offer a low-cost solution to help you get there?
• Are you satisfied with the level of innovation and new features you are getting with your upgrade?

If your answer was "yes" to MANY of these questions, then simply upgrading your current system is likely a good option for your organization.

However, if you answered "no" to SOME of the questions above, here are some additional items to consider when weighing your options:

• Is artificial intelligence strategic for your organization? Are you looking for new ways to make critical information more accessible or to better automate your content-centric business processes?
• Are you working with new media types - such as video, audio, or social media - in routine business processes or customer interactions?
• Are there increasing demands to integrate your content with other business systems or to consolidate information silos in your organization?
• Is there a demand for new content applications in your organization that you simply can't meet with your existing systems? Do you want to adopt agile delivery methods? Would you like to be able to deploy new content apps and services in weeks, not months?
• Would you like to be able to better support mobile devices and use cases? Would this enhance your customer experience?
• Are you concerned about new consumer privacy regulations, like GDPR or CCPA, and your ability to efficiently consolidate or even delete customer information?
• Would you like to take full advantage of all the benefits that a cloud-native architecture offers?
• Is extreme scalability and the ability to manage even billions of objects a concern for your organization, now or in the future?
• Are your current ECM systems - no matter how functional - actually hindering your digital transformation efforts?

If you answered "yes" to ANY of these questions, the Content Services Platform route is the only path that will give you the tools you need to build for tomorrow.

The simple truth is that, for most organizations, the cost, time, and effort associated with upgrading existing, legacy ECM systems is better invested in the future. Contact us now to learn more about why the Iron Mountain InSight® modern, cloud-native Content Services Platform is the right choice for those who have made the decision to switch.