Eliminate 73% of Your Business Software [Video]

Cut Costs and Simplify Workflows with WMOS

Hey AI Productivity Explorer,

How many tools do you think you use to run your business?

Go ahead, take a moment to count. Think about your project management app, your CRM, email marketing, social media tools, and that spreadsheet you keep insisting isn’t part of the problem.

The list gets long fast, doesn’t it? It only takes one free trial and a few clicks to “get in the cloud”.

Here’s the thing. Each of these tools probably felt like a great idea when you first started using them. “This will make things easier,” you told yourself. And maybe it did. For a while.

But over time, something happens. You add another tool and then another. Before you know it, you’re spending more time managing your software than managing your business.

You’re not alone.

Why?

Software overload is the hidden tax on growing businesses. It eats away at your time, burns through your budget, and scatters your data across a dozen platforms that don’t play well together. Instead of making life easier, these tools are creating silos, killing efficiency, and forcing you to juggle more than you ever signed up for.

The worst part?

It doesn’t just hurt your team’s productivity. It hurts your bottom line.

If you’re nodding along right now, wondering how things got so complicated, don’t worry.

That’s exactly what we will do in this and subsequent posts.

Before we dive into solutions, let’s explore the real cost of SaaS and why simplifying your stack is the key to running your business better.

Sections in this post:

• Why Consolidation Matters?

• Work Management Operating Systems (OS)

• How WMOS Can Simplify Your Business?

• The 5-Part Series: Simplify Your Business with WMOS

• Task Management Tools: The Overlap Problem

• Step-by-Step: Replacing Trello/Asana with Airtable [Video]

Why Consolidation Matters?

Let’s take a closer look at the problem with software sprawl.

The average small to medium-sized business uses 35 different software tools across various teams and functions. (Source: Martech.org)

Let that seep in a little bit. 35 tools!

The pandemic forced businesses to rethink everything, and technology became the backbone of survival for most SMBs.

Since COVID-19 began, 77% of SMBs reported increasing their reliance on technology (Source: AppDirect Inc).

But here is the big problem. 52% admitted to making poor SaaS investments during this time. That is a staggering number when you consider the time, money, and resources required to manage them all.

Let’s look at some of the issues related to SaaS adoption.

1. Cost Overload

Businesses spend thousands of dollars every year on subscriptions for tools they rarely use. A report by Blissfully found that the average company wastes up to 30% of its software budget on unused or redundant tools.

2. Data Chaos

With multiple tools, data lives in different places, creating silos. One system tracks customer information, another manages tasks, and yet another handles reporting. Without proper integration, this scattered data leads to duplication, errors, and missed opportunities.

In 2023, 82% of security breaches involved data stored in the cloud. Here’s where it gets worse when 39% of these breaches spanned multiple environments, costing an average of $4.75 million.

3. Integration Nightmares

Integration may sound like the solution, but stitching together multiple platforms often introduces more headaches. Each integration requires time, expertise, and regular maintenance. When something breaks, it disrupts your entire workflow.

4. Maintenance Overload

Every tool requires updates, troubleshooting, and support. Managing this patchwork of systems pulls your focus away from growing your business and puts you in constant firefighting mode.

5. Productivity Drains

Switching between tools is not seamless. Employees lose an average of five hours per week just toggling between applications. That is an entire workday lost every month for every team member.

Now ask yourself this: Is all this necessary?

When you break it down, the problem is clear. Many businesses use more tools than they need because they think specialized software will solve their challenges. In reality, all these tools create more challenges.

I call it the shiny object syndrome.

The solution is not about finding another tool but it is about consolidating.

Airtable and SmartSuite are designed for this exact purpose.

It is more than just a spreadsheet or a database. Airtable combines the functionality of multiple tools into one powerful platform. It centralizes your workflows, automates repetitive tasks, and eliminates the need for endless integrations.

By streamlining your software stack, you are not just saving money. You are simplifying your processes, empowering your team, and creating a system that works for you instead of against you.

Let’s break down exactly how Airtable helps you cut the clutter and take control of your business in this series.