- Two out of three say they are being held back by being tied to a single provider
- Vendor and platform lock-in has proven to be expensive
- Shift increases cost and complexity in the short term
We’re all familiar with vendor lock-in at this point, but new research from Reach has highlighted another issue – all-in-one lock-in – which also points to businesses and enterprises being tied to singular tools without the ability to mix and match the best elements from multiple providers.
According to the data, more than two-thirds (68%) say their business would grow faster if they were not tied to a single provider, with 65% expecting more revenue. A similar number (67%) of business leaders also claim that lock-in prevents them from adapting.
Furthermore, by being locked into single suppliers and ecosystems, business leaders also report hidden costs (73%), which increase consumption by a third (35%) on average.
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Supplier lock-in is by far the biggest problem
“Companies often adopt all-in-one platforms for convenience, but what appears simple at first can limit flexibility, increase technology debt and reduce control as companies expand into international markets,” explained CEO Sam Ranieri.
With so many businesses locked into specific ecosystems, two out of three now pay for additional tools and solutions outside of their core platforms, and only 16% are currently satisfied.
However, it’s not as simple as just pulling the plug – nearly two in five (38%) worry about downtime or lost sales if they were to switch, with 36% worried about switching costs and 35% stating they don’t have the time or resources to switch.
Looking ahead, companies say they are set to focus on customizing tools for specific business needs (56%) more than anything else, but also want to take full ownership and control of their data (42%).
Overall, Reach expects software stacks to change, citing flexibility and modularity as new trends, but for now, companies are struggling with time, money and threats of disruption.
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