The Cost of Complexity event

Date: Thursday 27th March   
Time: 9:30AM – 11:30AM 
Location: We The Curious Science Museum, Bristol

The event focus

Recent global events have taught us that (almost) anything is possible. While predicting the future can be tricky, being prepared isn’t. Guided by our technology leaders, our roundtable session focused on how to best equip your business with the digital tools to drive long-term growth.

Doing More with Less

The economic climate still feels uncertain. In many cases, marketing budgets are shrinking – some by up to 75%, meaning it's a time when businesses need to rethink how they use technology. 

The goal of the event was to inspire and educate attendees on solutions that enable your business to achieve more by using or spending less through adopting tech that enables.

The challenges businesses face

After a brief intro from true’s MD, Rich McCloskey, the conversation opened up with businesses sharing some of the complexities they face within their organisations. Common hurdles that we heard about, and have seen across our existing clients include:

•  Struggling to align stakeholders with different business needs and define what is essential right now.

•  Dealing with inherited systems and the significant resource costs of migration.

•  Managing rapid expansion— scaling venues and maintaining consistency across multiple sites.

•  Implementing new ERP systems while balancing immediate operational needs with long-term strategy. 

Strategies for overcoming complexity

Mats Persson, CEO of Umbraco, took to the floor to introduce Umbraco and discuss his take on how businesses can navigate some of these complexities:

• Best of Need vs. Best of Breed – It's easy to get caught up in flashy features or the latest trend, but the smart move is to choose tools that actually meet your business’s real needs. Avoid costly, unnecessary solutions by focusing on what truly serves your business.

• Start Small & Strategic – Your website doesn't need to wow everyone right away. Focus on creating a great experience for a smaller group first—if they love it, they'll come back and help it grow.

• Composability in Tech – Think of your tech like Lego building blocks. A Composable DXP lets you create something that fits your business perfectly—and you can add on as you grow, without redoing everything from scratch.

Putting it into action

Matt Sutherland, talked through two case study of how Aardman and TCMM Shutter Group used composable technology to simplify their brand’s digital approach - moving away from disconnected systems created a more efficient and flexible platform that could easily adapt to changing business needs.

Wondering what “composable architecture” or a DXP even is? In just 30 minutes, our webinar breaks it all down — no buzzwords, just straight talk.

Watch it here: How can composability reduce website costs and increase ROI?

Want to hear how Aardman helped bring multiple brands together under one digital roof? Catch Matt as he dives into the Aardman case study and explains the benefits of going headless. Watch our second webinar in the series here: the case study kicks off around the 14-minute mark.

A summary of takeaways:

• Start with what matters most – Tackle your biggest needs over the next few months. Kerrie Crawford-Hackley, from St Austell, stressed the importance of focusing on the present rather than getting caught up in the next three years.

• Let tech grow with you – Choose platforms that can scale as you do so you're not stuck with expensive rebuilds later.

• Work smarter, not flashier –  Don’t focus on the latest tools, but instead work towards smart, steady improvements. Concentrating on composable and scalable solutions tied to real business goals will stand your business in good stead and help keep costs in check.

Thanks to attendees from Guerrilla Pubs, St Austell  Brewery, TCMM Shutters, and Bath University for attending.

Fancy attending our next event? Drop Mike.Johnson@truedigital.co.uk a line.