Have you heard about the speed at which technology is evolving? Of course you have. Perhaps you’ve stumbled across an AI-generated blog (or ten) opening with ‘in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape’.
Despite being agonisingly cliche, the sentiment rings true—software is accelerating at a dizzying rate (sorry). As purveyors of a market-leading lost property solution, we are more aware of this than most and endeavour to sharpen our tools at every opportunity.
But as with most service providers, we do not fight alone. Our tech stack harnesses various pieces of software, helping us process information, store data and ultimately, deliver our service to clients.
It may sound obvious, but keeping all these pieces of the NotLost puzzle current is crucial for our quest. Today, we will explore the importance of updating software for all service providers, the dangers of not doing so, and how it ensures we operate at full capacity.
Security
All organisations handling sensitive information must treat security as non-negotiable. Keeping tech up to scratch ensures protection against the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by cybercriminals, and software vendors regularly release updates to fix vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. Frankly, you’d be a fool not to take advantage of them.
The latest software integrates with the latest security protocols and encryption standards, ensuring clients and/or customers know everything is being done to protect their data and ensure regulatory compliance.
Failure to keep up risks dire consequences. Firstly, data breaches and ransom attacks can be financially costly, due to the price of paying compensation or ransoms. A government survey found the average data breach cost in the UK was £8000 for small businesses and £12,500 for medium-sized businesses.
Aside from the upfront costs, the bigger issue can be reputational damage. If clients/customers lose faith in your ability to safeguard their data, they will almost certainly choose another vendor.
Improved performance and reliability
Much like we need exercise and the occasional grape to keep us ticking, software must be tuned regularly to achieve its potential. Updates often include optimisations that reduce load times, improve system stability, and, importantly, fix disruptive bugs.
For organisations (such as ours) offering solutions that boast improved efficiency, consistent performance is essential for continued value. Similarly, any tool operating in a time-sensitive environment will quickly become unfeasible should delays and issues become a regular, unwanted guest.
Updated software also optimises the use of hardware. As computing devices become more powerful, patches ensure tools can take advantage of improved capabilities, allowing them to do more with the hardware available.
Higher satisfaction and reduced churn
Regardless of who uses your product, an operational, secure tool goes a long way. The fact is, people are spoiled and expect their technology to be fast, intuitive, and responsive. With various service providers available across almost all industries, finding another solution isn’t that difficult.
Keeping the facets of your tech stack updated ensures customers/clients remain happy with what they have, preventing them from going to market in search of alternatives.
Connection with other tools
Like many other service providers, NotLost relies on a suite of tools, which, as you might imagine, communicate with each other to form a well-oiled machine. Updates facilitate integrations, API enhancements and improved authentication to keep these different elements speaking the same language
We’ve all heard the adage that a weak link breaks the chain, which is equally valid in the digital realm. Outdated elements reduce efficiency and bottlenecks, preventing your company from delivering its service.
How updated software helps NotLost
Without tooting our own horn too much, NotLost ensures its tech stack is kept in tip-top nick, ready for whatever the dynamic world of lost property throws our way.
Doing so ensures that when an item is handed in, it can be logged immediately. So, if a customer comes looking, it’s waiting for them and ready to be shipped back via our automated returns portal.
From the client side, this speed also means customer service enquiries are wrapped up sharply, thanks to the real-time searching of found items. The result is maximised efficiency and minimised frustration for both the customer and employee.
Finally, when large organisations (especially those in regulated industries) come knocking, we can safely say our security is up to scratch, providing peace of mind against growing cyber threats.
And who doesn’t want peace of mind?
Update your lost property process
If your organisation is struggling with lost property, you’re in the right place. NotLost’s market-leading software ensures the quick logging, easy searching, and timely repatriation of misplaced possessions, unburdening your team and delighting customers.