When your business is scaling fast, technology investmentdecisions become a balancing act. Go too big, and you risk overcommittingfinancially. Go too small, and your solution may quickly become obsolete.Either path can jeopardize your return on investment (ROI). So how do youstrike the right balance?

ROI: The Balancing Metric

At its core, ROI = (Gross Return – Cost of Investment) ÷Cost of Investment × 100.

To drive value, you want a solution that delivers a strong return relative to its cost. That doesn’t always mean spending less—it means spending wisely. Seek the Best Available Technology Economically Achievable(BATEA): solutions that align to your business needs and scale efficiently.

Technology Alone Doesn’t Deliver ROI

Technology investments only succeed when they’re integratedwith the right data, people, and processes. If a system “doesn’t work,”it’s often due to one of three things:

1. Misaligned processes and technology
2. Poor data quality (Garbage in, garbage out)
3. Lack of user training or adoption resistance

Ask the Right Questions

Before committing to a new system, challenge its alignmentwith your operations:

• Will this support our end-to-end processes, or force workarounds?
• Does it eliminate low-value admin work—or just shift it?
• Will it give us real-time, decision-grade visibility—or require offline manipulation?

Maximise Your ROI

Strong ROI comes from more than just the right platform.It’s enabled by:

• Optimised business processes
• Clean, well-structured data
• Fewer exceptions and rework loops
• Well-trained, confident users
• Deliberate change management

The return is not only financial

Providing the tools and processes that allow people to perform their job efficiently is a key driver of:

• Team engagement
• Staff retention
• Employee advocacy

Right-Size Your Investment

• Choose platforms with a roadmap and upgrade path
• Avoid over-customising—stay close to core for easier upgrades
• Forecast how licensing or usage costs grow with your business

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Switching out the tech to address issues elsewhere. If your issue is data, it will still be data with a shiny new tool
• “Cheap” starter packs that require costly add-ons
• Legacy bias: “We used this at my last job…”—unless the same people, processes, and data are coming with it, reassess from scratch

Getting it Right

Technology investments should be treated like any other capital allocation—scrutinised for how they will scale, integrate, and enable performance. Ask the hard questions up front and invest in what turns capability into value.

Need help assessing your technology options? Whether you're navigating rapid growth, rationalising legacy systems, or planning your next big move—I'm here to help. I work with executive teams and boards to evaluate technology investments through the lens of ROI, scalability, and alignment with your business strategy.

Let’s ensure your next investment delivers real value.📩Send me a message or connect to start the conversation