When the Tech Isn’t Working: Don’t Throw It Out (Yet)

You’ve invested in new technology. It’s meant to streamline, automate, or revolutionise your work. But instead of smooth sailing, you’re staring at frustrated staff, clunky processes, and results that don’t look much different from before. The temptation is to throw your hands up and say, “Well, this was a mistake.” But before you pull the plug — don’t.

Often, the problem isn’t the technology. It’s the setup around it.

Start with Why

Go back to the original question: why did you buy this technology in the first place? What problem was it meant to solve? It’s surprisingly easy to lose sight of that once implementation starts to get messy. The tech might still be the right tool — but if it’s been dropped into a bad environment, it’s only going to amplify what’s already there.

Putting Good Tech in a Bad Setup Makes Things Worse

Technology doesn’t magically fix dysfunction. It tends to magnify it. If your processes are clunky, your governance unclear, or your people unprepared, then even the best platform will make those problems more visible — and more painful.

So before you talk about replacing the system, take a step back and look at the environment it’s sitting in.

At Mayflower, we look at three key areas — People, Process, and Governance (PPG) — to understand what’s really going on.

People

Was there effective change management when the technology was introduced? Were people trained, involved, and supported through the shift? If the rollout felt like a “here’s your login, good luck” moment, that’s a flag. Often, revisiting change management — not the tech — unlocks the value you were hoping for in the first place.

Process

Is the technology integrated into your processes in a way that helps, or is it getting in the way? Sometimes a tool is set up to replicate old ways of working instead of enabling better ones. The technology might be fine — the process just hasn’t caught up.

Alternatively, has the tech been configured to make life easier, or was there an element of ‘quick and dirty’? Maybe the time ran out. Maybe the budget ran out! Regardless, you’re dealing with it now.

Governance

Finally, what oversight do you have in place to make sure the technology is delivering what it should, and that it evolves as your organisation does? Without governance, things drift. Decision-making gets reactive instead of strategic, and frustration follows.

The Bottom Line

When technology isn’t delivering, it’s rarely because the tech itself is “bad.” It’s because something around it or in it isn’t working. Looking at your people, process, and governance can help you understand where things went sideways — and how to fix them.

If you’d like to explore how to get your technology working for you (not against you), we’d be happy to talk.

Sarah Penn
CEO, Mayflower Consulting