MarkedQuery - Smooth Integrations Third-Party-Tools
January 28, 2022

Smooth Integrations with Third-Party Tools

Integrating Third-Party Tools

Businesses today have access to a vast array of technologies that can help them work faster, more efficiently, and more effectively.

Businesses today have access to a vast array of technologies that can help them work faster, more efficiently, and more effectively. For example, a company might have a website content management system (CMS), a customer relationship management (CRM) system, several eCommerce tools, and one or more solutions for tracking and analyzing the traffic to its website, to name just a few.

These types of solutions and others can help your company achieve tremendous success if they’re used the right way. Of course, the “right way” is key. Diving into a digital transformation initiative without careful forethought and planning can actually create as many problems as it solves—if not more!

The Dangers of Poorly Executed Technology Implementations

It’s not uncommon for a company to step back to admire its newly created digital ecosystem only to discover that:

And, everyone is left wondering, “How can this be? We spent a great deal of money on the best systems available and invested lots of time and effort in the project, but we’re no better off than we were before!”

Why does this occur? In most cases, a disappointing outcome is the result of poor planning. In particular, the company hasn’t given enough thought to system integrations. They’re eager to capture all the benefits of digital transformation—as they should be—but those responsible for the process forge ahead without considering the broader implications of decisions about individual technologies.

In short, the organization has a destination in mind but lacks a map for getting there.

Plotting a Course to Your Optimal Environment

When a digital ecosystem is crafted properly, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, so to speak. This is because there is powerful synergy between and among its components that makes all of them work more effectively.

The beauty of well-planned and executed technology initiatives is that they tend to exceed expectations and deliver many unplanned benefits. “Our teams are thrilled with how easy it is to [fill in the blank] now!” is an exclamation we often hear from clients.

But reaching that point doesn’t happen by accident. We know from experience that you’ve got to start with a well-defined map. In our work with clients, we begin by:

  1. Gaining an in-depth understanding of the various objectives of the project
  2. Listing all of the types of tools needed to achieve those objectives (CMS, CRM, etc.)
  3. Mapping how data must flow between and among those tools for maximum synergy
  4. Identifying the specific tools (i.e., the CRM from a particular provider) needed to enable those workflows

Understanding how the tools will integrate is essential, even though most mainstream products can be integrated with one another. Even a minor “mismatch” between two systems can lead to major problems.

 

Plotting a Course to Your Optimal Environment

When a digital ecosystem is crafted properly, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, so to speak. This is because there is powerful synergy between and among its components that makes all of them work more effectively.

The beauty of well-planned and executed technology initiatives is that they tend to exceed expectations and deliver many unplanned benefits. “Our teams are thrilled with how easy it is to [fill in the blank] now!” is an exclamation we often hear from clients.

But reaching that point doesn’t happen by accident. We know from experience that you’ve got to start with a well-defined map. In our work with clients, we begin by:

  1. Gaining an in-depth understanding of the various objectives of the project
  2. Listing all of the types of tools needed to achieve those objectives (CMS, CRM, etc.)
  3. Mapping how data must flow between and among those tools for maximum synergy
  4. Identifying the specific tools (i.e., the CRM from a particular provider) needed to enable those workflows

Understanding how the tools will integrate is essential, even though most mainstream products can be integrated with one another. Even a minor “mismatch” between two systems can lead to major problems.

 

Design-Test-Launch-Assess-Refine

By carefully mapping the integration of third-party tools before the “build process” begins, you position your organization for success in the steps that follow:

  • Design. Once we know what components will be used to create your new technology environment, we develop a design that leverages them all effectively.
  • Test.We never assume that integrations will function properly, even if we’ve implemented similar solutions for other clients in the past. Instead, we thoroughly test our work before going live.
  • Launch. While we’re attentive and responsive throughout every project, we’re especially so at the point where users are given access to the solution in a live environment.
  • Assess.A technology launch must always be “sandwiched” between testing on the front end and assessment on the back end. The fact that testing didn’t reveal any issues with system integrations doesn’t guarantee that there won’t be some issues—albeit minor ones in virtually all cases—after the systems go live.
  • Refine. Based on what your team and ours learn from seeing your new and newly integrated systems in action, we make any necessary changes to ensure that the solution is functioning as designed and meeting your needs.

One and Not Done

At MarkedQuery, we serve as a resource to our clients even after a project is successfully completed. Rarely do even the most effective solutions continue to meet a company’s needs indefinitely. Or, perhaps more accurately, rarely do a company’s needs remain the same indefinitely. 

New offerings. New markets. New customer expectations. There are countless reasons that businesses find themselves having to update or enhance their website and associated technological capabilities. Perfection is the enemy of productivity. We work to continuously improve solutions.

Companies find that using our team as an extension of theirs makes sense for many reasons, from cost to turnaround time to quality. They also like working with a group of professionals that is as invested in their success as they are.

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