TABLE OF CONTENTS
After a system meltdown of historic proportions this travel season, Southwest is still picking up the pieces. While airlines across the United States experienced weather-induced delays, the trouble at Southwest was uniquely its own – and it serves as a cautionary tale for businesses with systems that are creaking with age.
Quick – do a systems health check rundown. Do you check any of these boxes?
The Southwest system failures in 2021, and again recently in 2022 are a sobering reminder of the importance of implementing software that can scale with a business as it grows. As companies expand, their systems and processes must evolve to accommodate the increased demand. Failing to do so can lead to costly disruptions, and a lot of customers left out in the cold (pardon the travel pun). One of the key advantages of software that can scale with a business is that it allows companies to avoid the costs and headaches of constantly having to replace or upgrade their systems. With scalable software, businesses can gradually add more capacity as needed, rather than having to overhaul their entire infrastructure all at once. This not only saves on costs but also reduces the risk of system failures and disruptions. Another important aspect of scalable software is its ability to handle unexpected spikes in demand. This is particularly important for businesses that operate in highly competitive or rapidly changing markets, as it allows them to respond quickly and effectively to changes in the environment. To ensure that your software systems can scale with your businesses, it is important to regularly review and update them. This includes conducting regular system audits to identify and fix any potential bottlenecks, as well as testing your systems to ensure they can handle increased loads. Additionally, you should also consider using cloud-based solutions and cloud-native technologies, which can provide additional scalability and flexibility. These technologies will allow your business to easily add or remove resources as needed and can help them avoid the costs and complexity of maintaining their infrastructure. Practice good system planning by leveraging the following framework:
- Outdated, legacy systems that haven’t been upgraded in years
- Difficulty executing cross-system workflow to ensure business flow
- No single source of data truth across your teams
The Southwest system failures in 2021, and again recently in 2022 are a sobering reminder of the importance of implementing software that can scale with a business as it grows. As companies expand, their systems and processes must evolve to accommodate the increased demand. Failing to do so can lead to costly disruptions, and a lot of customers left out in the cold (pardon the travel pun). One of the key advantages of software that can scale with a business is that it allows companies to avoid the costs and headaches of constantly having to replace or upgrade their systems. With scalable software, businesses can gradually add more capacity as needed, rather than having to overhaul their entire infrastructure all at once. This not only saves on costs but also reduces the risk of system failures and disruptions. Another important aspect of scalable software is its ability to handle unexpected spikes in demand. This is particularly important for businesses that operate in highly competitive or rapidly changing markets, as it allows them to respond quickly and effectively to changes in the environment. To ensure that your software systems can scale with your businesses, it is important to regularly review and update them. This includes conducting regular system audits to identify and fix any potential bottlenecks, as well as testing your systems to ensure they can handle increased loads. Additionally, you should also consider using cloud-based solutions and cloud-native technologies, which can provide additional scalability and flexibility. These technologies will allow your business to easily add or remove resources as needed and can help them avoid the costs and complexity of maintaining their infrastructure. Practice good system planning by leveraging the following framework: