Do You Have a Technology Problem?

Do You Have a Technology Problem? The Truth About Business Transformation

By Gregory Gorman – June 10, 2025

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on what it really takes to transform a business—not just on paper, but in the day-to-day operations where change actually happens. Having worked with companies at every stage of the journey, one thing has become clear: transformation is rarely just about one thing. More often, it’s an untangling of people and processes, combined with technology issues that have become misaligned over time. This post will unpack that idea and explore what it truly means to achieve successful business transformation.

"We thought we had a technology problem. Turns out, we had a people and process problem... with expensive software on top."

I’ve heard that line—almost word for word—countless times in my consulting work. It usually emerges after the dust settles from a failed ERP launch, a CRM no one uses, or a costly project management platform that doesn’t deliver as expected. It's understandable; when operations are stalled and teams feel stuck, it's tempting to assume that better software will resolve the issues.

However, after working directly with leadership teams, field crews, back-office accounting teams, and project managers across the country, I can confidently say: most companies don’t have a tech problem. They have a process problem and a people alignment problem. Technology just made it more expensive.

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The Real Work of Business Transformation

At Ascent Consulting, we’ve helped hundreds of construction and other businesses navigate the path from chaos to clarity. The common thread? Transformation never starts with a tool. It starts with the truth.

Here’s the reality: Buying software before untangling your processes is like installing a new roof on a building without checking the foundation. You might feel a sense of progress, but it won’t be built to last.

The Temptation of Technology-First Thinking

Today’s market is saturated with tools—ERPs, CRMs, scheduling platforms, dashboards, and AI-powered plugins. They all promise insight and efficiency.

However, what they don’t provide is the discipline to:

• Define how information flows across departments

• Build accountability around who inputs data

• Teach your team why a new process exists in the first place

That’s precisely why technology should never lead transformation. It should support it.

The Three Pillars of Sustainable Change

After countless walkthroughs, strategy sessions, and implementation rescue missions, I’ve found that lasting change stands on three fundamental pillars:

• Process: Clear, lean, and adaptable workflows are your baseline. You can’t automate chaos.

• People: If your team doesn’t understand or buy in, they’ll work around the technology—not with it.

• Technology: Once the first two are stable, the right tools can help you scale and sharpen execution.

Neglect any one of these, and you’ll find yourself right back where you started—only with less cash and more frustration.

What Happens When You Skip the Hard Stuff

I’ve walked into businesses where:

• $250K+ systems were barely used

• Multiple tools overlapped with no clear owner

• Project managers reverted to whiteboards and spreadsheets after a "digital rollout"

This ultimately leads to underutilized tools, over-budget implementations, and change fatigue that stalls future initiatives.

Here is what you should do instead:

• Start with an operational assessment – Focus on people, processes, and hand-offs, not just tech.

• Engage key team members early – Build bottom-up alignment, rather than relying solely on top-down mandates.

• Match tech to real, refined processes – Don't try to fit your processes to the technology.

• Train, reinforce, and evolve – Don’t "set it and forget it." Operational discipline is a culture that requires continuous effort.

If you’re considering a major change—whether that’s a new system or a full operational overhaul—pause and ask: "Do we have a tech problem, or do we have a team and workflow that technology alone won’t fix?"

At Ascent Consulting, we don’t just plug in solutions. We work alongside you to align strategy, operations, and systems—ensuring transformation is real, lasting, and scalable.

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