Your Tech Stack Is Too Big: Streamlining Marketing Tools for Actual ROI

Introduction: Is Your Tech Stack Doing More Harm Than Good?

Over the past decade, business leaders have been inundated with the latest and greatest tech solutions, all promising to drive efficiency, improve customer experiences, and increase revenue. Sales, marketing, finance, and operations teams have eagerly adopted new platforms to stay competitive — from CRMs and automation tools to data analytics platforms and communication apps.

But instead of boosting performance, the result has often been the opposite: an overstuffed, fragmented tech stack that complicates workflows, creates data silos, and bleeds budgets.

A report from HubSpot reveals that the average marketing team uses 12 different tools to execute a single campaign — yet only 22% of marketers believe their tools are integrated well enough to provide a single source of truth. [source]

This patchwork of tools leads to:
✅ Conflicting data
✅ Unnecessary costs
✅ Poor customer experience
✅ Internal confusion

It’s time for a strategic reset. A leaner, more streamlined tech stack can improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, and significantly boost ROI. Here’s how to conduct an effective audit and start simplifying your systems.

1. The Problem With Overlapping and Redundant Tools

How We Got Here

The rise of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms has made it easy for departments to adopt new tools without going through IT or procurement. Over time, this has created a chaotic environment where:

• Marketing, sales, and operations are using different CRMs or automation tools.
• Multiple platforms provide overlapping features like email automation, customer segmentation, and data visualization.
• Data is scattered across different systems, making it difficult to get a unified view of customer behavior.

The Impact of Redundancy

A study by Blissfully found that the average mid-sized company uses over 130 different SaaS apps — and spends up to $10,000 per employee annually on SaaS licenses. [source]

But here’s the kicker: 39% of these tools have overlapping functionalities — which means companies are paying for capabilities they already have elsewhere.

According to Paul De'ath, Director at Secret Source:

“Managing lots of different unconnected systems creates confusion internally among stakeholders, but also among prospects, customers, and business partners in the marketplace.” (Secret Source) 

2. Why a Bloated Tech Stack Hurts Your ROI

1. Increased Costs

When multiple tools do the same job, you’re not just paying for extra licenses — you’re also wasting budget on training, maintenance, and support.

A report by Gartner found that businesses waste up to 29% of their SaaS spend on redundant or unused tools. [source: Gartner]

2. Poor Customer Experience

Customers now expect a seamless omnichannel experience. When data and workflows are spread across multiple systems, it creates:

• Inconsistent messaging across channels.
• Slow response times from customer service.
• Conflicting customer data between sales and marketing.
  

  3. Slower Decision-Making

Fragmented data makes it harder for business leaders to get a clear picture of performance. Decision-making becomes slower and less informed because:

• Data from different platforms doesn't align.
• Teams have to manually consolidate reports.
• Performance metrics are inconsistent across systems.

3. How to Streamline Your Tech Stack for Maximum ROI

Step 1: Conduct a Tech Stack Audit

Start by conducting a full audit of your current tech stack. Work with all department heads to map out every tool being used and its purpose.

According to Nicholas Carlson, a Secret Source Specialist:

“Our team conducts tech stack audits for business leaders around the world and uncovers the ‘unknown unknowns’ — the tools and processes that companies don’t even realize are holding them back.”

✅ List out every tool, platform, and app being used.
✅ Identify which teams are using which tools.
✅ Document the cost of each tool (including hidden costs).
✅ Map out any overlap in functionality.

Step 2: Evaluate Usage and Performance

Once you have a full map of your tech stack, analyze how each tool is being used:

• Are teams actively using the tool?
• Is the tool driving measurable business value?
• Does it provide unique capabilities, or does it duplicate another platform's function?

Cut any tools that aren't being used regularly or aren’t contributing to measurable business results.

Step 3: Consolidate Tools Where Possible

Rather than using separate platforms for CRM, marketing automation, and customer support, consider consolidating these functions into a single platform.

According to Alistair Knox, CIO at Secret Source:

“Simplification of systems and processes is the key. It’s easy to envision but difficult to execute without some objective help.” (Secret Source)

Modern CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho now offer integrated solutions that cover:
✅ CRM
✅ Email marketing
✅ Social media scheduling
✅ Analytics and reporting
✅ Customer service

Consolidating to a single platform reduces costs, improves data consistency, and simplifies reporting.

Step 4: Automate and Integrate

Once you’ve reduced the number of tools, focus on building automated workflows and seamless integrations:

• Automate data transfers between platforms.
• Set up triggers and notifications to keep teams aligned.
• Ensure that customer data flows seamlessly between sales, marketing, and support.

Step 5: Measure and Optimize

After streamlining your tech stack, continuously monitor performance:

• Track user adoption of new platforms.
• Measure cost savings from reduced licenses.
• Monitor customer experience improvements (faster response times, fewer complaints).

Adjust and refine the stack based on real-world results.

4. The ROI of a Streamlined Tech Stack

A leaner, more efficient tech stack leads to tangible business benefits:
✅ Lower Costs – Reduced spending on licenses, training, and support.
✅ Higher Productivity – Fewer platforms mean less time spent switching between tools.
✅ Better Customer Experience – Consistent messaging, faster response times, and unified data.
✅ Increased Revenue – More efficient sales and marketing efforts translate to higher conversions.

✅ Tech Stack Streamlining Checklist

Use this quick checklist to streamline your tech stack:

✔️ Conduct a full tech stack audit
✔️ Identify overlapping and redundant tools
✔️ Evaluate usage and business impact
✔️ Cut tools that aren’t providing value
✔️ Consolidate functions into a single platform
✔️ Automate workflows and integrations
✔️ Monitor and measure performance

📥 Get the Guide: Streamline Your Tech Stack for Better ROI

Ready to simplify your tech stack and boost performance? Download our step-by-step guide to conducting a tech stack audit and optimizing your platforms for maximum ROI.

Sources:

1. Blissfully SaaS Report: https://www.blissfully.com
2. HubSpot State of Marketing Report: https://blog.hubspot.com
3. Gartner SaaS Spending Report: https://www.gartner.com