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A strategic business System isn't a single piece of software you install and forget about. Think of it as an ecosystem of interconnected sub-systems, designed to work together to collect vital signals from every part of your operation and surface them to the people who need to see them, when they need to see them.
Running a business without a strategic business System is a bit like cooking a five-course meal with ingredients scattered across three different kitchens. You might pull it off, but the effort is exhausting, and the results are inconsistent.
When business owners tell me: "We have multiple systems, but they don't talk to each other" or "We're collecting data, but we're not sure what it's telling us" what I hear is: the ingredients are there, but the recipe isn't working.
This is where the concept of a strategic business System becomes transformative. Not just as a technology solution, but as a framework for how your business actually operates, breathes, and grows.
A strategic business System isn't a single piece of software you install and forget about. Think of it as an ecosystem of interconnected sub-systems, designed to work together to collect vital signals from every part of your operation and surface them to the people who need to see them, when they need to see them.
You might already use some of the building blocks: a CRM to manage customer relationships, analytics tools to track performance, or an ERP to coordinate resources. The transformation happens when these tools are deliberately designed to work together, creating a cohesive System that serves your business strategy, not just your task list.
And here's something important: this isn't just for large enterprises with sprawling org charts. Whether you're running a team of 100 or working as a sole trader, you can create a strategic business System that helps you maintain and grow your business with intention.
There's a term we use to describe where technology fits in your business operations: digital intensity. Essentially, it's the proportion of your core Systems that function with the help of technology.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics framework identifies four stages of digital intensity, and here's what's striking: there's a well-documented correlation between business growth and the proportion of Systems that technology facilitates. Yet across most major industry sectors (except telecommunications), more than 30% of businesses are still at a baseline level of technology implementation. Dive more into these stats here.
That's not a judgment. It's an invitation. The question is: where do you want to be, and what needs to change to get there?
After years of working alongside businesses through transformation, I've developed a fairly opinionated (but no-nonsense) view about what separates a truly strategic System from something that's just... there. Here are nine benchmarks. If your System doesn't meet them, it's not strategic. It's operational at best, and clutter at worst.
1. If a System does not make planning and forecasting with confidence easier, it is not strategic.
Your System should help you see what's coming, not just what happened last quarter.
2. If a System does not help calculate and manage risk, it is not strategic.
Understanding what could go wrong is just as important as celebrating what's going right.
3 .If a System does not introduce, maintain and demand order, it is not strategic.
Chaos might feel creative in the moment, but it's expensive over time.
4 .If a System cannot measure and compare quantitative benchmarks, it is not strategic.
Numbers tell stories. Your System should help you read them clearly, quickly, and confidently.
5 .If a System cannot collect and interpret qualitative benchmarks, it is not strategic.
Not everything that matters can be counted, but it should still be captured and considered.
6. If a System cannot help its operator detect and diagnose realignments when they are needed, it is not strategic.
Your business needs to pivot? Your System should help you recognize that moment before it becomes a crisis.
7 .If a System is not anchored around revenue, it is not strategic.
At the end of the day, sustainable businesses generate revenue. Your System should never lose sight of this reality.
8. If a System does not produce an exceptional customer experience, it is not strategic.
Your customers shouldn't suffer because of your internal processes. Full stop.
9. If a System cannot merge signals in a meaningful way, it is not strategic.
Isolated data points are just noise. Strategic Systems turn them into insight, pattern, and action.
Not all Systems are created equal. Our experience across multiple industries with businesses of all sizes and maturity levels has shown us time and time again that Systems that occur by design will, by a large margin, outperform Systems that occur by default.
Design is one of the first steps in transitioning to a strategic business System, and design requires asking some important questions:
At Via Technology, we believe that technology and people should work in harmony. Being a technology consultancy, we naturally evaluate, implement and optimise technology, but our emphasis is always first on the people that technology empowers. The best platform in the world is useless if your team doesn't understand it, trust it, or use it. Strategic Systems give teams structure without straitjackets, freedom without chaos.
At the end of the day, strategic business Systems are built on strong, healthy feedback loops, from the extremities of your organization through to the vital systems that drive the engine of profit.
When you get it right, information flows naturally. Your team on the ground can surface insights. Your managers can spot trends before they become problems. Your leadership can make informed decisions backed by reality, not guesswork, and everyone in the team benefits from the clarity.
That's what a strategic business System does. Beyond collecting data, it facilitates communication and understanding. Beyond automating tasks, it empowers your people to "win" and make the default behaviour the path of least resistance.
This week, take a moment to audit one of your core Systems.
Ask yourself: does this process reflect our values? Does it make us more strategic, or just keep up with the "busyness"? You can take our FREE self-assessment here.
And if you're ready to move the needle and want our eyes on where your Systems stand, it might be time for a deeper look at the gaps and opportunities hiding in plain sight. Often businesses already have the right technology, they're simply not making the most out of it. This is exactly what our Tech Sprint is designed to deliver, in just half a day. Learn more here.
