Editor’s note: Managing a tech stack filled with disparate tools is one of the biggest challenges IT leaders face today. Consolidation isn’t just about simplifying the chaos—it’s about enabling teams to succeed while keeping IT teams from being overwhelmed. In this article, Brian Klapac, CIO at Smartsheet, breaks down IT leaders' thought processes when choosing vendors, from evaluating consolidation opportunities to ensuring solutions empower users, enhance security, and align with long-term business goals.
With over two decades of IT leadership across Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations, I’ve seen our role evolve from system caretakers to architects of innovation. Hybrid models, asynchronous collaboration, and cross-functional teams are now standard, but they’ve brought new challenges. According to a recent S&P Global study, nearly half of employees report struggling with cross-functional work, and 72% face issues with collaboration.
The challenge: disparate tools
One major factor behind these problems is application sprawl. When every team chooses its own app to solve a problem, the tech stack can quickly spiral out of control. Data get stuck in silos, collaboration becomes disjointed and inefficient, and decision-making slows down right when speed is critical. Every new app comes with hidden costs and can confuse users on where to find information and where to perform work—more admin work, higher security risks, the constant headache of trying to make everything fit together. The risks grow just as fast: unsecured access points, shadow IT slipping through the cracks, and a lack of clear governance to hold it all together.
To address these challenges, IT and Security leaders need to be intentional about every new technology investment. It’s not just about finding a tool that works—it’s about choosing one that aligns with long-term goals, delivers real value, and integrates smoothly with existing systems. The right solution should empower teams to solve problems independently, ease the burden on IT, and provide real-time insights for smarter decisions. It also needs to simplify the tech stack by consolidating use cases, cutting redundancies, and offering strong security and governance.
A thoughtful approach to tech investments
After years in IT, I’ve noticed that choosing vendors often comes in two scenarios: either a business team finds something they need and buys it, or IT and one or more teams work together to choose a solution.
Most of the time, IT leaders ask key questions: Does this solution bring real cost savings? Could it introduce security risks? Is it essential to core operations, and will there be enough support to make it work? Will the vendor be a good, innovative, long-term partner? And, crucially, does it align with the company’s broader tech strategy, now and in the future?
Understanding this thought process helps explain how IT leaders make decisions and highlights how platforms like Smartsheet can play a role in supporting their work.
The case for consolidation
One major consideration during this process is consolidation. Managing multiple platforms that essentially do the same thing creates headaches, from extra security needs to user training and admin work. Consolidation offers a way to streamline operations and cut costs, but it’s rarely simple. IT teams have to weigh whether existing platforms can be migrated, how easily users can adapt, and whether the potential savings are worth the effort.
When evaluating consolidation opportunities, IT leaders inevitably ask: Is there a “silver bullet” platform that could replace multiple tools while unlocking greater creativity, innovation, and productivity across teams? They also consider whether the company is prepared to embrace a new solution—does it see the benefits to making the change and does it have the commitment to make the transition successful?
In the end, IT leaders think about the long-term picture: How will success be measured, and what will it take to grow and support the platform over time? Of course, users often prefer platforms they’re already familiar with, which makes them resistant to change. To overcome this, IT leaders must present compelling reasons for the transition—such as enhanced security, better collaboration, or financial incentives like IT taking on the cost or administration. Ultimately, success is dependent on speaking in terms of business value and making that real for the organization. Measuring success doesn’t mean tracking every single detail. Highlighting a few standout examples from each department can be far more effective in showing a platform’s value. Ultimately, the best indicator of success is engagement: if users are adopting the platform and relying on it consistently, it’s clear the tool is doing its job.
Why Collaborative Work Management is the answer
For organizations drowning in disconnected tools and fragmented workflows, Smartsheet offers a simple, powerful solution—a single platform where teams can plan, collaborate, and automate their work. IT teams can connect the platform to customer relationship management systems, productivity suites, and business intelligence platforms with over 150 pre-built integrations, breaking down silos and creating a unified workspace.
Non-technical employees can also be empowered by the no-code and low-code tools offered in Smartsheet, where they can automate their work or build tailored solutions independently. Meanwhile, IT retains centralized governance to overlook any related activities. Administrators can easily manage users, policies, and security at an enterprise level, ensuring compliance and reducing risks.
A success story: Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, a leading information management services company, has shown what the power of consolidation can do. Its fragmented tech stack, with six disconnected tools for project management, created inefficiencies and inconsistent reporting. By consolidating everything into Smartsheet, the company saved over $18 million annually and empowered teams with seamless workflows and real-time insights.
Ultimately, platforms like Smartsheet succeed because they bring IT and business users together. IT gets the governance and visibility it needs, while teams gain the freedom to innovate and execute their best work. It’s not just about simplifying tasks—it’s about creating work that truly matters. And if Smartsheet can make the journey a little less painful? Even better.