From Fragmented Systems to Unified Solutions: IT Consolidation Wins from Bureau Veritas, GSM, and BMG

Too many isolated tools. Too many unique logins. Too much complexity. And all of it running the meter on time and cost. That’s the everyday reality for IT teams managing bloated stacks and siloed systems. 

At Empower 25, three IT leaders joined the panel to share their consolidation journeys: 

• Geoff Stupi, Director of Digital Solutions, Bureau Veritas Group 
• Jennifer Clark, Project Integration Manager, General Sheet Metal (GSM) 
• Mike Brady, IT Director, BMG 

Curious how real IT leaders are simplifying bloated, disconnected tech stacks? In this on-demand panel, leaders from Bureau Veritas, GSM, and BMG share how they streamlined their tech and got real results. 

Register now to watch the panel on demand. 

The Challenges: Siloed Tech, Bloated App Stacks, and Growing Complexity 

Organizations are spending more than ever on tools designed to boost productivity, collaboration, and work management. In fact, 80% of leaders say their organizations have increased software investments to enhance productivity. Those investments don’t seem to be paying off; only 18% say manual work has decreased. 

This disconnect speaks to a larger issue: more software doesn’t always mean more productivity. 

1. Fragmented Tools and Disjointed Workflows 

Teams are stuck juggling disconnected platforms—think spreadsheets, legacy systems, and point solutions. These patchwork setups slow everyone down and make even basic tasks frustratingly complex. That’s Gray Work, the manual, time-consuming work employees are doing to compensate when those disconnected, siloed, rigid tools and processes don’t work the way they’re supposed to.  At General Sheet Metal, for example, Jennifer Clark shared the experience of tracking projects and status updates by jumping between tools and platforms, turning reporting into a time-consuming, error-prone process. 

2. Data Chaos Without a Shared Source of Truth 

It’s not just the tools—it’s what happens when they don’t connect and talk to each other. Without a centralized view, data lives in silos, reporting becomes manual, and decisions rely on outdated or incomplete information. Each team operating on its own systems with little to no integration, making it difficult to get a clear, organization-wide picture. 

3. Rising Cost Pressures and Limited Visibility 

Having too many tools leads to repeated work and confusion. Instead of making things smoother, it slows teams down and wastes time and money. Gray Work. 

These mounting pain points call for a new approach. That’s where consolidation—and co-creation—came into play. 

The Turning Point:  How These Teams Made Their Tech Stack Work for Them 

Taming chaos and building a unified system?  

It starts with buy-in—from leadership, but more importantly, from the people using the systems every day. Instead of blindly rolling out (yet another) one-size-fits-all solution, these leaders brought users into the process from day one. 

1. Co-Creating with Stakeholders 

Instead of taking on an all-encompassing overhaul, the teams started by solving one major pain point like time-consuming inconsistencies brought on by siloed spreadsheets and manual data entry, etc. They built targeted Quickbase applications that addressed immediate needs, winning trust along the way. 

2. Building Momentum Through Small Wins 

The approach was all about incremental progress, demonstrating early wins to galvanize support from across the organization. These initial successes built the momentum for broader transformation, paving the way for larger, integrated solutions.

What Smart IT and Ops Leaders Do Differently 

For organizations navigating this challenge, here’s how leading teams made consolidation work—and how you can too. 

1. Don’t Aim for Perfection; Aim for Progress 

Start with one critical workflow—like reporting or quality tracking—then expand to other areas, gradually building a connected, scalable system. 

2. Co-Create with Users 

Engage the people who use your systems daily. Their insights are invaluable in crafting solutions that truly work.  

3. Track Impact and Communicate Wins 

Quantifying improvements and celebrating successes helps sustain adoption and build long-term trust in the new system. 

The Impact: What IT Consolidation Looks Like in Action 

The benefits of IT consolidation are hard to ignore. When disparate systems merge into a unified framework, the results can be remarkable: 

1. Unified Workflows and Cleaner Ecosystems 

By consolidating tech, teams made their work smoother and cut out repeated tasks. This meant fewer headaches from duplicated efforts and a cleaner, more efficient app ecosystem. 

2. Improved Cross-Team Visibility 

With a single source of truth, every department—from the front line (job site or shop floor) to leadership—had access to the same, reliable information. Enhanced visibility translated directly into more informed decision-making.

3. Easier Reporting and Faster Onboarding 

When systems are unified and built around how teams actually work, the impact is immediate. Instead of chasing down data across multiple tools, teams can generate live reports, track progress in real time, and onboard new hires without confusion.

4. Enhanced Quality Control 

Improved system integration allowed teams to precisely monitor and control quality, ensuring operations ran smoothly, and any issues were quickly addressed.