Did you get into business to manage software? Unless you're in tech (like me), you probably didn't. But thanks to software sprawl, you may spend more time juggling tech tools than talking to customers.

Software sprawl happens when you find yourself with more apps or tools than you can effectively manage — or even actually use. The numbers are surprising: Small businesses average 172 apps, while mid-sized companies average 255.

More than you expected, right? Now, ask yourself these questions:

If you answered yes to any of these, you're not alone. Let's look at how we got here — and how to fix it.

Related: How to Uncover (and Avoid) the Hidden Costs of Working With Professional Service Providers

If software sprawl is such a problem, how'd we end up here? Each tool seemed to make sense before they multiplied: cheap, easy to deploy and highly specialized.

But things start getting complicated and costly after businesses mix and match different software for different functions — marketing, accounting, project management and payroll.

Think about........

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