The Tool Sprawl Trap: Why More Software Makes Things Worse

Read time: 3 min read

What does tool sprawl actually look like?

You're drowning in logins. Slack for team chat, Asana for projects, Monday for client work, Notion for docs, Google Sheets for... wait, which spreadsheet has the current pricing again?

I see this constantly with hospitality operators. Someone's struggling with bookings, so they grab a scheduling app. Then they need payment tracking, so they add another tool. Before they know it, they're spending two hours a day just moving information between systems.

What does tool chaos actually cost?

The real cost isn't the $47/month subscription. It's the 45 minutes your manager spends each morning checking five different places to figure out what's actually happening today.

Back when I was running operations in Margaret River, we hit peak tool chaos—nine different systems for one venue. The wake-up call? We calculated it was costing us 12 hours per week just in duplicate data entry and cross-checking.

How do I fix tool sprawl?

Choose one system that does 80% of what you need, not five systems that each do 100% of one tiny thing. Your operations don't need perfect software—they need software your team will actually use consistently.

Before adding any new tool, ask: "What am I already paying for that might do this?" The best system is the one that talks to your other systems—or better yet, replaces three of them through proper system integration solutions.

How does the WAVE Framework™ help?

That's where our WAVE Framework™ comes in. We start with a proper Workflow Audit to see what you're actually using (versus paying for), then Architect a solution that consolidates instead of adds. Our customer support automation approach focuses on streamlining workflows, not multiplying them.

Less isn't limiting. Less is focused. And focused gets things done.