Modernizing Legacy Communications: Reducing Risk, Unlocking Value

2/16/2026 Matthew Tilley

If your organization is still leaning on decades-old communication systems, you may be falling behind. Today’s customers expect seamless, personalized, omnichannel interactions ? and legacy infrastructures simply weren’t built for that. Outdated tools lack preference management, cross-channel synchronization, and the agility needed to adapt as customer expectations evolve.

So, how can organizations move forward without shouldering massive risk, costs, or disruption? That’s exactly the challenge explored in the latest episode of Produced + Delivered with Brian Cox, RRD’s vice president of IT ? CCM, Software Development, and BCS Architecture.

Why modernization feels daunting — and how to make it manageable

For many organizations, the idea of overhauling core communication systems can feel overwhelming. Leaders worry about downtime, high upfront investment, or repeating past mistakes, and this fear often leaves companies stuck in analysis paralysis, while competitors advance.

Brian emphasizes a more innovative approach: avoid the “all at once” rip-and-replace. Instead, begin with a proof-of-concept on a small, non-critical set of communications. Then, expand in controlled, incremental phases. “It really is an approach that delivers results,” he says. “...You don't have to spend a lot of time and money putting the initial capital investment in place before you're able to get any of the returns.” 

This “crawl-walk-run” methodology builds confidence early in the process and generates early cost savings that can help self-fund later phases.

Tackling both technology and people challenges

Employees who have worked with familiar but outdated platforms for decades can be understandably resistant. Brian stresses the importance of showing teams the benefits firsthand: cleaner interfaces, faster processes, and less complexity. “Remember, when changing technology, you always have to focus on the processes and the people involved,” Brian adds. When people experience how the new system actually makes their day-to-day jobs easier, they often shift from skeptics to advocates.

And while modernization introduces new skills, most systems today are designed to be more intuitive. If users can handle tools like Word or Excel, they can usually adapt quickly.

Building the business case — and proving ROI

Of course, leadership buy-in is essential. Modernization requires a clear roadmap, transparent costs, and projected ROI. Brian says that starting with a structured assessment provides exactly that: timelines, risks, cost-savings estimates (both hard and soft), and an actionable migration path. “This allows leaders to be able to see the full picture,” he explains, “and create an ROI to obtain funding and approval for this project. This approach really minimizes the risk.” Upfront planning arms executives with the evidence they need to make confident investment decisions.

More importantly, the metrics established during this stage provide benchmarks to track ongoing success ? from reduced call center volumes to improved customer satisfaction.

Future-proofing communications

One of the lasting advantages of moving to a modern platform is adaptability. A modular system makes it possible to integrate new technologies and channels without starting over again every few years. This flexibility helps companies stay ahead of evolving customer expectations and market trends.

The risk of standing still

Perhaps the riskiest path is to stay put. Competitors are modernizing, and customers expect more. Organizations that delay the necessary adaptation risk of being left behind.

Listen to the episode

Ready to dig deeper into strategies for modernizing legacy communications without massive disruption? Listen to the full episode of Produced + Delivered here.
 

Matthew Tilley is the host of the Produced + Delivered podcast and RRD’s Vice President of Growth Marketing.