Consultancy launches platform to tackle 'tool fatigue' among SMEs

Birmingham-based OAW Brand Consulting has launched GetScaley, a business platform designed to help SMEs manage growth without becoming reliant on multiple disconnected software tools.

The platform was developed after years of the consultancy working with founders and SMEs across various industries, who it says often face the same operational challenges as they grow - relying on separate applications for communication, project management, finance and customer relationship management, a problem the firm describes as "tool fatigue."

Rather than offering another standalone tool, GetScaley combines business management, automation, AI-assisted insights, learning resources and expert guidance in a single platform, aiming to simplify operations rather than add to the number of systems businesses must manage.

OAW Brand Consulting, who are members of the Greater Birmingham Global Chamber, said the platform was built from practical experience of working alongside founders and identifying barriers preventing businesses from reaching their full potential, rather than being developed in isolation from real business needs.

The firm said Birmingham's SMEs are playing a significant role in driving regional economic growth, employment and innovation, and that their ability to scale successfully will depend on having the right systems and support in place.

"Growth should be exciting. Yet for many businesses, growth brings complexity. Processes become harder to manage. Information is spread across multiple platforms.

"Teams rely on different applications for communication, project management, finance, customer relationship management, and reporting. Instead of making work easier, businesses often find themselves managing software rather than managing growth.

"This growing dependence on multiple disconnected platforms has become known as tool fatigue, a challenge faced by many modern businesses.

"Founders spend valuable time switching between applications, paying for many subscriptions, and trying to piece together information from different systems, leaving less time to focus on innovation, customers, and strategic growth. It was not a lack of ambition holding these businesses back. It was operational complexity."