From Legacy to Innovation: Modernizing Mainframe Data for Smarter, Efficient Communications

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from legacy to innovation modernizing mainframe data for smarter, efficient communications

The shift from legacy mainframe systems to more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective technologies is a crucial part of this transformation, which is why modernization strategies are being adopted more and more in the current digital outlook as a means of ensuring businesses remain competitive. One of the most significant areas where this shift is taking place is in customer communication management, where legacy systems are being replaced by cloud-based solutions and advanced digital tools. Experts in the field, such as Renuka Kulkarni, have demonstrated the ability of modernization to provide more intelligent and effective communication processes.

Kulkarni began working in the field of mainframe migration when she was tasked, quite singularly, to work with the Bank of New York Mellon, which was in charge of migrating a highly complex project to bring a mainframe-based Customer Statement Formatting (CSF) tool to OpenText™  (Exstream)a modern CCM solution. This milestone project was just the beginning in this bright career in the path of mainframe modernization. That set off a chain of migration expertise, with Kulkarni lending her skills to a few large projects, including Unum UK and California DMV, in key roles that involved migrating these big projects from legacy tools into new and more dynamic technologies.

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Mainframe systems have always formed the backbone of big organizations because of their security and high volumes of data. However, they are also expensive, inflexible, and difficult to maintain. As businesses increasingly look for ways to enhance their customer communications and improve operational efficiency, the limitations of mainframes are becoming more apparent. Kulkarni’s work in migrating banking systems at Bank of New York Mellon is a prime example of how upgrading legacy technology can not only improve efficiency but also reduce costs. By shifting to OpenText™  (Exstream), the bank was able to cut down on development and maintenance costs associated with maintaining a mainframe infrastructure. Moreover, the new solution allowed for greater flexibility in designing and testing billing templates, which had previously been a cumbersome process on the mainframe.

Kulkarni’s expertise extends beyond just understanding legacy systems; it also involves guiding businesses through the process of modernizing and integrating new technologies. At the DMV, she spearheaded the migration effort of the state’s driving license and vehicle registration forms from a mainframe-based system onto a more contemporary, cloud-based infrastructure built upon OpenText™  (Exstream)on AWS. The transition was the larger piece that moved DMV technology onto a highly scalable and flexible platform for increased functionality toward all citizens, ensuring greater levels of overall operational efficiency. Moving off of the mainframe infrastructure to a Linux-AWS architecture gave DMV an opportunity to reduce operations, decrease complexity, and increase system performance.

The modernization of CCM solutions can be gauged both qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, at the Bank of New York Mellon, migration to OpenText™  (Exstream) reduced not only the maintenance cost but also increased the agility of the system to respond faster to the dynamic needs of customers. In the same vein, the modernization project of DMV has resulted in a quicker time to process forms and a generally improved customer service since the new platform is more efficient and easier to maintain.

Yet, modernization brings its own challenges along with the very evident benefits. According to Kulkarni, she could recall a whole set of teething problems while she was on the Bank of New York Mellon project. Explaining the intricacies of the old, complex CSF tool and exactly how much of the business logic was encapsulated within it was the major problem. But through perseverance and thorough analysis, she managed to get a handle on the tool and to drive the migration forward. This experience underlined the importance of both technical and business understanding of legacy systems for the successful transition to new technologies.

Whereas in the case of moving away from legacy systems and embracing new digital solutions, the businesses are also changing the ways of communicating with customers. Today, CCM has grown from just transactional message handling to a strategic vehicle to improve customer experience. The move into CXM is part and parcel of this journey. “The trend is toward businesses being obsessed with timely, personalized, omnichannel customer communications that engage and retain customers,” he added. Harnessing better use of newer technologies, organizations can get beyond such restrictive limitations of legacy systems by allowing integrated responsiveness or personalization for the end-customer experience.

According to Kulkarni, the trend in the next couple of years will be one wherein most businesses move on to Cloud platforms and AI-enabled solutions. Indeed, this helps them operate nimbly and with minimum costs while serving customers superior experiences. She emphasizes that modernization should be strategy-driven, where businesses carefully evaluate which systems they have and what the best course will be. In so doing, companies ensure that they achieve a successful migration to maximise return on investment and better position themselves for future growth.

To conclude, the journey from old to new is not merely modernizing technologies; it is basically reshaping how companies effectively communicate with their customers. As the work of Renuka Kulkarni has shown, modernizing legacy systems holds the key to gaining higher efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction. With the use of the latest technologies, companies will be able to open new horizons for their business and further develop their relationships with customers. As Kulkarni says so aptly, “Modernizing legacy systems isn’t about keeping up with the times, it’s about staying ahead of the curve and building stronger connections with your customers.

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