Digital Age Exposes Flaws In Kiwi Ingenuity

New Zealand’s ‘make-do’ attitude and reliance on quick fixes, once strengths, are a liability for eCommerce retailers and other SMEs in this age of digital and globalisation.

Mark Presnell, managing director of eCommerce Integration Specialists Convergence, says New Zealand is no longer so isolated that we have to ‘make do’ and, if anything, it makes us vulnerable to smarter, faster, more efficient and sustainable competitors.

“Technology means we can scale and innovate at unprecedented speed,” says Presnell. “Most clients we work are chock full of manual workarounds — where owners and employees compensate for system weaknesses— and many are not aware of the vast inefficiencies these create.”

An example of a manual workaround is when an employee regularly adjusts customer orders to account for inconsistent data in the system.

For instance, if a product is sold both individually and as part of a bundle, but the system doesn’t properly recognise the bundled pricing, the employee manually edits the invoice or order details each time such a scenario arises. This temporary fix masks the issue without addressing the underlying need to automate the process to handle both cases seamlessly.

“Embarking on automation often exposes the cracks in existing systems,” says “Manual workarounds become visible, and businesses realise that what’s been ‘working’ isn’t sustainable in the long term.”

The strain of quick fixes

Presnell says these practices often persist because employees, managers, and decision-makers have conflicting goals. Staff executing tasks may favour manual processes for job security or simplicity, while executives seek budget efficiencies, sometimes overlooking hidden costs.

Risks of falling behind

The global eCommerce landscape is accelerating, driven by massive consumer demand and constant innovation.

“New Zealand businesses risk falling further behind, particularly because our country’s smaller market size often results in companies delaying investment in transformative technologies. This reluctance could prove costly.

“In a global, real-time market, being ten years behind your competitors isn’t just a disadvantage—it’s fatal,” he says.

While the upfront costs and learning curve of automation can seem daunting, the alternative is often worse. Inefficiencies grow over time, leading to higher error rates, wasted resources, and a declining ability to compete with international players who are more agile and digitally advanced.

Turning the ride

To break the cycle, businesses need to adopt a strategic approach to automation:

Audit workarounds: Interview staff to identify hidden inefficiencies and manual interventions in day-to-day operations.

Collaborative process redesign: Involve those using the systems in designing more efficient, automated workflows.

Cost-benefit analysis: Evaluate the long-term savings and gains from automation against the upfront investment required.

Presnell emphasises the importance of choosing the right partners for implementation.

“Automation isn’t just about technology; it’s about aligning processes and people. Picking the right collaborators ensures the solution fits the organisation’s needs.”

He says that New Zealand’s entrepreneurial spirit remains a strength, but in today’s digital economy, success demands more than resourcefulness.

“Businesses must prioritise sustainable solutions over short-term fixes, embracing automation to remain competitive and thrive.”

ABOUT 

Based in Auckland but working with New Zealand companies nationwide, Convergence makes business in eCommerce simple. Experts in eCommerce integration, Convergence is responsible for creating the links between an eCommerce website and key business software systems in the cloud or on-premises. Convergence has developed its own cloud-based integration platform, CODI [Convergence Optimised Data Integration], which essentially acts as the hub between client systems and connects them.

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