10 Legacy Modernization Examples: Lessons from Successful Transformations

Quixy Editorial Team

August 29, 2025

Seeking legacy modernization examples that can teach you how to transform? If you’ve ever wondered how businesses successfully move away from outdated systems, now is the time to find out. Clinging to legacy technology not only slows down operations but also consumes massive resources—55% of IT budgets are reportedly spent just “keeping the lights on.” From lengthy approval cycles to manual workflows and heightened security risks, legacy systems can hinder organizations.

At one major European bank, 70% of IT capacity was tied up maintaining legacy systems—proof of the drain on progress.  

In this article, we examine real-world examples of companies that have successfully modernized their legacy apps, demonstrating how upgrading processes and technology can restore speed, efficiency, and a competitive advantage.

Why Legacy Modernization Matters? 

Legacy systems were once a powerful business asset, but today they drain resources, limit agility, and expose organizations to risk. A 2024 study revealed that 65% of financial institutions and 67% of healthcare organizations experienced ransomware attacks, often targeting their vulnerable legacy systems. 

 For instance, the infamous 2017 Equifax breach, which exposed personal data of 147 million people, was traced back to an unpatched vulnerability in a legacy platform. 

Additionally, Ransomware incidents incur a substantial financial toll, with healthcare providers incurring losses of nearly $900,000 per day when their systems remain offline. 

Modernization matters not just for this; it shifts focus from maintenance to innovation, enabling companies to move faster, deliver better customer experiences, and build a secure, future-ready foundation.  

Now, let us explore the modernization examples of legacy modernization. 

Examples of Modernization in Legacy Software

Unilever – AI – Integrated Operations & Manufacturing ( Technology) 

Overview: Unilever, a global consumer goods giant, manages an extensive supplier network critical to its supply chain efficiency. 

• Legacy Challenge: Over 1,500 applications, fragmented data systems, and manual processes created inefficiencies, limiting agility and driving up costs.

• Modernization: The company migrated to the cloud, launched its Integrated Operations (iOps) program, and rolled out the Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS) with AI-driven analytics across 124 factories.

• Impact: Downtime dropped, factory efficiency rose by 3–5%, costs reduced by around 8%, and waste was cut significantly—resulting in millions in annual savings and faster, smarter operations.

Singapore Government – Smart Permit Processing 

Overview: Singapore is renowned for leveraging digital systems to improve government efficiency and citizen services. 

• Legacy Challenge: Manual routing and inter-office memos caused delays in business permit approvals. 

• Modernization: A centralized digital workflow system now handles approvals, automated reminders, and decision tracking across departments. 

• Impact: Internal processes became faster, more transparent, and drastically more efficient, enabling timely services for businesses. 

““Singapore’s Municipal Services Office uses the One-Service Chatbot to save 2,000+ hours monthly, making processes faster, transparent, and more efficient.” “

Also read: Top 8 Proven Application Modernization Strategies to Future-Proof Your Business

Pfizer – Clinical Trial Internal Coordination 

Overview: Pfizer, a leading pharmaceutical company, runs large-scale clinical trials requiring precise internal coordination. 

• Legacy Challenge: Clinical trials relied heavily on paper files and manual tracking, creating delays in decision-making and regulatory reporting. Managing millions of documents across fragmented systems was slow and compliance-risky.

• Modernization: Pfizer implemented electronic Trial Master File (eTMF) systems, AI-powered data management, and automated workflows to centralize documentation, streamline approvals, and ensure compliance with global regulations.

• Impact: -AI cut data query resolution times by 50%, digital workflows improved trial efficiency by 30–40%, and regulatory submissions accelerated significantly—helping Pfizer bring treatments to market faster.

UPS – Logistics & Fleet Internal Workflow Automation 

Overview: UPS, a global logistics company, manages complex fleet operations and delivery workflows. 

• Legacy Challenge: Manual fleet updates and email coordination caused inefficiencies in routing and scheduling. 

• Modernization: Automated internal workflows now manage routing, maintenance scheduling, and SLA monitoring. 

• Impact: Decision-making is faster, delays are reduced, and overall operational efficiency has improved. 

“UPS had invested $1.4 billion in facility automation to make the customer experience simpler and more seamless.”

Toyota – Quality Assurance Workflows 

Overview: Toyota, a pioneer in lean manufacturing, manages complex production and quality assurance workflows. 

• Legacy Challenge: Manual QA approvals and assembly line checks were fragmented and inefficient. And Toyota faced limited resources, inefficient mass production, and global competition—driving up costs and creating quality issues.

• Modernization: Using Jidoka (automation with human oversight) to stop defects early, and Just-in-Time (JIT) to produce only what’s needed, Toyota cut waste, reduced costs, and improved efficiency.

• Impact: TPS helped Toyota cut production and nearly doubled – from ¥162.5 billion to ¥318.3 billion—highlighting the financial strength of TPS. Beyond manufacturing, its principles helped nonprofits like SBP cut rebuild times from 12–18 weeks to just 6 weeks while reducing errors by 50%.

What are AI Trends Transforming Legacy Software?   

AI is rapidly becoming a game-changer for legacy system modernization. By analyzing outdated code, mapping workflows, and suggesting process improvements, AI empowers organizations to optimize internal operations without the risks and costs of full system replacement.  

From banking to manufacturing, AI tools help teams understand complex legacy architectures, identify bottlenecks, and accelerate decision-making across departments. 

“Generative AI offers new ways to navigate and modernize legacy system challenges” – Forrester  

Key Ways AI Helps Unlock Legacy Systems: 

• Legacy Code Analysis: AI can examine old languages like COBOL or customized scripts, highlight dependencies, and guide developers on safe refactoring. 

• Workflow Optimization: Intelligent assistants detect bottlenecks in internal processes, recommend improvements, and simulate outcomes for better efficiency. 

• Automation Guidance: AI identifies repetitive manual tasks and suggests automation opportunities across HR, procurement, finance, and operations. 

• Cross-Department Collaboration: AI enables seamless communication between teams by providing a unified view of workflows and decision points. 

• Documentation & Compliance: Automatically generates technical documentation and compliance reports, reducing human error and saving time. 

• Incremental Modernization: Supports phased updates, allowing teams to modernize critical components first without disrupting business continuity. 

“As per Forrester,Generative AI offers new ways to navigate and modernize legacy system challenges”   

How to Migrate Legacy Applications to Modern Systems in 3 Steps? 

Migrating from legacy systems requires a structured approach. A well-planned strategy ensures minimal disruption while unlocking the full benefits of modernization. Here’s a practical roadmap: 

Step 1: Analyze Your Current System 

Start with a comprehensive audit of your existing applications. Identify whether challenges stem from the system’s state, behavior, or both. Look closely at areas such as performance bottlenecks, outdated workflows, and security vulnerabilities. Understanding the root causes will help you prioritize what needs to change during migration. 

Step 2: Assess the Value of Modernization 

Migration isn’t just about moving systems—it’s an opportunity to modernize. Evaluate which functions of your legacy system could be enhanced through modernization, whether through automation, cloud adoption, or workflow optimization. Migration and modernization often go hand-in-hand, and planning for both simultaneously ensures you maximize efficiency and ROI. 

Step 3: Reengineer, Optimize, and Document 

Simplicity is key. Reengineer your legacy applications to eliminate unnecessary complexity, optimize the technology stack, and streamline workflows. Take detailed documentation of architecture, processes, and dependencies. This reduces security risks, avoids tightly coupled systems, and sets the stage for smoother future upgrades or expansions. 

How Quixy Facilitates Seamless Legacy System Modernization 

At Quixy, we are a no-code platform equipped with low-code capabilities and integrated AI, designed to enable rapid application development (RAD) effortlessly. Our extensive experience in building modern technology solutions has empowered numerous clients to modernize their legacy systems while maintaining operational continuity. Here’s how we assist in this transformation: 

1. Rapid Application Development (RAD) with No-Code Low-Code Capabilities 

Quixy’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface enables users to build applications quickly, eliminating the need for extensive coding expertise. This significantly accelerates the modernization journey, making it easier to migrate from legacy systems to agile, modern platforms.

2. Seamless Integration with Legacy Systems 

Our platform supports robust API and data integration, enabling legacy systems to connect with modern applications, databases, and third-party platforms. This ensures that modernization efforts enhance existing workflows without disruption. 

3. AI-Driven Automation for Enhanced Efficiency

Caddie is Quixy’s AI-powered assistant designed for non-technical users. It empowers business teams with advanced capabilities, including natural language report generation, document querying, anomaly detection, intelligent filtering, and actionable insights. With its built-in Library and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP), Caddie seamlessly integrates into existing workflows, making data not only accessible but also truly actionable.

4. Scalable and Secure Platform for Enterprise Needs 

Quixy offers a scalable and secure environment, ensuring that enterprise-grade applications are built and deployed with compliance and data protection in mind. 

5. Cross-Department Collaboration and Transparency 

Our platform fosters collaboration across departments by providing centralized dashboards and real-time notifications, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned during the modernization process. 

Legacy Modernization Examples from Quixy

Choithrams – Retail & Inventory

Overview: Choithrams, a renowned supermarket chain in the Middle East, leveraged Quixy to overhaul their legacy inventory management systems.
Impact: Through no-code automation, Choithrams eliminated ~90% of manual work in budgeting and approvals. Efficiency soared, data integrity improved, and visibility became real-time.

Yum! MENA – Quick Service Restaurants (Franchise Operations)

Overview: Yum! Brands’ MENA arm digitized franchise lifecycle operations—approvals, QA/QC, openings, setups—using Quixy’s no-code workflow platform.
Impact: The transformation delivered up to 70% reduction in both time and cost, achieving centralized control, real-time insights, and consistency across outlets.

SAICO – Insurance (Claims & IT Workflow)

Overview: SAICO, a key insurer in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, moved from Excel-and email-based IT and claims workflows to Quixy’s agile platform.
Impact: Though specific numbers weren’t disclosed, Quixy enabled a major efficiency boost—streamlining approvals, improving flexibility, enhancing reporting and security.

CCIL – Financial Clearing & Settlement

Overview: CCIL, India’s central counterparty for financial markets, automated internal cross-departmental workflows (firewall change, risk, membership, surveillance, HR, etc.) from email and spreadsheets to Quixy’s visual platform.
Impact: Workflow build time dropped from over 6 months to under 2 months, and individual processes deployed in just ~3 weeks. Overall business-process time shrank by 70%, with process completion now under 8 hours and full visibility into the request lifecycle.

Rua Al Madinah – Real Estate & Hospitality

Overview: Rua Al Madinah, a leading real estate and urban development group, automated legal, delegation, and KPI workflows using Quixy’s no-code platform, replacing manual spreadsheets and email-based processes.
Impact: Manual effort reduced by 80%, legal workload cut by 60%, CEO decisions 50% faster, KPI cycles 70% quicker, with 100% process transparency and 90% better audit readiness.

Conclusion  

We’ve seen how leading organizations across industries—from manufacturing to finance, healthcare to government—are modernizing their legacy systems. Today, they’re focusing on R&D and other strategic areas, automating previously manual workflows to drive efficiency and innovation. 

But the question is: How long can your organization afford to lag behind while competitors accelerate with modern systems? 

Take the first step. Schedule a demo today, talk to our  Quixy experts, and gain a clear vision to transform workflows, streamline operations, and position your business for the future. The best time to modernize is now—don’t wait to unlock your organization’s true potential. 

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