“Our current system is too embedded in everything we do.”
Why they say it. Deep integration creates real lock in and a genuine fear of breaking dependent processes. The more embedded it is, the more the switching cost feels existential.
Do not: Do not dismiss the integration depth or imply ripping it out is simple, which signals you do not understand their environment.
That is a real concern, the more embedded a system is, the more careful any change has to be, and I respect that you are not treating it lightly. The flip side worth naming is that deep embedding is also how a tool quietly holds you hostage, raising prices or stalling the roadmap because they know leaving is hard. Would it be worth mapping where it is truly load bearing versus where it just happens to be in the way?
Then ask. Is your current system embedded because it is the best fit, or because nobody has had the appetite to untangle it?