Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Business Process Review”
One of the running jokes about ERP is that the business always thinks that the last software package was better than the current software package, even when everyone hated the last software package. After the initial honeymoon period of a new software implementation, it’s pretty common for staff to start to focus on the system flaws and what it does …
Generating paper forms has become one of the most frequent, recurring actions in modern offices. We print everything – emails, reports, invoices, spreadsheet data, letters, customer correspondence – the idea of the printed copy being that we have tangible, physical representation that an action has occurred, or confirmation that a task needs to take place. In many circumstances, a hard …
Software vendors… you love them, but you hate them. A lot of customers tend to have a vendor “war story” and unfortunately, often let it bias their relationship with their vendor. Customers can have long memories when it comes to vendor issues and the “small upgrade incident of 2010”, often escalates as it gets re-told over the years. We often …
We’ve just gone past the point where we can’t talk about it still being the start of the New Year. It is, however, the time of year when we suddenly realise that despite our best intentions, none of our post-New Year projects have kicked off. For a lot of businesses, April is the beginning of the last quarter before the …
Almost everyone I talk to in the Service Industries is looking for the ideal Field Service Mobility solution for their business. However, when I ask them what that means, their definitions of Field Service Mobility vary greatly. Some see Mobility as the equivalent of a paper service docket on an iPad; others see Mobility as the ability to capture photo …
Recently we’ve been working on two projects that involved outsourcing. One involved outsourcing of operational staff while the other involved outsourcing of IT services. Coincidence? Probably not. We all know how much the world has changed economically and that we will most likely never go back to the glorious boom times of pre-GFC. A lot of businesses are realising that …
I was talking to a Business Manager recently about the change aspects of his IT project. We discussed the issues he might have around translation of existing business processes into the new IT system, as well as the cultural impact those changes might bring. I gave him some suggestions regarding methods of managing the change in the business and he …
We all like the idea of starting the New Year with a clean slate, with all our old problems or projects solved or resolved. Unfortunately, life in a business isn’t always that simple. More often than not, you had a project underway but it was derailed somewhere at the beginning of December and ended up in “Christmas limbo”. So now …
We’re getting close to the end of the year! Sometimes that can be a frustrating time for a business, when you know you still have so much you want to achieve but you can’t find the time. It can also be disheartening if you’ve spent the year trying to get project going, but not been able to make any progress. …
Process challenges and changes are a part of daily business life. They’re either a common part of the juggling act within a business, or a catastrophic event that has the potential to shake a business to the core. Either way, they don’t go away on their own. When these process challenges are associated with technology, there’s often a particular reluctance …
So you want a field service mobility product for your service business? You’ve seen lots of glossy, shiny options in the market and they all seem to sing, dance and juggle their way to Field Service heaven. But now you have to make a decision. How can you possibly choose between all the incredible options out there? Everyone tells you …
Business Intelligence. Everyone seems to be talking about it, telling you why you need it, how you should use it and how much money you’re potentially losing by not having “information at your fingertips”. It all sounds good in principle, but what does it really mean? And how what will it add to your business? When you bring it back …
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlighted what we’ve suspected for some time: Apps are the new Corporate Tool for Cost-Cutting. Apps aren’t just getting used to provide enhanced customer service or to improve workflow, that they are also getting used to replace real staff. There’s the international shopping centre chain who has realised they can use an …
Have you ever wished you had a magic wand to deal with difficult people at work? It’s not that they are annoying on a daily basis, but more that when it’s time to do something differently, or try something new, they are the ones digging their heels in that you have to drag kicking and screaming. You might think you’re …
Have you forgotten/not worried about the recent Australian changes to the Building Construction Industry tax requirements? The first due date for reporting taxable payments made to sub-contractors is 21st July 2013. Does this apply to your business and if so, can your business system and current processes produce the required data? What is Taxable Payments Reporting for the Australian Building …
The study of Alchemy has existed since Ancient Times. In the Hellenistic city of Alexandria, technology, religion, mythology and philosophy were studied, forming one of the earliest records of alchemy in the Western world. Alchemists are most often remembered as “people who tried to turn lead into gold” and in actual fact, the rise of Alchemy in the west is …
Process Bloat is everywhere in business. It’s often hidden well, like a secret addiction, and for good reason: if you knew it was there, you’d take it away. “Surely that’s not happening in my business,” you might say, “my staff are fantastic and they’re highly efficient!” There’s most likely nothing wrong with your staff, but everything wrong with the processes …
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