Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “IT and people”
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 …
The end of the year can be a frustrating time for your IT project. You know you still have so much you want to achieve but you, or the team, are running out of time. It can also be disheartening if you’ve spent the year trying to get a project going, but you feel like you haven’t made enough progress. …
Have you ever worked on a business change project that provoked very intense or out-of-character reactions in other staff? Someone who was a normally calm, rational, team member may have suddenly become aggressive in meetings, or someone previously quite helpful or vocal would silently retreat to a corner during project discussions. Fundamentally, this team member wasn’t happy with the change and they were …
The last thirty years has seen the gradual dominance of ERP and management systems across business. Software management systems that previously were financially out of reach for many businesses, are now reasonable and worthwhile investments. In addition, there is now a large selection of available software systems, ranging from whole-of-business to best-of-breed, to products specific to industry-based verticals. However, one …
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 …
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 …
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 …
If you’re the owner/operator of or a manager in a Small to Mid-sized business, chances are you’ve come across the concept of IT project management and dismissed it as a waste of time and money. After all, you know you have good staff in your business who are keen to get involved in your IT project, so that should be …
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 …
A 100% successful IT project is the Holy Grail for most IT departments in businesses. Most people have heard so many project horror stories that senior managers often believe that it’s impossible to deliver an IT Project on time, on budget and with significant business gain. Instead, they get caught up in all the tales from the trenches, which scare …
The implementation of a new ERP or BMS for a business is a mammoth undertaking. There is always a significant cost both financially, as well as on your people. Most businesses are ill-equipped to deal with an extraordinary event like this and don’t have on tap the skill sets required for an implementation that is a process change project at …
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 …
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