Are your Systems Cramping your Profits?

Many years ago I learned that clever software solutions well implemented could have a dramatic impact on the profitability and competitiveness of the host business. The case where I first learned this lesson saw the business double its turnover in 12 months because it was able to do something that its much larger competitors were unable to do. The solution was clever and did not cost much to design, build and implement. My passion for high value information systems was born in this project.

I have seen repeatedly that well designed integrated business information systems well implemented and well used give rise to dramatic improvements in effectiveness, efficiency, competitiveness and profitability. An accurate understanding of your costs and revenue with numbers that allow you to quote profitably and deliver profitably at rates lower than your competitors can be the difference between winning and losing major deals AND between delivering those deals profitably and making a loss on them.

Having undertaken a large number of Strategic “Pulse Measurements” to help customers understand WHY their systems are getting in the way of their profitability AND then advised them HOW to FIX the situation I have seen in dramatic ways how badly designed, badly implemented and badly operated integrated business information systems have gotten in the way of effectiveness, efficiency, competitiveness and profitability. In extreme cases defective systems have crippled businesses and sometimes put them out of business.

So, where do YOUR systems lie on a continuum between highly effective and facilitating highly profitable operation and crippling the business and putting it out of business?

To put this differently, I would like to ask YOU whether your systems and processes are getting in the way of business profitability, competitiveness, efficiency, effectiveness and growth?

Do you have a mish-mash of spreadsheets, manual processes and bits of software from diverse sources (commercial and bespoke) which together run your business? Do you lack an end to end software solution that ties everything together with a single point of entry for every value? Do the multiple entries not reconcile? Is reconciliation between systems consuming significant time and effort?

Are you not really sure of the profitability per job or project or per manufactured product? Is the basis on which Sales Commissions are calculated and paid not trusted by management? Have you reached a cap where you are struggling to grow because your systems and manual processes are cramping your style? Does your business rely on one or two massive spreadsheets that you know contain errors but have no way of fixing them? Are you dependent on one or two staff members who have been with you for years and who have built up this entire patchwork quilt of systems and processes that has grown with the business such that they could easily hold you to ransom? Are they already holding you to ransom?

If you answered “Yes” to a few of the above points, or to many of the points then you are probably in need of a fully integrated business information system. At the very least you are in need of a high level review of your systems and processes to give you an accurate diagnosis of the scale of the problem and what the options are to fix it.

I can offer you such a service.

I call it a “Pulse Measurement”. It is a short, sharp, Executive level diagnostic intervention in which I engage with each member of your Executive Team and Senior Management and then undertake a walk-through of your business and your systems. At its simplest level a two-day Pulse Measurement will give you a focussed critical issues-based analysis of Critical Findings and Key Recommendations. For larger companies with bigger and more complex systems the investigation may take longer.

I adopt a well proven way of working, developed, refined and proven over many years to allow me to quickly understand:

1.     The Strategic Essence of the Business and HOW it Thrives.

2.     The Executive Level Critical Concerns with regard to the System and Process environment.

3.     The Executive Level Critical Success Factors for remediating the situation.

4.     A headline understanding of the business and how it operates and particularly how it makes its money.

5.     A headline understanding of the systems and processes and which components are giving rise to the issues that gave rise to the request for the Pulse Measurement.

6.     Crystalize these into approximately seven weighted and prioritized Critical Findings geared to enabling immediate action.

7.     Lift out approximately seven weighted and prioritized Key Recommendations, geared, again, to enabling immediate action.

8.     Advise as to how I can assist you to implement the above IF you feel that you need the assistance of a specialist with many years’ experience in this type of work.

For examples of Pulse Measurement Outcomes see https://www.james-a-robertson-and-associates.com/Pulse/Over24years.aspx from this you will note that I have rich experience in a diversity of industries and with a diversity of technologies that means that I am ideally equipped to assist your organization.

Examples of possible outcomes include:

Fully Integrated Software Solution

Replace the entire suite of manual processes, spreadsheets and pieces of software, both bespoke and commercial, with one fully integrated business information suite (ERP, CRM, etc). This is frequently the best solution for companies over about 75 to 100 personnel turning over around ￡10 to ￡15 million per annum. It IS costly and DOES take time but, if the correct system is correctly implemented this will power the business for decades and significantly improve profitability. I offer a comprehensive service to facilitate and lead such a project. Please email me to arrange a no obligation call to discuss this.

Fix Key Components with Commercial or Bespoke Software

In some cases there may be existing software in use that has the potential to be deployed more widely and possibly reimplemented thereby achieving significant improvements when coupled with process review and optimization. Alternatively, a moderately large piece of Bespoke software can be custom developed to take care of the key requirements. Either of these solutions can buy time for say three to five years depending on the growth of the company.

This option can include gearing up selected spreadsheets to professional standards using an expert Spreadsheet aficionado to recreate the spreadsheets to high standards of protection and automation, effectively a form of bespoke solution. The Visual Basic programming language that is integral to Microsoft Excel is powerful and flexible and considerable benefits can be derived from such an approach, PROVIDED the entire solution is well thought out, well-designed, well-built and well-implemented.

Again, I can assist you to conceptualize this solution, draw up requirements, appoint development contractors, negotiate with software vendors, guide the implementation and assist you to get maximum benefit once the solution is operational.

I would welcome the opportunity to connect with you to discuss how I might assist you.

In saying this it is important to note that I DO recognize the constraints of the current Pandemic and, for that reason, I am willing to offer you a two day Pulse Measurement, that would typically cost around ￡1,950 plus travel, accommodation and subsistence outside of London, UK for ￡950 undertaken remotely with Zoom or Skype anywhere in the world. This will allow you to start planning initiatives or to even undertake initiatives that will enable your business to be on a stronger footing when the all-clear is sounded and we return to work full strength.

If you would like more information and a no-obligation Zoom or Skype call please email me on [email protected] or message me on LinkedIn at www.dhirubhai.net/in/drjamesarobertson  

I look forward to assisting you.

Dr James Robertson

The Business Systems Doctor

30 March 2020