Our Miami team of problem solvers offers solutions to overcome your common business and technology challenges.
While helping find solutions to our clients’ toughest problems, we’ve learned a thing or two. In this series, we share insights from our Miami team of seasoned solvers on overcoming today’s business, technology and people-related challenges.
Business
Meet Your Problem Solver
Conrod Walsh | Senior Manager, Miami Business Unit | Delivery, Project Management
BUSINESS PROBLEM
A lot of my clients are growing at a pace they cannot sustain. Often, the problem involves old technology, but the issue really starts with communication. For example, an IT organization may receive requests for similar or even identical projects from different parts of the business because each business segment is siloed from the others. When that happens, it puts a stranglehold on growth.
OUR INSIGHT
Look beyond the immediate problem — such as the IT project intake process — and identify the root issue — communication, coordination, and alignment among the different parts of the business. Fortunately, when you discover such communication breakdowns, AI can help with tools such as Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or Zoom. Explore these resources and learn how they can help you open new communication channels — which take place in real-time with improved collaboration, secure document sharing, and more — to build a company that is ready to scale as needed.
Technology
TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM
Many companies struggle to adopt the right tools. They become overwhelmed by the many technologies and software packages available. As a result, they tend to adopt three or four tools that do the same thing, which leads to additional costs, systems that don’t work together, and frustration. The problem is becoming an even bigger problem in the age of AI because new products come on the market every day, and companies’ fear of missing out (FOMO) can lead to paralysis or buying tools that are redundant or don’t meet their needs.
OUR INSIGHT
Before taking the leap into an expensive new tool, take a look at your organization from multiple perspectives. You may be able to rule out many technology options quickly. For example, most modern tools are designed for data in the cloud. If your data is not in the cloud and you don’t have the resources for a cloud migration project, you will have fewer options to choose from.
The more challenging perspectives are people and culture. What is your organization’s appetite for change? How innovative is your culture? You also must weigh your long-term business goals and needs. Right now, everyone is thinking about AI — but which AI capabilities will really drive your business forward?
Finally, when considering the financial impacts of a new tool, remember: The upfront cost is only the beginning. Be sure to include the ongoing costs of training, maintenance and so on, and weigh them against the risks of not making the change.
People
Meet Your Problem Solver
Kim Caruthers | Senior Manager, Miami Business Unit, Former Partner | Delivery, Account Management, New Sales
PEOPLE PROBLEM
Businesses often don’t get a strong return on investment (ROI) with new technology, whether that’s Salesforce, Microsoft, Power BI, or other solutions. They’ve spent money on these products, but employees are not using them to their fullest extent.
Many times, the new technology works well but the new processes that govern them aren’t integrated, or employees still favor the “old ways” of accomplishing the work (reverting back to old spreadsheets or old ways of doing business.)
Users often lack a certain depth of skill or training. For example, we have seen clients who have Microsoft Teams but are still using Zoom. Or, they’re paying for Microsoft 365, but they have not transitioned to using the tool. Another client may have Power BI licenses, but they still struggle with data because they don’t have enough technology to support it or people trained to use it.
OUR INSIGHT
As a leader, avoid the temptation to blame either the technology or your employees for your technology adoption problems. Instead, turn to some tried and tested change management techniques. Begin by analyzing all the processes, up and down the value chain, that come with any big new technology implementation.
Ask your employees which processes they are concerned about or struggling with, and show them how the modern technology will help them every day. Then, be sure to provide the resources they need to adapt to the new processes and master the new technology. And don’t forget: Time is a resource! Be generous with it to avoid heartache and lost ROI down the line.
[cta bg="purple" button="Read the Story" link="https://centricconsulting.com/client-stories/scaling-offshore-support-to-build-a-custom-b2b-app-for-a-global-fb-company/"]In only 10 months, we created a B2B app for easier ordering and customer data analysis in a global, data-driven industry.[/cta]
