So you have been building your business, used the accounting system that has been recommended or had the best deal at the time. It has served you pretty well with some hacks. You have then bolted on numerous systems to overcome these hacks. But this is becoming unwieldy, inefficient and costly. But more importantly, you are not getting real data to make truly informed decisions. It has been said that only 2% of data is actually used to assist decision making.
This is a common story.
Can you believe that being in this situation, while it may seem bad, can actually be good! It is an opportunity to “audit” your business and drive change. The opportunity in front of you discovers inefficiencies, costly monthly subscriptions or onsite servers and tools, and possible growth opportunities because of siloed data.
It is time to end the data mess!
The old adage, People, Process and Customer stands true when looking to implement a digitisation improvement project. Lead with a philosophy that data is the fuel. The team needs to be thinking and knowing the data — with a focus on quality and timeliness. This places the adaptable tools to extract data at the forefront of a successful business.
A successful journey through the mud of hacks should consider:
- How much it is costing you per month, quarter and year
- The mapping of processes and data flows
- Workshopping with staff — this gets great buy-in and increases discovery
- Identifying opportunities with customers — survey them, whether formally or informally
- Document and get buy-in from stakeholders
- Data governance and security
- If required, bite the bullet for new tools or IoT devices, capture that valuable data
- Continual reviews and don’t lose sight of the big picture
This is just a taste of an extensive look into your business. Continually opening the door into your business will shorten the time you may find yourself in the “Mud of Tech Hacks”.
Every business is different and has its own unique needs. Having a flexible system that captures your data to end the data mess, will see you achieve your business goals, improve your customer satisfaction, drive revenue, remove inefficiencies and save money.
Scale It Consulting is a business systems consultancy practice with 25 plus years of experience in helping businesses succeed and achieve their goals.
