Latest Articles
- How to Get the Most Out of a Business Health Review with Your Accountant
While working with my clients and as Program Manager of the Entrepreneurial Assistance Program I have a common theme presents itself. How do I figure out how my business is doing? As a business owner I need to know the answer to this myself. So when I meet with my accountant, I want to give him the most up to date and accurate information. Thus providing the data he needs to help me make sound financial decisions. Your accountant can do this for you but they will need “information”.
- Planning For Success
So why is planning important? Without it you will waist a considerable amount of money, time, and resources. You can’t get where you want to go if you don’t know where you want to end up. Working with clients I usually find businesses that have grown ad hoc and call me when their inefficient back office operations are hampering growth. By developing a business plan you can prepare for growth and potential risk or problems. Therefore you are responding to your environment not reacting. Also, having a solid plan gives you a tool for making decisions.
- 10 Key Factors in Choosing Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM)
One of my favorite topics we teach in class is how to compile information that can be used to make smart business decisions. What usually comes up during class is many start-ups and existing companies know they need a tool to help them with collecting and using information but do not know where to start. This article’s focus is the ten key factors to help you choose the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for your company.
- 10 Tips for Creating a Data Goldmine
I have been working with many clients who have their information in a database but are unable to get the information they want or know where to find it. Usually the culprit is a series of issues that come together to create the perfect storm of inefficiency. The tips below will help you to prevent this storm and maximize the information in your database to increase productivity and profits.
- How to Make More Money in 2012 with Data Driven Decisions
I have mentioned in many of my articles about metrics. Things we use to measure success and how far you are from reaching your goals. Data is much more than that – it is a valuable tool to make solid business decisions. It also helps you to save as well as make money. Below are some of the metrics you can use to help grow your bottom line in 2012.
Streamlining Workflow
Once an organization has completed 5S standardization they can begin to examine how and why they do things. One of the biggest blockades of addressing this is the fear of change. When you ask staff why they do administrative processes in a particular way it is always followed with “because we have always done it that way”. Not the best answer. When an organization grows it builds on existing tools and procedures without taking into consideration the new conditions or environment. A productivity specialist brings to the table a new set of eyes to examine the overall process for waste, mistakes and bottlenecks.
There are numerous tools to get a clear and defined picture of what is happening within an organization. Some examples are: SIPOC diagram, Service Family Matrix, Swim lane diagram and Value Stream Map. Most organizations tend to focus on what they perceive as a problem area without addressing the overall flow and if that particular step is even necessary.
These tools let an organization identify waste, long lead times, bottleneck and redundant processes. It also allows us to examine what may be possible root causes for a particular problem area. To truly maximize your organization’s resources flow of information within an office environment is vital.
We assist our clients in the analysis and development of these maps so they can address issues that are causing poor cash flow, long staff hours and inflated costs. We work with the staff and management to create an action plan to address the issues discovered during the analysis phase. Croll Productive Synergy also assists the client in implementing these changes thus the organization acts on the findings.
Creating a Value Stream Map for the Office
Value Stream Map designed for recent client
