Every business has different functions, needs and challenges – and as a result each uses information in very different ways. So when it comes to achieving operational intelligence, there is no ‘one way’ to go – there’s only the way that best suits your people and your business. But if every business is different, how do you set about identifying what your first step towards operational intelligence should be? And more to the point, how do you know whether you want to take that step in the first place?
The Big Why
The great thing about operationally intelligent business systems is that they have the potential to benefit any kind of business. With a smart solution like Greentree4 for example, people involved in day-to-day operations of any kind get instant access to the information they need to work faster and to make smarter, more assured decisions. And with the option to automate error-prone activities such as manual processing and data inputting, accuracy levels improve significantly while people are freed-up to focus instead on the more interesting and productive side of their roles.
At Endeavour, we’re always excited to see what happens when a client implements an operationally intelligent system, because the changes can be so dramatic. People suddenly find it easier to do their jobs, they’re freed up from those repetitive tasks that nobody enjoys doing, they enjoy a newfound confidence in their systems - and efficiency, productivity and happiness generally improve right across the organisation. And that’s just the start.
Savvy Systems
At this point you might be thinking that your current business system is functioning pretty well, and that perhaps it’s already operationally intelligent. Well there are a couple of easy ways to check. Ask yourself, does work ever fall through the cracks when team members are away? Do tasks get put on hold when someone leaves the company for good, piling up unattended until their replacement arrives (immediately placing them on the back foot)? And then there’s communication between different departments, teams and sites. Does each team really know what the others do every day? Do they understand the wider flow-on effects that operational issues in their department might have? And do they know which colleagues on other sites have the capacity to step in to provide help or cover when needed?
If any of those questions caused you pause for thought, then it might be time to look at a new, more operationally savvy system. Because if the one you have only works well during the status quo, and can’t adapt or provide full support during times of change, then it may well be costing you time and money. An integrated operationally intelligent system will actively help your business to roll on regardless of circumstance, ensuring work continues to tick along smoothly, that everybody knows what everybody else is (or isn’t) doing and providing the reassurance that work will be promptly and appropriately reallocated where necessary.
The Big How
So now you’ve hopefully got a better understanding of whether or not your existing business system is operationally intelligent. But how do you know what the right step towards operational intelligence will be for you and your people? Well, as we said before, the detail of that step will depend very much on your specific business needs, and it’s worth talking to the team at Endeavour to really get to grips with your options. But we can safely say that there is one general direction the majority of companies, regardless of business model or industry would benefit from taking.
Operational intelligence works best with a free flow of information across a company, and that means breaking down silos, opening up the lines of communication and supporting different departments to work in harmony. So for most companies, the answer to ‘how do we make the first move towards operational intelligence’ will be ‘by improving levels of integration across the board’ either by aligning your current software systems or by moving to a fully integrated, operationally intelligent business management system.
Intelligence Fit-For-Purpose
If you have multiple, disparate systems across your organisation, the prospect of integrating them all might seem like a mammoth task, and perhaps it’s one that you’ve actively avoided until now. By comparison, making the move to one fully integrated system might well be a more efficient and useful route for you and your team. After all, the new generation of bi solutions like Greentree4 are designed to bring alignment, to boost your operational intelligence and to deliver instant, intelligent data access to everyone that needs it – all in a single platform.
If you’d like to find out whether Greentree4 is the right step towards operational intelligence for your business, give the team at Endeavour a call on 0800 422 272.
