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"I've worked with (it seems) four or five organizations that purport to be able to install GoldMine. You folks were different in that you listened to what we wanted, formulated a plan that mirrored our needs, and executed it with the least amount of interference. I personally appreciate that."
(Tom Ciciora - Windy City Baldor)
Forward Progress offers business consulting services to companies who need us to perform specific task that are aimed at achieving predefined business results. Those results are agreed upon before the engagement and are aligned with goals of the company. We are typically hired as consultants when companies need to bring on talent that is not immediately available within their organization.
Most time this is through a transition period or at a point where a company needs to achieve the next level or break through a rough period.
Forward Progress Consulting - Steps to Success
The first step - Discovery/Needs Analysis.
This step is where you take the requirements you identified in your planning process and start setting up the process to capture the proper information, organize resources and define the necessary technology to be utilized. There will be a clear statement of outcomes and objectives defined in this stage as well as the responsibilities of all parties involved.
The second step - Development.
This is where the any process and defined technology work is developed. Workflow documents are created, databases are defined, programming is developed.
The third step - Testing and Review.
All work completed in the Development step will have a thorough review from all parties involved. This is where sign off and acknowledgement of usability either of process or technology are met as defined in the Discovery process.
The fourth step - Administration.
This is the step where there are any security definitions and documentation are done. This can be a shared responsibility as stated through ownership in the scope of work.
The fifth step - Deployment and Delivery.
This is the step where you and Forward Progress prepare your people, environment and technical resources for the new process and/or technology to be deployed. Then as all are ready, the actual deployment takes place and monitored closely by representatives in all areas.
The sixth step - Training.
The amount of information that should be included in the training course should be limited to the core competencies that are required to get the individual participants and users productive as quickly and easily as possible. Try not to overwhelm them with too much information, it won't be retained or remembered. The number of days for training will vary depending on the experience of the people involved. Training can typically vary from one to five days depending on the complexity of the process or system.
The seventh step - Roll Out/Coaching.
During this step Forward Progress assists the implementation team with "on the spot" assistance for all users involved. This will help to alleviate any frustration for users as they begin using the new process or system. Forward Progress's role is simply to "be available". At this point, your personnel should take the lead. On-site coaching will be provided during the roll out but will be limited to the core competencies that are required to get the individual users productive as quickly and easily as possible.
The eighth step - Benchmarking.
Or the "How are we doing" Phase. About 30 or 60 days after the initial rollout, you should measure your progress versus your original goals and objectives. This should be repeated after every phase of the rollout program, as well. Review your training. Was it effective? Is more needed? What were the project's successes and mistakes so far? What goals have you achieved and which ones have you missed?
Define what course of action needs to be taken from here, or what changes need to be made before proceeding. This is also the point where you discuss and plan your next phase and project.
Therefore, set the measurements for success right from the outset. What are your business performance targets? What are your technical performance targets? How will this system help improve your business? How will it enhance the relationship between your company and your customers? How can you measure satisfaction of your organization, workgroups and customers? If you can't answer these questions, then how will you answer senior management when they ask you what this expenditure did for the company? Use all these measures as focal points throughout the implementation process. And don't forget to continuously solicit feedback from the participants and team members.
Benchmark results are necessary to measure against, but they should also be definable. The questions you need to ask yourself that were just mentioned are important, but you should also include specific measurable results.
These are just some of the measurable benchmarks to consider:
- Sales revenue
- Cost per sale
- Average profit margin
- Market share
- Units sold
- Increased qualified leads
- Number of calls/visits per day
- Shorter transaction times
- Customer satisfaction criteria
- Increased revenue, profits, ROI, etc.
Chicagolands premier Business Coaching and Consulting Company - Business Consulting Chicago
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