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Does Your Enterprise Software Promote Common Sense?

Software that fits makes common sense common. Software that doesn’t challenges common sense. Here’s how you can make sure your software fits.
Enterprise software tools have spawned their own caste system. The C-Suite & VPs are at the top of the pyramid and mainly use reporting and analytics capabilities to provide direction. Middle management use reporting to manage their teams but they often also do some of their work in enterprise systems. At the bottom of the pyramid lie the executors who are responsible for most of the data entry that enables the reporting but gets very little out of enterprise software. So how surprising is it then that many implementations fail at the altar of user acceptance? Executors that are gaining little are more than happy to point out flaws.

Software implementations combine requirement gathering and process improvement and invariably involve compromises between demands from user groups, management goals and the capability of the software being implemented. This often results in situations where workflows imposed by software do not accurately reflect what users are doing. Now since the software does need to be updated users will enter the minimum amount of data that can get away with and the company are lucky to get even 10% of the benefits they originally targeted when they made the investment. I have personally seen examples of large investments being written off as well as enterprise software implementation creating perverse incentives. A case in point for the latter is a global software services giant (Oh, the irony) where stakeholders preferred to pay for unconsumed services over getting into their ERP driven process for budget re-allocations.

Technology is finally seeing a course correction. No-Code Workflow Automation platforms and Robotic Process Automation have the potential to empower users and bring back common sense. Here’s how:

Be Agile, Be Accurate

Workflow automation platforms like Zvolv give you the capability to customize your software in lockstep with the way your processes evolve to achieve and maintain operational excellence. Business users can now drive changes to your workflows that take a day or two to incorporate into your software. Instead of getting everything right at the time of implementation you can now use software that reflects how you work today and then bring in improvements one small step at a time.

Empower Your People

Plenty of complaints around the way an implemented software get brushed under the carpet because it’s impractical and unviable to accommodate every demand within the constraints of pre-defined workflows that most software comes with. That can now stop. The flexibility and ease of use workflow automation allow you to easily create new branches in your workflows at a granular level and quickly put together reports that reflect those branches. With the viability, hurdle cleared you can democratize the flow of ideas and the debates around your processes.

Simplify Data Capture

Analytics and AI keep opening up new possibilities. By aligning data collection with the way work is done you can put the visibility and insights you get from Analytics on steroids. Robotic Process Automation eliminates much of the manual effort and gives you cleaner data in the bargain. Dynamic forms allow your analytics to evolve as fast as your process.

Clear Out The Clutter (More on this in our next post)

Build a clean, simple virtual space for your people to work in. What are they doing today? What do they need to know to do the tasks on their plate? Share all of this with them in a simple format with educational content and a unified communication stream.
Empower your people in this way and watch the magic happen. Our customers improve throughout by 30% or more every time.