Where to Invest? Data Management, Customer Retention and Project Management: Part 3 of 3

Reprioritization of Existing IT Projects to Achieve ROI

For most companies, the reprioritization of IT projects is a constant task. The general nature of business, constant technological advancements and changing needs of clients demands it. This might be a business executive’s toughest challenge because it requires a strong IT executive with the ability to look at the big picture, the focus to drive projects to conclusion and the flexibility to shift people to effectively meet the needs of the business. As an IT leader, is this an area you excel in? Consider consulting your staffing partner who can help you evaluate your business priorities and make the needed adjustments.

The investment decisions and the prioritization of projects appear to be a common challenge among today’s business executives. IT leaders are seemingly well positioned to remove the uncertainty that comes with the unknown and to help advise and direct the choices to be made. In some cases, it may warrant the outside expertise of a third-party partner to help bring a clear, unbiased perspective to the table. As your company considers where to invest and how to prioritize IT projects, we welcome the opportunity to provide our guidance and expertise and/or the sources you need.

Where to Invest? Data Management, Customer Retention and Project Management: Part 2 of 3

Investing in Data Management

Managing data is a large and growing area of concern for many companies. Although the cost to implement may be a primary factor for why companies put off creating a strategic data management plan, we often find that other factors influence the delay including:

· Companies don’t know where to begin

· Companies can’t confidently justify the ROI

· Companies don’t have the resources to develop a plan and achieve stated end goals

However, it’s no secret that proper data management can help companies achieve a competitive advantage by leveraging the information they have whether it’s improving operational processes to make them more efficient and cost effective, or targeting a particular industry to increase profitability. So, how does a company determine how and what data to collect, and how to manage, integrate and execute on it in a way that yields the greatest results without breaking the bank? Typically this niche area requires skilled experts that can be challenging to find. Working with a partner that can help you identify a person or a whole team whether on a contract or full-time basis with the skill sets such a position demands is often a great first step. Ideally a third-party partner will have a solid network of potential candidates to call upon and know the type of experience needed to be successful in such a position. The right outside resource(s) can typically evaluate your data, systems, functionality and more with an unbiased view and present the solid plan you need to take advantage of your information.

Where to Invest? Data Management, Customer Retention and Project Management: Part 1 of 3

Today’s business executives have an endless list of demands. Questions that must be answered. Direction that must be provided. Decisions that must be made. Given everything organizational leaders must contend with, I found the responses I received to the basic question I posed to several dozen executives — What are your top concerns right now? — very intriguing. The answers to my informal survey of small, medium and large company leaders varied, but after thoroughly considering each of my discussions I saw an interesting pattern develop from the insights that were shared. Business executives want to know where to invest when it comes to managing data and retaining customers. They also want to know how to reprioritize existing IT projects to generate the greatest ROI. What immediately came to mind for me was the unique opportunity IT leaders have to help their business counterparts in each of these areas.

Mobile Is Taking Over!

Mobile Is Taking Over!

Ready, Set...Stop?

During a time when companies are focusing on revenue growth, the ability to start implementing projects in a timely manner will be key to rebuilding efforts. Equally important is the opportunity for companies to increase staff to meet the needs of their clients whose businesses are growing. Figuring out the right hiring mix is a fine line. However, not being fully prepared to hit the ground running when your customers say “go” could cost you their business.

Stability in Flexibility...Continued

1. Try before you buy. In this economy, trying before “buying” is like a safety net. Hiring a contract professional with the option to go permanent ensures a match from several standpoints. You have the opportunity to make sure the skill set is a fit, avoid performance discrepancies and you can make sure the individual fits into the culture of your organization. At Thompson Technologies, we offer a two-week guarantee. It’s like a quality promise: if our client is not happy with our candidate within the first two weeks, we will immediately rectify the situation.

2. Lower cost-per-hire. Because staffing companies specialize in all aspects of hiring, the process is typically accomplished in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. With the latest technologies for identifying the best-fit candidates and a proven system for recruiting and hiring, companies who partner with a staffing firm are able to save resources by taking advantage of economies of scale and putting people to work on their projects faster. Plus, candidates typically do not need the extra expense of training and are often at the top of their game.

3. Ability to scale team up and down. Projects are often needed for short-term objectives and do not require the skills a full-time hire has to offer beyond the scope of a specific project. In these cases, working with a staffing partner affords companies the ability to scale up with a contractor for the duration of the project and then scale back when it’s complete. In the meantime, companies might identify a project for which they will need the contractor’s continued expertise, in which case they have the choice and flexibility to extend a contract.

4. Access to talent. I would be remiss not to mention what might seem obvious. Staffing partners are able to research candidates in a way that is simply difficult and costly for companies to do on their own. Since our focus is staffing, we have access to loads of resources and the tools to identify highly skilled, top-level talent that’s otherwise not available. Staffing firms can easily and quickly narrow down your search to find talent with your precise required skill sets.

5. Reduce opportunity costs. Bottom line, when working with a staffing partner with whom you have an established relationship, that partner is like an extension of your onsite team. Your goals are, or at least should be, their goals. As a result, you maximize opportunities by getting your team up and running or supplemented quickly and competently, leaving your full-time team with the bandwidth to focus on core functions.

So, the next time you put a project on hold because you are holding out for a budget that will accommodate a full-time resource, consider more flexible staffing options such as contractors to move ahead.

Emerging Technologies

We’ve heard in one-on-one meetings with our clients as well as in association meetings with industry leaders that developing and managing an emerging technologies strategy—such as mobile and cloud computing—is becoming more and more of a business priority. Yet many of these same individuals are challenged by the struggle to find skilled experts who are experienced with these rapidly evolving areas.

Where would you put emerging technologies on your priority list? What’s been your experience with these new technologies? What skills do you see as essential to implementing an emerging technologies strategy?

With emerging technologies as one of our core competencies, Thompson Technologies is a go-to-resource for talent in cloud computing and mobile technologies. We provide IT professionals who are deeply skilled in these areas on a contract and direct-hire basis. We also have a great deal of thought leadership on the changing IT environment, and I invite you to review the following articles from CIO.com that sparked our interest and are sure to ignite yours as well.

The Latest from CIO.com on Cloud Computing
Interop: Cloud Security Raises Concerns for Auditors
Wed, April 28, 2010 - If you think meeting security audits is tough, try passing one if you’ve got your data in a cloud, Interop attendees were told today.

Before You Choose a Cloud Computing Vendor: 8 Questions
Tue, April 27, 2010 - When you're comparing cloud computing service providers, traditional IT product selection skills may not cut it. Consider these 8 questions for your working checklist.

Cloud Computing Doesn't Equal Hosting 2.0
Tue, April 13, 2010 - Build cloud apps, not apps in the cloud, says CIO.com's Bernard Golden. Here's a look at why if you treat cloud computing like hosting 2.0, you'll suffer.

The Latest from CIO.com on Mobile
Study: Users OK with Mobile Devices for Transactions
Thu, April 29, 2010 - Most mobile device users worldwide feel safe using their mobile devices for applications that involve highly-sensitive information, including accessing airline boarding passes; making payments in stores for low-cost items; or to access online banking, according to research conducted by Unisys Corporation. But acceptance levels vary by age, with younger users more comfortable conducting sensitive mobile transactions compared to older users.

Smartphone Management Becoming a Nightmare
Wed, April 28, 2010 - A survey of 475 Interop attendees pegged mobile device management as the biggest mobile concern, with 200 people saying that is their top worry.

Flash Memory Set to Benefit From Mobile Internet Explosion
Wed, April 28, 2010 - As the world becomes ever more connected through wireless Internet devices, and corporate users seek faster access to data, flash memory is expected to quickly take a more important place in the storage of information.

Stability in Flexibility

Seems like an oxymoron, “finding stability in flexibility.” However, the notion of improving stability within your department by using flexible staffing options is really spot-on. There’s a perception that by using contractors, clients will be continually training new hires and managing the ambiguous revolving door. The reality, though, is just the opposite. When engaging in flexible staffing options, clients open their doors to many advantages that are not always there with direct hires.

Brace Yourself

Just as IT organizations had to brace for the recession and the extreme cost-cutting and resource reductions that accompanied it, it’s now time to prepare for recovery. Be ready for surges in projects and demand. Take advantage of the strong market of talent when and where budgets allow and be sure to align IT goals with bottom-line success. With the right team and insight into business strategy, an IT organization can and should be a powerful, supportive and innovative engine for recovery.