idea > logic > magic

So, what’s the return on investment? This is generally, and obviously should be, the first question that underpins most intelligent business decisions when committing financial resources to choosing IT infrastructure and packages. These decisions should always be backed by comprehensive research and investigation, and a thorough needs assessment, in order to ensure that IT solutions deliver true business value.

When clients approach a specific vendor, they want help solving critical business issues – and they want it fast. The key philosophy is to first carefully listen to a client’s requirements in order to fully understand the scope and nature of the challenge, and then to advise them on the best possible solution to resolve their specific needs.

James McKerrel, MD of CRS Technologies, one of the leading Human Resources and payroll outsourcing companies with branches in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, believes that organisations have long been buying applications based on the perceived merit of advertised functionality. These purchases rarely address the real business issues and needs adequately, nor do they deliver a return on investment (ROI).
 
The fact is, there’s a perception that many vendors and resellers are simply after a quick sale. With preconceived ideas about what their clients want to achieve with business IT applications, they simply sell them the functionality without taking cognisance of their true needs. The bad news for vendors and resellers is that when companies buy a solution based on the promised functionality only to discover a year later that they purchased the wrong system, the vendor or reseller will almost certainly get a bad reputation.

CRS Technologies aims to help their clients achieve their business goals and strategies. They achieve this by consistently listening to their clients to get a accurate sense of, and appropriately assess, their business needs. They operate on the principle of obtaining a healthy balance between enquiry and advocacy, which requires exceptional critical thinking and common sense skills.

They also believe that the better their enquiries into their clients’ needs, the better they can advise clients on best practice and best of breed solutions. Simply put, what is needed is a clear diagnosis of the business problem, accompanied by the analysis of existing systems and a clear decision making process based on the achievability of identified business objectives.

There is a perception that too many organisations pre-empt their clients in terms of determining their needs. Organisations need to avoid premature discussion around which solutions are best suited to resolving their dilemma and move instead to exploring the underlying business problems identifying what the solution is intended to solve and the desired result the solution is intended to produce.

From needs analysis to delivery – clear decisions based on real ROI:

CRS Technologies completes a high-level needs analysis for each client to establish its business issues and objectives, investigating the underlying influences and verifying the findings to establish if the problem, as stated, actually does exist. The next step is to assess the impact the identified issues will have on the company’s financials, people, processes and technologies, ensuring a business case can be made for implementing a solution and that a satisfactory ROI can be achieved.

Only once this has been established to their own and their client’s satisfaction, do they start looking at possible solutions. They will then submit a proposal to the client advising them on what they believe to be the best way forward.

A detailed needs analysis including people, processes and technologies will then be done, where after they will produce a detailed business case, including the expected ROI. If the proposal is accepted, CRS Technologies launches and implements the project. If, on completing a thorough needs analysis, the company does not accept the proposal, they will walk away from the project at no cost to the client.

It is important to remember that ROI should be measured in more than simply financial terms – the efficacy of an IT solution in relation to the specific need is critical – ultimately what you really need is the right tool for the job.

CRS Technologies fundamentally believes that all their clients, new and old, will continue to benefit from this comprehensive approach and process. Completing the needs assessment ultimately does more than just assist organisations to obtain the full potential from their existing products – it will ensure a greater understanding of the underlying needs and go a long way toward ensuring a solid return on new IT investments.