When we first engage with our clients, many of them ask us, “What, exactly, can I expect from a Digital Transformation?” We tell them that, from a big-picture perspective, the engagement will lead them through a complete rethinking of how their organization uses technology, people and processes with the goal of accelerating and enhancing their business performance.
We also note that the effort is designed to yield quantifiable benefits that will provide maximum return on their investments — and literally transform the way their business and its personnel operate, both in service of their clients or customers and in their daily operations.
This month, we thought it would be interesting to provide real-world examples of scenarios in which our transformation experts helped clients bring a beneficial process to fruition as part of their Digital Transformation Service. We would love to hear if any of these are on your wish list — and which you have tried to initiate but not yet been able to accomplish.
- Expense Report Approval Workflow
We have helped clients leverage Microsoft’s Power platform (PowerApps and Power Automate, previously Microsoft Flow) for business process automation projects in which they eliminated paper-based processes and gained a centralized web-based application interface for reviews. In one project for a non-profit with multiple approval tiers, we also replaced SharePoint 2010 workflow with Power Automate.
- Beneficial outcomes included:
- Move away from the complexity of email-based approvals;
- Gain consistency through standardized forms, also reducing back and forth between senders and approvers;
- Expedite processing while reducing errors;
- Gain a centralized interface for viewing expense report statuses.
- Corporate Sentiment Tracker
A simpler, but incredibly useful project was one where we deployed Power Automate and Microsoft Forms to equip a client with an automated, weekly survey solution. To stay abreast of how well employees were dealing with their jobs while working in a distributed, work-from-home environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, personnel were asked how they were feeling and what might be challenging them. With that information, management was better equipped to assist them if they were struggling and work more closely with them if they needed specialized direction.
- Form-Driven Client Attributes Database
ITS also uses the technology solutions we recommend — and that we help our clients leverage efficiently and productively — to boost our in-house operations. One innovation we developed was a forms-driven database of client attributes built with SharePoint and Microsoft Exchange Online. It houses all the details about new clients, from their core attributes to their service preferences, in a customized, centralized database. That way our personnel, from proactive and help desk personnel to client service coordinators, can assist them more effectively from Day 1 of our support partnership. We think this innovation would be of great benefit to professional services companies such as law firms, medical practices, accountants and others.
If some of these ideas intrigued you, or you would like to explore the potential inherent in specialized solutions built with SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, the Microsoft Power Platform (which also includes analytics through Power BI) and other transformative tools, reach out to your Strategic Advisor or call us for a no-obligation discussion at 1-866-PICK-ITS.
