For years, industry and analysts have been touting the benefits of integrated systems that would improve the decision-making process by taking information from disparate functions and processes and organizing it efficiently. Strides continue to be made in driving efficiencies throughout the organization through just this sort of thought: Inventory and purchasing systems, payroll and HR systems, HVAC and fire systems, door entry and VOIP systems all coming together in solutions that drive productivity by correlating the data that these formerly disparate systems generated.
The industry calls these “converged” solutions, but in the end these efforts are all focused on creating systems that conform to business processes. By driving efficiencies throughout the organization, those systems improve productivity of the workforce. Broadening this view; by looking at the business holistically, allows the opportunity to question why these disparate or partially integrated functions, are not all within one system or one database. What would bringing all this data into a single source do for your business?
Once you have a single repository of information; everyone is communicating in real-time with the same view of the data; you start to build a knowledge base of your customer’s entire experience with your company, with specific insight into how your business operates. Workflows are identified, process bottlenecks are presented faster or headed off altogether. You and your staff are empowered through information to continuously improve your business. This technology evolution puts your business on a path that takes your organization through more systems-level automation and productivity gains as your business grows.
