When you hear ‘innovation’ a large majority of business leaders are probably dreading what new changes are being brought in to disrupt the status quo they are comfortable and familiar with. The latest technological advancement, the best new productivity tool or the latest streamlined process might seem like the next in a long line of trends they have seen over their career. Unfortunately for this type of leader; innovation is no longer just inevitable but will be the one deciding factor between their company’s longevity against other companies who are embracing innovation with the passion and enthusiasm it deserves.
At Blue Ocean Systems, we are so committed to innovation – for us and for our clients – that we recently embarked on a NBDA initiative to bring about new ways of integrating innovation into our business. Read our full post about it here.
We recognise that for our clients, innovation can be scary. It might bring about changes you are not quite ready for or transformation which you hadn’t anticipated. But we believe that your organisation’s approach to innovation can bring such huge and positive changes that to ignore it would be foolish.
Let’s take a fresh look at innovation in your organisation…
Innovation 101
Who does your business work for?
The shareholders? The CEO? The client? The accounts team?
Innovation can only take place when you look at your organisation from the consumer’s point of view. Have you ever used a product or service as an end user and thought ‘this hasn’t helped me at all, it would be better if…’? Applying this same methodology to your own business can dramatically improve the way your end users access your product or service. It doesn’t even need to be a big change; small shifts can often have the biggest impact.
Imagine if:
- More of the phone calls made to your customer care line could be handled on the first contact. Wouldn’t that improve the credibility of your brand?
- Orders from consumers were acknowledged automatically and orders processed within 24 hours. Wouldn’t you be seen as the provider of choice
- The paper trail for each order made by a customer was reduced by 3 pages. Wouldn’t you look more efficient to them?
Is your organisation too complex?Do you have complicated systems, lengthy processes and inefficient methods?Why are these in place? Go back to the question above and ask yourself – how does your end user see these things? What is the effect on them?Innovation does not necessarily mean something new has to be introduced. It can also mean the elimination of unnecessary items, steps and confusion.Imagine if:
- Your customer did not need to complete the same paperwork each time they wanted to order from you because their preferences were pre-loaded and remembered by your system? Wouldn’t they be happier to work with you?
- Your customers needed to click twice instead of 4 times before making a purchase from your site. Wouldn’t they be more inclined to place an order?
- The end user had their order fulfilled within 3 days instead of 5. Wouldn’t they be more likely to become a repeat buyer?
Are you leveraging technology properly?Do you buy the latest software and then decide how it will help your team? Do you have the latest trends because you think that’s the best way to stay ahead?Technology needs to be seen as a solution-enabler across your entire organisation and an element of your business which underpins innovation.Imagine if:
- Even your most junior employees were empowered to generate up to the minute, accurate reports in a matter of seconds. Wouldn’t you be attracting and retaining the right kind of talent within your organisation?
- Your CTO was able to pioneer innovation strategies throughout the business instead of spending hours generating out of date reports. Wouldn’t you have innovation woven into every team function and process?
- You and your management team could efficiently control all outgoing expenses from your mobile device anywhere in the world. Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable knowing where your cash flow is at every moment of the day?
To remain innovative, it needs to be in your organisation’s DNA and while it can seem like an unreachable goal, game-changing analytics by SAP HANA make it more accessible and simple than you could ever imagine.The below table shows the results of a survey by SAP for small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs) and demonstrates exactly where their pain points lie;
By running 70% of the world’s GDP on SAP, the next generation solutions provided by SAP HANA are well placed to help SMEs overcome these challenges.1. Rapid cashflow forecasts
- Ÿ Complete, accurate and timely picture of your cash flow
- Ÿ Purchase orders and sales orders from recurring postings included in calculations
- Ÿ Sophisticated calculations to help assess payment probability
- Ÿ Watch a video here to learn more
2. Advanced Availability to Promise (ATP)
- Ÿ Real-time inventory transparency
- Ÿ Dynamic aggregation of inventory on-hand, promised and desired
- Ÿ Enable sales order re-scheduling to minimise cost
- Ÿ Watch a video here to learn more
3. Rapid Analytics from Mobile Devices
- Ÿ Enterprise search integration
- Ÿ Pervasive analytics for Business Partners and Inventory
- Ÿ Cashflow forecast dashboard
- Ÿ Availability to promise check during sales order creation
- Ÿ Delivery rescheduling for existing sales order items
- Ÿ Watch a video here to learn more
4. Predictive Analytics
- Ÿ Embed analytical content in transaction screens
- Ÿ Real-time analytics reflect transactional activity as it happens
- Ÿ Enable front line employees to see data relevant to their job – at the moment it’s needed
- Ÿ Watch a video here to learn more
5. Enterprise Search
- Ÿ Access all SAP Business One data with freestyle search
- Ÿ Seamless user experience
- Ÿ Locate business information just as you would on the internet
- Ÿ Watch a video here to learn more
How SAP HANA is already driving innovation around the world:
- Online Gaming Company Monetises More Effectively & Quickly
- Genome Analysis in Hours Instead of Days
- Engine Manufacturer Improved Performance
- Traffic Analysis Made Simpler & Quicker
- Bottler Stays Ahead with SAP HANA
To enable and sustain your organisation’s growth it needs to become timeless; innovation isn’t a one off event or project, it must be embedded into every business function and part of each employee’s approach to their daily task.
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