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Deconstructing ECM
The IT universe is littered with acronyms; SQL, ERP, KPI, WiFi, LAN, WAN, ECM.
All of these terms get bandied about during meetings, sales engagements and tech
research quite a bit. However, just like acronyms for stats in sports or
business buzz speak, I posit that most folks tossing them around do not
understand them and an even higher percentage of the clients and or partners in
the aforementioned conversations do not understand them. Many business people (I
am so very guilty here), make assumptions when communicating and often, in our
excitement about a concept or an idea, do not fully take into account the
audience to whom we are communicating with and their potential level of
understanding. Even worse is in a sales engagement when our pride, excitement,
or sense of hubris in a concept is deemed to be sufficient and that clearly
delivering an understanding is secondary to getting the close, winning the vote,
or pushing our idea.
So in all of that, what do acronyms and Ben’s theories on communication have to
do with Enterprise Content Management? ECM
(yes I just used an acronym), is so often overlooked, poorly executed and
watered down or dismissed due to lack of research and/or poor communication that
therein lies the relevance. I do not care if you are peddling consulting, fish
sticks, making whiskey for sale, or running a giant corporation, there is a
series of documents or information captures that happen from the time the
proverbial phone rings to start a sales/business cycle and to when an invoice is
sent. Along the way data is gathered, be it invoices from suppliers, customer
request information, shipping requests, financial documents...the list could go
on and on. Now, consider your internal documentation needs with regard to human
resource concerns, business process, and the like. All of this represents the
information CONTENT that drives your ENTERPRISE; and I guarantee any business
expends energy on its MANAGEMENT. Whether it is an old-school metal filing
cabinet forest, files in desk drawers, offsite document storage facilities,
banker style file boxes, not to mention the shared folders on a server, and our
My Documents folders; we are continuously searching for, recalling, referencing
and utilizing that information. Manual processes to use this information slows
down sales, extends invoice cycles, generates additional overhead in the form of
labor and takes valuable office space or increased storage, physical or digital.
In some cases more than twenty years ago, organizations began discussing a
paperless workplace. Much like perpetual motion, cold fusion or transparent
aluminum, this concept has been vigorously pursued and while progress has been
made in each arena, none of these ideas have come to complete fruition. An
office can build a near paperless process for most things, however, it is
important to note things will still get printed, come to you in paper form and
require original documents. The beauty of a well-executed ECM system is that it
allows you to either continue in a mainly paper driven business process or to
transition to less paper in a fashion that will allow your organization to
execute this all without shocking your systems and employees completely. Clearly
delineating your current process and then honestly analyzing said process with a
willingness to change or eliminate steps is key to a successful ECM deployment
and, more importantly, adoption. Most of us have a garage or closet full of
tools that looked cool that we never used, or lack the understanding to use
effectively. Sadly software in a business is all too often similar -- we buy
expensive and or extensive systems and then use only a fraction of their power.
Why is it that these investments, be they tools or software, go so
underutilized? In the end it comes down communication.
If we do not truly understand a tool or software’s capability we need to ask for
clarification. Training needs also must be communicated clearly from both the
trainee and trainer. Lastly, communication within an organization as to new and
improved ways to adopt and refine the process are all critical to getting the
most out of any ECM deployment. As software consultants, our duty is to make
sure our clients understand the systems and process we sell them and to,more
importantly, listen to them and work as if we are part of that organization to
maximize their investment. As a client, it is incumbent upon us to ask
questions, take notes, ask for more training and execute and communicate
internally in order to capitalize on our investment, improve our business and
ultimately take better care of our clients. In the end, what Enterprise Content
Management is to you and your organization can be anything from digital filing
cabinets to a sophisticated method of automating work process that allows for
greater transparency, security and quicker research when needed. There are many
excellent systems of varying degrees of cost and sophistication available today.
I would encourage you to do some homework
on your current non digitized process and get a wish list even before you
entertain the first conversation with a vendor or consultant. Also bear in mind
your business’ five year plan and strategy for growth, so as to find a system
and tools that will grow and flex with your plan along the way. Acronyms save
key strokes and sound smart, but utilizing Enterprise Content Management to
truly streamline our business process saves time,
increases profits, improves customer service, and is just smart.
Written by Ben Arntson | RMC ProIT