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After the period of high IT investment in late 90's, businesses are now evaluating IT investment much more closely. While some have greatly benefited from their investment in the past, other have realized only marginal gains, some have even experienced negative results. The difference in results has been the alignment of IT investment with business strategies and efficiency of their IT capability.
With fierce competition caused by over capacity, businesses have to continue to invest in IT - both for revenue growth and operational efficiency. However, IT investments must be made based on the measurable contribution they will make to the bottom line. In addition, plans must be flexible - delivering short-term results while moving in a direction to improve strategic positioning for long-term business needs.
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| Challenges and Opportunities |
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For businesses to fully leverage IT, it is critical that business strategies and needs drive the IT investment - which makes it essential that business leaders participate in the planning for IT Planning Process. Typical hurdles for successful IT planning include the following:
- IT planning processes take too long
- Plans are static, while business needs and technology alternatives are not
- Planning Process is highly politicized
We believe in a dynamic planning process and involvement of external agents to depoliticize the process. The success of the IT plans greatly depends on the planning process and ability of the IT leadership to relate to business issues and have an in-depth understanding of IT landscape both in terms of technologies and available options to deploy those technologies. IT leadership has to play a role of educating business leadership on IT issues and crystallizing opportunities based on viable technology platforms.
In the current environment where the prices of IT hardware, software and services have considerably dropped, businesses have a great opportunity to leverage new alternatives that may have become viable.
Given the low cost of offshore resources, it may be very tempting to use offshore IT resources across the board, however, we believe that use of offshore resources must be done with a deliberate strategy that minimizes risks while delivers real cost savings.
Identified below are key opportunities for IT strategies to deliver bottom-line results:
- Revenue gains through integration of customer facing systems
- Effectiveness Gains by implementing Relationship Applications
- Cost reduction by platform and people alignment
- Agility gains by implementing BI solutions
- Cost reduction by leveraging offshore options
- Cost reduction via rationalization of current initiatives
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Our planning services are performed in the context of an Enterprise Process Framework which comprises of core business processes. Our planning models revolve around building capabilities to enhance the efficiency of operational processes, insightfulness of business intelligence and effectiveness of relationship development environment.
With Enterprise IT Planning services, we help build an effective IT organization and a blue print for long-term IT direction. Depending on the business direction, we work with you to create specific IT plans for deliberate, BI, and Relationship Applications.
Based on our experience, we believe in a short workshop oriented IT planning process that identifies key opportunities that improve bottom line results. We contribute from our experience with IT practices across industries, to help formulate alternatives to directly impact business bottom-line.
Enterprise IT Planning
Our Enterprise Strategy Services focus on enterprise wide IT issues. We work with you to create a high level blue print of your strategic IT direction - focusing on People, Process, Portfolio, Platforms, Architecture, and Partners. In addition, we also work with enterprise issues such as data architecture, program and process management, etc.
Operational Applications Planning
Our Operational System Planning services support Operational strategies. When planning for operational systems, we develop plans to align operational systems with key business strategies, by assessing current capabilities and evaluating alternative options such as enhancements, re-development and implementation of new packages or custom applications.
BI Applications Planning
Our BI Applications Planning services focus on analysis and planning needs of organization. Businesses make operational, tactical and strategic decisions which impact short-term, mid-term and long-term performance of businesses. The effectiveness of these decisions can be significantly influenced by the timeliness and relevance of the information as well as ability to analyze and act on that information.
Relationship Applications Planning
Our Relationship Applications planning services focus on plans to create relationships among business stakeholders. There is an opportunity to realize business performance by aligning and driving these applications with business strategies. There are six key stakeholders within an enterprise - customers/consumers, employees, suppliers, partners and investors. Long-term business success depends on how these relationships evolve over time. Although CRM applications have gained strong focus, applications for supplier, investor, employees and partners have also been emerging. |
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Our IT planning services use synthesis of business models and technology alternatives as the primary foundation for creating IT plans that deliver bottom line results. Our team has broad-based experience both as provider and consumer of these services. With the changing technology and business landscape, it is important to identify opportunities for cost savings, revenue generation and productivity enhancements. Working with us, you would get services and insights of the leaders in this space while our fees will be about half of our competitors.
- Rapid Planning Processes to align business strategies with IT organization
- Practical, objective inputs from experienced professionals
- Synthesize information technologies with business needs to generate alternatives
- Strong frame-works and business models to enable Enterprise IT organizations, operational applications, data warehousing and BI applications, and Relationship Applications (CRM, SRM, etc.)
- Continued research of technology and applications trends
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Ph: 630.652.0450
Fx: 630.652.0960
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All product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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1900 S. Highland Avenue, Suite 105
Lombard, IL 60148
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