In a solution discussion with an Sr. Operations Manager it was eye-opening to hear that he preferred an older, slowly evolving platform to new technology that solved far more of his problems, demonstrably accelerated his pipeline, and provided a much larger reduction in unit cost.
His reasoning was simple. He knew that his choice would deliver their small incremental gains when promised, and that he could bank on the plan he made around those changes. The upstart, on the other hand, delivered sporadically, while constantly pivoting to chase new opportunities and would eventually outperform the incumbent, but the manager could not rely on them and make binding commitments to his teams or his customers.
This conversation crystallized a very valuable lesson: Every organization regardless of size, methodology, or tools needs processes as part of their culture and those processes need to be Responsible, Repeatable, and Reliable.
RESPONSIBLE
What do I have to do to meet the needs of my organization, the requirements of my customers and regulators? What is appropriate for the size, age and risk profile of my business? Can I get by with some simple documented procedures, or do I need a full set of Policies, Standards and Procedures? Do I need a third party controls audit, or a SOC certification?
- Develop an internal group responsible for answering these questions.
- Review contracts and counterparty obligations.
- Familiarize yourself with relevant laws and regulations.
- Make a realistic plan to evolve from your current state to your ideal.
REPEATABLE
When a new transaction comes in is it processed the same every time? When I hire a new team member are the activities and communication the same every time? When a technology vendor has an outage can I count on my team to provide consistent updates until resolved?
- Identify and list your common processes.
- Document the procedure for each as it exists today - or create new if it does not exist.
- Examine each for opportunities to create efficiencies and improve communication.
- Implement the changes in process and tooling required to achieve the new state.
RELIABLE
Is there implicit trust between our teams and their customers, internal or external? Are commitments met without last minute surprises or drama? Are SLA’s consistently met? Do I have complete transparency into team performance?
- Codify all that you found in steps 1&2 in your policies / standards / procedures.
- Train your teams on these documents.
- Develop a meaningful reporting pack for these activities.
- Openly discuss your results and work together to refine your processes.
Schedule an introduction today and learn how we can help you get from where you are to where you need to be.
