What is most important asset to manage in your SMB?

What is most important asset to manage in your SMB?

Information – Build an information management strategy based on your informational governance framework.

It will position your business for growth.

Here’s how…

Target: Business owners without a CIO.

The role of a CIO: Chief Information Officer is responsible for reducing the overload of the sum of information and increasing the throughput of the valuable information.

Who decides what is VALUABLE?  Start here.

               Owners/ Executives

               Finance/ Bookkeeper/ Accountant

               Legal/ Fed/ State/ Compliance/ CYA/ Lawyer

               Users/ Employees/ People you work with and work for

What information matters most to them? 

What business processes are supported?

What is the timeliness, relevancy, accuracy, consistency, of this information?

What is the knowledge value of all of the information that you incorporate in your day-in and day-out duties?

By asking these questions to your “information stakeholders” you are creating a team that will value different information differently, but now you are shedding light on what information is an assest to your company and why.  Now it is a matter of asset management tied to business process and business outcome.

Therefore, you started asking questions and getting more answers.  What do you do next?  What is the next step?

Create a strategy model that will be your guide.

·        Identify key stakeholders who understand the risk and reward potential of restructuring valuable information.

·        Ensure the strategy includes activities, deliverables that support and facilitate or otherwise add value to the current business goals.

·        Tie the strategy to business outcomes that everyone agrees are business goals.

·        Make sure the scope is very clear.

Now you can decide from among all of the different types of information, the different people who consume it, and the regulators who may be interested in it, and deliver value by managing the parts that you are able and guiding the information towards a strategy that delivers value.  This information (asset) should now flow toward the people, the processes, and the business outcomes that are most important to the business outcome.

Each stakeholder can split their information into thirds.

 1/3 Valuable

 1/3 Not So Valuable

 1/3 No Value

Once you have gathered this information and picked it apart from all of your stakeholders, you can then build your information governance framework for your company. 

This process is a building block toward “information agility” and ultimately and information strategy that provides the ability to deliver the right information, at the right time, to the right person or people, in the right format, for the right reason.

By striving to achieve “corporate information agility”, you will position your company and its information strategy to grow valuable information that will in-turn grow your business.

I will take this a step further.

Now look across your business as a whole.  Consider that timely accurate information will always yield timely accurate business decisions and results.  How about the risk and reward potential of information by merit?  Timeliness = Value   How about search?  Think of it in terms of content and data quality.  How about Analytics?  The idea of optimizing the way you process your analysis.  How about access?  Stakeholders can now access the right information for the right reasons.

Now you have flipped your IT department from the NO department to the YES department.  You are essentially enabling your stakeholders while controlling the risk.

You are now in control from a risk context, but more importantly you are “in the driver’s seat” from a reward context.

Start your engines.  You’re back in the driver’s seat.

If you would like more information about how to establish your company's information governance framework or would like to work on your information strategy, please visit our website www.mountain-scanners.com or you can send me an email.  jon@mountain-scanners.com

Jon Zalinski

Mountain Scanners

Better Your Business

What if you could access all of your files on your cell phone.  Would an iPad help you at work?  What if your business forms were all digital?  What if you could cut down your keystrokes?  How about using a scanner to process invoices?  How about real time data transfer on a secure site that you can access anywhere or any time?



WORK SMARTER-  Is a phrase that you hear and say to yourself that makes sense, but you do nothing about. Why?  Fear?  I don't know why.  I ask you to think about what you do- your daily duties.  How do you complete those tasks?  Is there a way to do them better or smarter?  What would you need for this to happen?

Ok, still think about that?  Make a "what if" list.  The list might be split into columns.  The first column would list the things that you could do, let's say, smarter.  The second column would be the things you needed to enable you to work smarter.  The third column would be the cost associated with that solution.  Most people stop there.  I would say add a 4th column.  The 4th column would be the benefit column.  This could be saving 5 minutes per day, or increase speed. or even cost savings.

This 4th column is the one to concentrate on.  Associate a cost to your "work smarter" list.  Break this down to the immediate cost benefit and multiply that for a month and then a year.

Organize this list by cost savings and get to it.

Ask each person in your department to do the same.  Review your lists and pick 3 things to move on.  Commit to it and make it happen.  Your business and your staff will thank you for formulating some direction that improves their working conditions, improves the inner workings of the business, and saves the company money.




If you would like to learn more ways of how we can help your business,
please visit our website http://www.mountain-scanners.com
or
Email me
jon@mountain-scanners.com

Jon Zalinski
Mountain Scanners

Super Bowl Businesses

Hi and welcome to the Super Bowl of Businesses!

VS.

Mature  vs. Young
New vs. Old
"Always on the move" vs. "up the middle slow and go"
Restrictive vs. Agile
Making adjustments in the field vs. Getting to the office to decide
In House vs. In The Cloud
No vs. Yes IT

Here we go.  It is the First quarter of a long game for 2011.  Who will win?  Either side plays the game very differently.  I see an emerging quality to successful businesses and it effects their future recruiting as well.

To put a solid team together for the next three quarters and even into the years to follow, companies that get to the "Big Show" are the ones that utilized their tools.

Ok, I can't go on with the metaphor any longer, but you get it.  Companies the rely on legacy systems might make it to see 2012 but they are not positioned to gain momentum and market share for the years to come.  The rest of the market are gaining market share by meeting their internal and external needs through the use of some intelligent tools.

Information technology is exploding with apps, cloud options,  hardware devices, and users are bringing them to work.  The Work Place better keep up.  The ones that do will grab the new up-and-comers that will help propel the business even further.

Ask yourself when you go to work tomorrow. 
What technology to I use at home that I do NOT use at work?
Now ask...What if I could?
Put a team together and ask this question.  Then come up with ways to use that technology at work.

If you are having trouble coming up with answers give me a call.
We are always coming up with solutions for our clients.  We will find a solution that meets your needs.
Because that is what we do.

For more information, visit our website. http://www.mountain-scanners.com/
Or you can contact me jon@mountain-scanners.com

Jon Zalinski
Mountain Scanners

1 2 3 ... 789

I just read a "How To" article.  Most of what I read are information management topics.  As I read, I felt that it started slow and then skipped the middle and ended real fast. 

I am in the industry and I could understand what I was reading, but thought that if someone outside of the industry where to read this it would go right over their head.  The opportunity to connect with a potential customer or/and existing user was wasted.

So I would like to take a stab at a "How To" post.  I will try to keep it simple and cohesive.

How to start managing your organization's information with the technology of today.

1. What technology exists that my company would benefit from?
2. How much does it cost?
3. How will the company manage and store this information?

I will list a few web sites that you may want to look up.  These are companies that help mange information.  (Probably faster, and cheaper than you do now.) Check youtube as well.

1. http://www.box.net/   Video
2. http://www.laserfiche.com/
3. http://www.filebound.com/
4. http://www.dropbox.com/  Video
5. http://www.salesforce.com/  Video
6. http://www.zoho.com/  Video
7. http://www.lincware.com/  Video

Most of these websites have pricing info available on their website.  If they do not I am able to get you that info.

And to answer that last question of ...How will the company manage and store this information?
You probably have the hardware already.  You may want to look at the new hardware available.  Like an iPad or some newer smartphones.  Maybe a document scanner for your laptop or office.
For in-house server based solutions you may need to verify your computer's operating systems, space and speed requirements.

There is a whole industry dedicated to information management and there are companies out there the will listen to your specific needs.  They will come back to you with multiple options that will meet your needs.  This will cut down on your time and frustration trying to figure all of this out on your own.

Usually this consultation is FREE!  It would be worth a few meetings to get a better grasp on what they recommend and how it would work in your company.

If you would like a Free consultation from Mountain Scanners?  You can get in touch with me here.
jon@mountain-scanners.com
If you would like more info on Mountain Scanners?  Visit our web site http://www.mountain-scanners.com/
Thanks.

A four letter word that might help business.

I have recently started to think that every company "levels off".  They hit a plateau and stay there.  So then I ask "Why?".  Why does this happen, and why do other companies, doing the same thing, grow?
 
One of my conclusions is that these companies have different tolerances for risk or change.  RISK is the four letter word.  Let me explain. 
 
Would your business invest, let's say, 10k today knowing that your ROI (return on investment) was 6 months?  What if it would save your company money on month 7 and every month after.  Would you do this for your business?
 
Most would say "Yes".  I'd do that. 
 
Now what if that 10k investment involved 4 meetings that took an hour each. 
 
Now from these meeting you discover that every employee will change their duties just a bit.
 
Would you still invest the 10k?
 
If there was a pause there, you most likely will not invest the 10k, and would not move your business from where it sits today. (Company B)
 
If you didn't even blink and said "yes" about the 10k investment because it will save or make your company money in the same year, then you have a higher risk tolerance.  Your company will move from where it sits today into a more progressive position. (Company A)
 
This higher risk tolerance will propel the Company A beyond the Company B.
 
I am suggesting that if you could increase your risk tolerance that you will see a break in your plateau.
 
Train yourself into recognizing plateaus in your business and try different ways to break through. 
Repeat this pattern for every plateau.
 
So your business looks something like this.
 

Open yourself up to some risk and learn what your company can do. 

If you would like to find out more about Mountain Scanners, please visit our website.

http://www.mountain-scanners.com/

If you have a question for me, just send me an email.

jon@mountain-scanners.com

Jon Zalinski

VAR

VAR
This is a term tossed around my industry.  Does VAR mean anything to you?

Maybe it means "Value at Risk"?

Maybe it is a variable in Java script?

How about "Value added Reseller"?

Any clearer?  Not to me either. 

I'm in the software industry and in the software industry a VAR is a Value Added Reseller. 
BLAH BLAH BLAH. 
Still means nothing to the costumer.

So I thought that I would shed some light on the term VAR from a VAR point-of-view.

I would like to trade out the title of VAR and exchange it for something like "My geek broker" or "Our Paradigm Shift Consultants".   I took that from one of Robert Urwiler's Hierarchy of IT Value.

I added "My" and "Our" because we work for you.  So possessive is appropriate. We also specialize in listening to your needs and formulating a solution that meets your specific needs. 

We are an extension of your business.  We consider ourselves a partner in your organization, and we want to help you achieve your goals.  Since we have assisted many other companies there are some best practices that we share but we are there to help you with your biggest business PAIN.  Just call us, and we are glad to listen and suggest solutions.  We have a quiver of products that will help you with a solution.  Most of our recommendations have very quick ROIs (returns on investments) and we will even help train your staff on how to use these "solution" tools.

So VAR and Value Added Reseller are terms labels us from the product side of the industry.  I would like to reverse that perspective and come up with a some terms other than VAR from the customers side.

I'd like to post the top 5 ideas for new terms that would replace "VAR".  Please add your thoughts in the comments below.  I will post them the first week of January.

Oh ya, please check out our website to learn more about "your geek broker".  http://www.mountain-scanners.com/
Jon Zalinski
Mountain Scanners

Business "New Normal", are you prepared?

Businesses today are finding their "New Normal".  The feeling that we have hit the bottom and now it is time to prepare for the future is something that I am hearing of more and more.  Still, some are saying that we have not hit the bottom yet, but for the most part there is a growing concern for business in the future.  Here we are today and how will we or should we prepare for the future.

Payroll has been adjusted.  Fixed costs are trimmed.  So what next?

How does my business prepare for the future and exist in this "New Normal" climate.

Now understand that Mountain Scanners is a reseller of information management systems and a document scanning service bureau.  So I will address the inner office or back office, because this the heart of the organization.  It is also where we spend most of our time.

Many of you have your inner office processes down to a "T".  With any increase in the economy you are prepared to either do more work with the same amount of staff or hire someone in the hopes that we are "seeing things turn around".  This is where I would ask you to stop for a minute.

Step back and ask yourself a few questions.

How am I meeting my new customer's needs?  Is my company positioned to GAIN a competitive advantage to all of the other companies that are doing what our company does?  How can I exceed my new client's expectations, in the hopes that they will refer my business to another potential client?


I think doing the same as what you did in the past will only prolong your "New Normal" struggle.

Find ways to improve your inner workings.  Use technology to help you with your improvements.  There are a lot of uses with your existing technology that will improve your inner office that will "WOW" new customers with improved customer relations.  Position your business as the leader in this "New Normal" climate and grab as much market share as you can.

As you can imagine, there is a sea of products out there and very little time to research them all.  I suggest that you start in one department and then move to the next.  Maybe start with your AP department.  Improved customer/vendor relations could save you thousands of dollars a year.  (ie. Better terms with vendors on products, or answer customer questions on the same phone call) Your business must change to meet these "New Normal" expectations, and if you  exceed these expectations your business is positioned for the future.

If you like what your reading and/or would like more information on how we help business and organizations of all kinds, please visit our website at http://www.mountain-scanners.com/ or call me.  Click our "Contact" tab on our website for our number.

Jon Zalinski
Mountain Scanners
"The information that you need should be at your fingertips."