Presentation tries to elaborate how SMEs can transform their organizations by using opensource technology platforms. - A few myths and truths about running process automation initiatives - Problems which SMEs face - Approach to solutions and implementations

1. Transforming SMEs using opensource
technologies
By:
Mangesh Wagh
Signy IT Solutions Pvt Ltd, Pune

2. Typical organizational goals
Minimum basic goals Critical sub-goals
• Increase revenue • Create, establish and enhance brand
• Reduce costs identity
• Increase profit margins • Expand geographical reach
• Increase revenue opportunities
• Increase number of customers
Can’t imagine any • Attract and retain talent by creating
organization not having encouraging working environment
these goals, can we?
• Ride on current trends
• And more…
…however critical issue is ‘rate of rate of growth’. Not just ‘rate of growth’.
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3. Automating business processes –
must for boosting ‘rate of rate of growth’
• Business Process Automation is generally associated only with cutting down costs
and hence increasing profit margins.
– Process automation is generally related to ‘efficiency’ only.
• However, that’s not the only objective.
– Yes. It helps in increasing revenue too.
– Yes. It helps in increasing revenue opportunities too.
– Yes. It helps in expanding geographical reach too.
– Yes. It helps in building your brand too.
– Yes. It helps in creating a great working environment too.
• Automating business processes makes the organization ‘effective’ and ‘efficient’
both.
….and that achieves high ‘rate of rate of growth’ and accelerates transformation.
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4. Transformation/s
Lets not miss middle
Juggernaut
steps in our zest to
become ‘small to
medium’ and Large
‘medium to large’.
Mighty medium
Medium
Highly profitable
Sustainable
Small
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5. Problems for SMEs
• Lack of awareness on possible solutions
• In case of attempting automations, high quotes by
vendors complemented by low budgets
And that’s where
• Lack of overall IT exposure
process automation
• Lack of experience of working with consultants sounds intimidating
• No internal champions who would drive such initiatives and/or impossible for
SMEs.
internally
• No internal team members who would support such
initiatives technically
• Lack of formal procedures and discipline
….as SMEs are always fighting with some fire. No time for strategic planning.
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6. How we can help SMEs
 Consult  Implement
– Analyze organizational needs – Create a micro action plan
– Identify the critical areas – Execute the action plan
– Identify IT solutions – Ensure complete implementation and
– Prioritize improvement areas success
– Create a blueprint i.e. action plan for
1 or 2 or 3 years  Operate
– Recommend best practices – a ‘dos’ – Complete technical support
list, a ‘not to do’ list and more
– Ensure service continuity
– Identify vendors
– Ensure promised return on
– Continuous involvement for investment
continuous improvement
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7. Transformation through web applications
APPROACH

8. Management horizon
Core Support
functions functions
• First we need to see all the
Central Function-wise dimensions which an
processes processes
organization needs to
Organization’s manage.
Hierarchy based Cross functional
management
roles roles
dimensions
• And then map technology
Internal External solutions to those areas.
teams associates
Top Employee
management associations
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9. Business applications - Marketing
• Customer Relationship Management
(CRM)
Marketing • Sales Force Automation
Finance
• Lead Management System
• Own Social Networking Portal
Operations HR • Dashboard Application for Sales &
Marketing
• Event Management System
• And more..
We recommend the best solutions,
implement and maintain those
solutions.
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10. Business applications - HR
• HR Management System (HRMS)
HR • Leave Management System
Marketing
• Recruitment management System
• Training Management System
Finance Operations • Learning Management System
• And more…
We recommend the best solutions,
implement and maintain those
solutions.
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11. Business applications - Operations
• Project Management System
• Workflow Management System
Operations
HR • Collaborative Work Management System
• Time Tracking System
• Any specific process management system
Marketing Finance
• And more..
We recommend the best solutions,
implement and maintain those
solutions.
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12. Business applications - Finance
• Accounting System
Finance • Payroll System
Operations
• Invoicing Application
• Finance Dashboard Application
HR Marketing • And more..
We recommend the best solutions,
implement and maintain those
solutions.
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13. Other applications
• Document Management System
• Knowledge Management System
• Learning Management System
We can have an endless list here.
• Roster Management System However, our job is to recommend and
• Inventory Management System implement solutions which pin-pointedly
solve business problems and help
• Purchase Management System
transforming the organizations.
• Vendor management System
• And more…
Wise implementation plan helps hassle-free high ‘rate of rate of growth’.
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14. Yes… your applications will be
• Under complete control of yours • Highly available
• High quality • Secure
• Easy to access • Robust
• Easy to understand • Scalable
• Easy to use • Easy to maintain
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15. Myths and truths about automation – part I
• It sounds intimidating
– That’s largely because we think ‘we have to do it in a single shot’, ‘we have to do a lot of
changes’, ‘it is a single project’, ‘it is going to take a whole lot of time’.... So on and so
forth .
– We don’t have to rush and ‘do-all-in-one-shot’. We can find the best way which
manages perceptions and rate of rate of growth at the same time.
• Process automation sounds threatening
– This is largely because somehow a negative picture is painted. Process automation is
understood as something which makes people jobless.
– Because a few corporate giants have taken that path of ‘layoffs’ in the name of process
automations.
– Process automation, instead, improves working environment – it is a way to achieve
more with same number of people.
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16. Myths and truths about automation – part II
• Process automation is made to perceive as extremely difficult
– That’s largely because vendors want to charge a bomb for such projects.
– That’s also because the myth that every automation initiative should be integrated with
the other such initiatives.
– There is absolutely no need to get mesmerized with the thought of ‘integrate all’. We
can find optimum solutions for automating and improving business processes. We make
it easy for the customers.
• Process automation is made to perceive as extremely costly
– That’s, again, largely because vendors want to charge a premium price.
• Process automation is a ‘change’ – a natural resistance to change is a big block
– This can be managed by effective communication.
– The truth is – nobody resists his/her own progress.
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17. Why web apps
 Web applications can be accessed from  Web applications integrate easily into
anywhere. other server-side web procedures, such
 Web applications do not require any as email and searching.
complex "roll out" procedure to deploy  They also provide cross-platform
in organizations. A compatible web compatibility in most cases (i.e.,
browser is all that is needed – e.g. Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) because
internet explorer (IE). they operate within a web browser
 Browser applications typically require window.
little or no disk space on the client.  Web applications can be easily made
 They require no upgrade procedure compatible for mobiles/ smartphones/
since all new features are implemented hand-held devices.
on the server and automatically
delivered to the users.
Thanks to Wikipedia for this slide.
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18. Why opensource
• Lower total cost of ownership
– No recurring licensing
• Reduced dependence on software vendors Plenty of ready platforms are
available. Such platforms can be
– You have complete control readily implemented, customized
– Mitigation of vendor collapse or product to our liking and made to perform.
discontinuation
• Low turnaround time However, the key remains is how
we utilize if not exploit value out of
• Easier to customize them.
• Community keeps making things better
• Good chance to learn from the community
• Robust, secure & scalable
Reinventing wheel is not a good idea, is it?
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19. Delivery model
However, we are open to ‘consult
We can deliver the best value by 3 pronged only’ or ‘implement only’ or
approach: Consult -> Implement -> Operate -> ‘operate only’ or ‘consult and
implement ‘models.
• Consult
– To workout the best solutions
– To tell you what not to do
– To ensure the groundwork for increasing your return on investment (ROI)
• Implement
– To ensure success and be accountable
• Operate
– To ensure continuity and growth
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20. Philosophy - H2O
• We believe in H2O philosophy i.e.
– Honesty,
– Humility
– Ownership
• H2O has evolved over the years with our experience of working in progressive
economies like India, Kenya etc.
• We have understood that markets with lesser penetration of IT need some hand
holding when it comes to injecting new applications or IT enabled services.
• We have seen people / companies spending and losing huge amounts on small
and large IT projects, reason being lack of honesty, humility and ownership on IT
vendors’ part.
• In all H2O is the base of our work culture.
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21. Contact
Mangesh Wagh
Co-founder, Director
Signy IT Solutions Pvt Ltd, Pune
Email: mangesh@signyit.com
Cell: +919561096003