Corporate & Professional - How do I give this identity to my organisation?

When an organization truly competes the characteristics of its line business, in a more transparent way, it could be called a professional entity. When an organization defines its business objectives in clear terms duly indicating the strategy and the delivery mechanism, it paves way for professional development. We could enumerate the following aspects in an enterprise to understand the level of professionalism adopted by it.

• Scope and clarity in service offerings
• Vision & Mission
• Culture, values and ethics
• Strategy & Planning to achieve its Vision
• Brand conscious and brand positioning measures
  
• HR and Communication flow in the organization
• Policy provisions and delivery mechanism to achieve organizational productivity
• Implementation of Best Practices and Certification standards in the functional areas
• Transparency while dealing the issues of discrimination, grievance, disputes
• Implementation of technology
  
• Statutory identities
• Clean financial and taxation system
• Social accountability
  

Further professionalism is more of an accountability and transparency. It is possible to achieve these aspects when an organization deploys related processes to implement the above provisions. Let us understand process as any given transaction or task to be achieved in the functional or departmental context. For example, performance appraisal of human resources is a process, raising an invoice is a process, quality check list is a process, exit formality is a process, and any report document is a process. At this reckon there will be hundreds and thousands of processes that an organization has to effectively deliver in order to achieve the true performance levels.

The process could be a hard copy format or a digital document. Organizations inevitably follow both the formats as total automation and paperless environment is still not feasible in our business environment. As an example for digital processes, any CRM application at the minimum shall have numerous processes related to sales and after sales support. An ERP application is the true mirror of enterprise-wide processes.

Further, every process should be flexible for due customization. The technology tools like ERP application invariably enable deployment of a given process, modification of the same with due controls, monitoring and measuring it for performance. Still an ERP application enables to integrate the enterprise wide functions and processes so that enterprise productivity and performance is reckoned periodically by the top management with due checks and controls.

Finally beyond all the above, it is the conduct, attitude, accountability and commitment of employees that brings in right identity to the organization as a whole. Hence, in today's business the HR development is given top priority to match to the organizational vision and mission. Employees should also realize that the positive identity and values achieved by an organization shall invariably enhance the professional value of their individual profiles.

Professional identity and corporate culture brings in stakeholder loyalty (employees, vendors, suppliers, customers, partners ...), creates brand value and develops business. Thus any investments made in this direction shall bring in the Returns on Investment (ROI).

Marketing - The Business Driver

Companies irrespective of their size and age need to work on market development. We find, the bigger the company, the larger the marketing and promotion activity they undertake. As a matter of fact, the companies grow big through consistent marketing. Notwithstanding other requirements.

How does small start-up Company with smaller budgets, promote its business?

For such start ups, I have drawn the suggested marketing measures in the picture herein. The steps indicated are not exclusive or compulsive for a business. Right focus could be arrived once the nature of business, company's vision and strategy is known. The approach is to put on high priority all the marketing efforts that wont cost big monies. The marketing measures for Start-ups from Phase-I to Phase-III hardly need any budget. You should have one or two right executives (who understand well your company's product / service range and who takes-up the ownership of his role), in the initial stages.

You will need specific budgets only from Start-ups-Phase-IV onwards where you go for outdoor advertisements like lollipops, mobile media which are inexpensive while providing constant reminder of your products to people. By this time, the efforts under Start-ups-Phase-I to Phase-III will yield you reasonable business.

Similarly, when your marketing efforts under Start-ups-Phase-IV bring in good business, you could take-up measures indicated under Profit-zone stages. Whatever may be the company's journey stage in the marketing matrix, you need to focus on every preceding measures with consistency. This will keep your business very active against any competition levels in the market.

The marketing matrix above is drawn to judiciously manage your business budgets. Say, you are doing well in the business with the measures indicated under 'profit-zone'. Do you really need to go for expensive marketing measures like print media and visual media appearances? Yes, there is never an ending to the business growth. I mean it should not be so. Marketing through print & visual media would place you in the larger business league. This in turn will create confidence levels in the existing customers and prospectives to invest in your products or services. This is an essential factor considering the tough competition in the market. Such expensive measures may increase the production cost, but it will always not effect much on the end-user price considering the mass quantities of production that you undertake to meet the market demands. Such campaign will also achieve you increased support from all the stakeholders as it signifies your growth and firm presence in the market.

The effectiveness of marketing depends on the creativity in communication. Every marketing measure is a communication that you address the present and prospective customers. It could be an e-mail, a flyer, a blog, a hoarding or a TV commercial. It could be a personal visit of your executives to a customer. This obviously indicates that you should develop an effective and creative marketing collateral so that your communication reach the public in the way they should understand you and your product.

I strongly feel that every organization should collaborate with a creative marketing agency who will understand the organisational vision, culture, strategy and customer profile. Only then, they will be able to design right communication that will raise the requirement of your product in the audience.

Further, to gain consistent results out of your marketing efforts, it is indispensable to have impeccable delivery and support mechanism in the organization. If not, all the investments made to generate customer base will go in vain.

And we should remember 'service after sales' is the eternal secret of business success.

ERP as a Business Opportunity

On the other day, I was invited by Entrepreneur Development Cell of Osmania University to address a session on "ERP as a business opportunity" to the participants of Entrepreneur Development Programme.

Mostly, I take pleasure in addressing such sessions. I consider it as an excellent platform to share my experience so that some one may benefit in the process.

Notwithstanding the other traits and requirements that a prospective entrepreneur should possess, I would like to highlight here some important factors that pave way to take up ERP as a business opportunity.

(1) The first requirements from an entrepreneur:

• He should have appreciable experience in the ERP line (SAP / Oracle Apps. /Microsoft Dynamics or any other ERP flavor).
• Otherwise, he should partner with an individual who has similar expertise
• Lastly, he should be starting the enterprise with sound financial background so that he could endure the hassles of technical management, business management and sustenance till he achieve encouraging results.

(2) ERP in itself is a multifarious business opportunity. A single organisation generally can't provide the entire service range in ERP technology. The opportunities that exist in ERP could be classified as:

• Software reseller in ERP like SAP Value Added Reseller (VAR)
  
• Implementation of ERP
• Support and maintenance of ERP
• Development of ERP
• Consulting in ERP
• Training & Education in ERP

You, as a first time entrepreneur, could choose any single or combinational opportunities from the above. For example Consulting and Training & Education in ERP is a complementing business opportunity. Similarly, VAR & Implementation could be clubbed as one business objective. Development is entirely a different discussion. Otherwise, you could be an exclusive ERP support provider.

(3) The other important decision should be determining the focused industry / business sector for which you will be providing the ERP services. Your or your team's technical expertise and experience should determine the focus sector. You may serve several sectors too, depending on your and your team's expertise. It is not right to propose services for various or all sectors based on borrowed expertise. A true expertise in SAP like ERP is not readily available.

(4) The next important thing should be deciding on the costing of services. As a first time entrepreneur or as a new entrant in ERP services, you should be able to compete with other existing players in terms of expertise, cost benefits, service quality, and so. Every metric related to this will reflect on the end-user price that you extend. You should be able to give reduced TCO to the client.

So among other things, you should consider the following elements while you decide on the costing of your services. These elements are neither exclusive nor conclusive. The actual costing could be decided once we have the clarity of service range, sectorial focus, expertise availability, geographical issue and other factors.

• Cost of marketing and lead closing efforts
• Cost of change management efforts (business process analysis, determination and deployment, transition of data, integration of data, interoperability factors with the existing legacy applications)
• Cost of software licenses
• Cost of infrastructure (if it is turnkey solution where you need to upgrade the IT infrastructure of the organisation to match the ERP deployment requirement)
  
• Cost of implementation (resources, customization, going live)
  
• Cost of support
• Cost of end-user training
• Cost of AMC (if not included in the software license cost)
  
• Resource mobilization cost (logistics, diversion of resources, borrowing SME expertise .....)
• Management cost
• Cost of Risk management and mitigation
• Cost of capital (initial budget allocation, payment terms, currency fluctuations in case of foreign client .... will influence the cost of capital)
• Other overheads and incidentals

(5) Marketing strategy. The prospective customer database, customer geography, market competition, service delivery gaps in the existing market, the cost effectiveness that you could provide would be some considerations to design an effective marketing strategy. The strategy should be short-term and long-term while combining the brand positioning effort. This should also address developing professional marketing collateral. Based on the functional hierarchy there could be a separate Brand Management team or one brand development expert associated in the marketing strategy.

(6) Delivery strategy. It is essential to stratatize service delivery. Whatever technical strengths, cost effectiveness and customer relations that you extend, if you don't deliver the committed service to the client, the entire efforts and goodwill go in vain. Delivery strategy is to be designed with the help of technical, financial, sales and operational team. The comprehensiveness of delivery strategy depends on the service scope and corporate hierarchy that an organisation has in place. The single objective of delivery strategy is to extend the committed services to the customer.

(7) Process excellence in the organisation. It is essential that you follow functional and operational process excellence in the entire organisation. This will automatically pave way for effective monitoring, better control, transparency and accountability leading to corporate excellence. It in turn will create confidence in the stakeholders.

In this direction, you yourself could go for ERP implementation in the organisation while following ISO, Six Sigma, CMM or other any other process maturity provisions. In absence of any of these things, you should at least have clear methodology defined for each organizational function. That is a set of formats, proformas, check lists, report structure and likes for every department.

(8) Project Management team. It is imperative that you designate a special team of two members or more (depending on the size of your organization) who are specialized in project management as per global standards. This team will help in right guidance in planning and managing a given project. This team will be able to help the ERP team in the right direction for effective project delivery. This team will also act as a brand ambassador for the professional service delivery by the organisation. The EPR project manager will be one of the members in the team.

(9) Research & Development. I strongly recommend for every organisation irrespective its size and age to have R&D function even if it is one member department. This could help the organisation in extending the best practices, process excellence, subject matter expertise, risk mitigation measures, business research, market economics, matured documentation and so. The team should always work in coordination with the other departments concerned. The cardinal objective of this team is to act as a supporting mechanism in delivering 'service excellence' to the customer.

I suppose the above are some of the measures to take up ERP as a Business Opportunity.

I will provide more inputs to the desired aspirant. Invite your feedback.

The approach for a New Entrepreneur

I have tried to indicate below the essentialities of starting an enterprise. I can provide the .ppt format of this content. May please mail me if you need the same.

The Step-1
Setup
Collaborate
Acquire
Expertise or investment capacity

Business model
Vision & mission
Strategic objectives
Strategic planning
Business activity
Resources
Target customers
Technology options
TCO
Systems and processes

Business Plan
Business plan
Comprehensive
Pragmatic
Resource Compatible
Market sensible

Business drivers
Basics
Leadership
Line expertise

Vision & Mission
Long term
Short term
Meaningful
Achievable
Congruent
Shared
Integrated

Statutory identities
Company Incorporation
Tax registrations
Appointment of Legal, Financial Experts
Quality & Process certifications
Professional certifications
Other technical and operational identities, certifications in line with the business requirement.

Strategic planning
Mind, strategy, market, resources, competence, capacity
Shared among senior management
Shared among other members appropriately
Reviewed periodically and reading along with progress

Business innovation
Own products
Collaborations
Co-branding
Competitive approaches
Market pulse
Professional affiliations

Corporate identity
Company name & Logo
Website
Brochures
Envelopes, Cards, scribbling pads, letter heads
Ad templates
Corporate communication
Employee properties
Physical and virtual security
Media appearances
Corporate Social Responsibility

Branding
Corporate Identity
Quality
Stakeholder loyalty
Commitment
Corporate Social Responsibility
Clean financial track
Dynamic support system
Professional communication

Resource bank/development
Subject matter experts
Technology experts
Customized training and re-skilling
Consultant network
Reward, growth, welfare, security
Team spirit

Market research
VOC
Focus industry
Focus technology
List of prospects
Market share
Cost competitiveness
Quality competitiveness
Stakeholder support
Gap identification
Marketing tools
Cost implications

Market approach
Digital presence (Website, e-mail, Blogs, user sites, partner sites)
Seminars, Conferences
Road shows
Institutional shows
Outdoor advertisement
Visual media
Collaborations
Partnership
Flyers
Posters
Yellow pages
Print media references
Cold calls and visits
Customer research
Prospective database

Cluster focus – Hosting services
Address mass market
Reduce cost overheads
Deploy Server based services
Host shared access of business applications

Costing structure
Product cost (License)
Implementation
Resource cost
Domain expertise
Customization
Integration
Training
Support
Mobilization
AMC


Software
Resources
Design & architecture
Source code
Training
Integration
Configuration objects
Source code
Documentation
User manual
Support

Partner development
Technology
Marketing
Incubation
Sourcing
Government

Customer evaluation - FIR
Proposal making

Best practices
Manufacturing
Financial
Operational
Technology
Service

REVIEW
Strategic objectives
Management systems
Performance

Social responsibility
Reciprocate to the society

Incubate
Help small entrepreneurs to launch their ideas

Start-up hurdles
Incompatible business area
Improper planning
Resource deficiency
Management failure
Too late with your idea
Market intelligence
You – The only leader
You give up