As the business grows, so does the need to deliver better services in more cost-effective and time-saving ways. Not everything can be handled by the workforce alone. It would help if you had some online/offsite tools to deliver your services more effectively. It stands true even in the case of organizations already using project management tools. Technological upgrades are vital for any competitive business. Projects are not considered a relief for the customer services department, but it is very much included in every business aspect.
Categories of project management
Now, the term Project Management is extensive and covers all aspects of the business. It can be broadly categorized into the following parts:
Software Asset Management
It can range anywhere between modifying SharePoint to suit your business needs or taking preventive steps for your license audit exposure.
Technology Deployment
We all have heard of WAN, Server/PC roll-outs, Technical infrastructure migrations to other servers or places. As more people are getting inclined towards technology, the more we are receiving data. We need bigger and better servers and cloud-based solutions to keep this data systematically and securely.
Commercial Enterprise Solutions
ERP & CRM are becoming a norm in every business, whether having a humble beginning or those who have already established a name for themselves. Sales, Customer services, Marketing, Accounts or Human resources, every department needs these for increasing productivity and efficiency.
Hybrid Talent Solutions
Learning is an ongoing process, and it keeps you abreast of the competition. The right Project Management provider will offer various workshops and seminars to keep you updated with technology’s latest trends.
With the pace at which the Project Management agencies are booming, it is becoming more challenging to choose the best agency to suit your organization’s needs. Following are some of the points to ponder so that you don’t put a stake in your time, money, and resources to realize that you were doing better earlier.
Tips For Using Project Management Services
Initiate
It said,” Beginning is half done.” Find out your requirement in terms of what kind of specialization you require from the Project Management Experts. A thorough brainstorming session with various departments and at different levels of the organization will give you a fair idea of what type of and what size of enterprise solution you are aiming for.
Plan
Once you have outlined the pre-requisites of the kind of technology you want to invest in, you can plan how and when is the right time to get the outsourcing without affecting your budget and at the same time without making you lose business due to lack of it.
Search
You can go for various forms of searching for an agency that meets your needs in the full spectrum. You can focus your search to be online, offline (checking business directories), or by word of mouth. Be sure to check their website for initial screening and to know their clientele. You are handing over your information and control of the business system to make it better, so the least they can do to assure you is to maintain their website correctly.
Shortlist
Making a checklist of the qualities/services you want from your Project Manager Partner. The agencies that cover all the areas could be contacted and asked for an appointment. Once you have Set up a meeting, you can take a look at their presentations and visions. It will also give you a fair idea if you both are on the same page length.
Compare & Finalize
Comparison is vital to choose the best out of a lot. You should not only focus on the prices but should also give serious thought to the quality of their services. Last but not least, go through their after-sales service because let’s face it, “Don’t put the cart before the horse.” Even after getting the work done according to our requirements and after conducting a trial run, things may not move in the direction you want them to. After-sales services can make a massive difference in the success of your project management tools.
Feedback
Provide proper input during the testing of the project. Any miscommunication or lack of follow up can be disastrous for your company’s dreams of becoming more technologically advanced. Although the employees dealing with the project management agency should be limited to one per department, it should also be made sure that the person who has to use the software/tool ultimately is kept in the loop.
Leverage
Things may not shape in the direction we want due to poor feedback, or we may come up with the idea that precedent the one we agreed on. Whatever the reason is, the agency should not be buckle belted to deliver the project on time. The agency is equally willing to deliver the project on time to focus on some other project. They are bearing with you because they want to deliver their best. Thus the time of completion should be estimated and not exact if the delays are at your end.
Trial runs
Active participation is the key to get the project completed on time. The trial run makes sure that everything you had marked in the checklist is cut off now. At this moment, you need to be extra vigilant and visionary in checking out for any errors or future problems that might crop in. Again, take into confidence all the departments’ heads and the assistants dealing with the tools to modify the errors at the earliest. The employees should not see it as a burden of learning a new technology that may increase their workload(initially). They should be shown the bigger picture and the future benefits it has for them.
Build Relations
The best way to part on a good note, once your software/tool is up and running, is to clear the agency’s invoice in a timely manner. Remember, you also require after-sales services, training, and updation on your software, and no agency would like to work with an organization, who doesn’t make timely payments. Another right way to show your appreciation towards the hard work the agency has put in is by writing a letter of recommendation for their excellent services. This recommendation can be through Linkedin, Agency’s client section, or even through a personalized thank you note.
These small gestures go a long way in building a strong relationship with your agency. If followed religiously, these tips will surely boost your employees’ performance and morale, stakeholders, and customers.
