EHS Assess Case Study – Recommendations For Work Management System And Agile CRM

Implications from External Analysis

EHS Assess is a company, which was started by Brian Murphy it is a professional services consultancy company based in Melbourne with currently 7 employees in the team . The company are market leaders in the field and offering top level product that is reliable in approach and delivery . EHS Assess have been steady growth with an EBIT of around 55% and a revenue of more than $3,000,000 per annum. As a small business that has had steady growth in the past 4 years the company are surpassing it processes and systems in the area of work management which is creating stress and worry to the business. Currently the company is using an excel spreadsheet as Brian demonstrated to us in class as their working system. Although the excel spreadsheet can handle some of the business functions well, the document is becoming too unstable and causing issues within the business. EHS is expecting to expand its operations interstate but with the current work management system, this would be rather difficult to achieve.  The purpose of this presentation is to help EHS Assess to identify and replace their information technological work management system in order to make the ordering and  processing progress run more smoothly and efficiently. In the following report we will present a new work management system and some key recommendations to EHS Assess .    

EHS Assess operates within a relatively niche market, where in its current state of business operations in the state of Victoria, it is functioning at a level that is both effective and profitable for the time-being. Where there are competitors within the industry, albeit not direct competitors in a sense as they do not offer the same product/service to the consumer, EHS Assess dominates a large portion of the market share regardless, and sees little to no danger currently at the status-quo. However, with EHS Assess looking to introduce additional operations interstate, there will be a greater number of competitors for the business to coerce itself around to remain as successful as possible.

There are also other external environment factors that affect EHS Assess both now, and after plans to shift interstate are carried out. These six factors are Political; Economic; Social; Technological; Environmental; and Legal factors; all of which are outside of the control of the firm as they are external influences coming from outside the four walls of the enterprise.

Recommendations

Politically, EHS Assess will be required to act under slightly different rules and regulations when it begins business activity in other states around Australia. Although Federal Parliament governs laws that are identical around the country, rival state governments to Victoria’s can make their own laws in some areas of legislation. A matter that the company will have to remain on top of to avoid legal repercussions, following the same practices in Victoria to avoid similar consequences. The Australian Dollar is the same across the country, with conversion rates not altering state-to-state, thus, the economics of the AUD is a non-issue for EHS. However, with the business to be operating over a greater portion of the country, there will be a greater amount of finances that the business will be computing, therefore the company will be affected by a larger amount of scope from the changing economy. Technological factors are forever changing, as technology is constantly improving itself world-wide, an issue that will not affect EHS Assess differently from state to state. The environment is an area that is under great scrutiny of EHS Assess, as they deal with chemicals and so forth that are not positive for the environment. These said environmental factors correlate strongly with the company’s corporate social responsibility, an area that it currently sees itself well placed achieving, but an area that can always be improved on regarding pollution and waste disposal. Legal factors coincide with political influences on the company, in regard to differing laws and regulations that they need to operate under. However, where politics sees a considerable relation with the current government in charge, legal factors are more of a constant as where the laws set by the federal government in politics change, these legal factors will not for the most part.

Thus, we do not see any great number of threats to EHS Assess as a part of the industry analysis as it has already embedded itself within the industry, and stands to be a major force within for the future. However, the company does not currently hold a significant number of employees, where a potential threat and/or danger is larger companies with more employees encroaching on our market share, where they can manage more than one job at a time. But with EHS Assess’ superior quality of work, this pertains itself as a potential non-issue, leaving EHS Assess well placed to further succeed in their niche market.

Based on the above EE, these are our reco’s:

Brief paragraph or two about the reco.

Please refer to Appendix 2 for details (of “why” we recommend and “how” = detailed instructions).

State the Cost / Benefit (try to quantify the benefits)

e.g. this solution will cost $X, but will result in 30% increased sales

Agile CRM is a new customer relationship management software which has a heavy focus on sales and marketing. Agile is low cost compared to many other similar CRMs and offers a wide range of features that would assist EHS Assess significantly. Agile has good reviews from its users, and the business offers a large amount of personalised support to help business integrate Agile CRM into their business. Many of the settings and systems have degrees of optimisation to ensure that Agile CRM can be used to its best ability in any given business. Agile CRM also has a number of integrated connections with other software and systems such has LinkedIn, google apps as well as many social media platforms to assist with networking and marketing. Agile also supports several financial systems, specifically QuickBooks; EHS Assess current financial system. If Brian was to decide on another financial system in the future, there would be a few suitable options that work with Agile CRM such as Xero and MYOB. Ultimately Agile CRM would be a fantastic fit for Brian and EHS Assess as it addresses many of the issues outlined within the initial brief.

Issues addressed from utilisation of Agile CRM

Using Agile would provide solutions to most if not all of the issues and problems identified earlier in the project. The biggest practical issues that are affecting the business was the inability to have multiple users on the system at any given time. Agile allows for an unlimited number of users to concurrently access and edit the system remotely. This would assist EHS Assess greatly as its will significantly reduce the time wasted by each staff member needing to request access from the rest of the team. Agile also has a mobile app that is android compatible, which would allow for further utilization of the remote nature of Agile. This would lead to an increase in productivity and employee autonomy.

Agile also offers a series of systems that will lead to a more efficient and stable system than the existing one used now. Tracked and visualised pipelining is one of the primary features’ Agile offers to its users, which would help track and visualise the progress and stages of any specific job, or the total summation of current open, closed or failed jobs. Similarly, there are several tools inbuilt into Agile CRM that can display a fast range of financial and scheduling information to allow Brian to make informed decisions about the future of the business.

Agile allows its master user to administer the settings and permissions of other users, to allow them access to information dependent on what they need in the business. As outlined in the initial brief and the initial meeting, it was clear Brian wanted some level of control to ensure no one disgruntled employee could do any significant level of damage. The permission system would prevent this to some degree, reinforced by the backup system of Agile. Agile has a sophisticated data back-up system, that allows incremental back-ups, so if the system was ever compromised in any way, it could be reset to a close back-up. This would mean only a small number of hours or work would need to be redone, and all changes are tracked so the earlier changes could be replicated with ease.

Agile CRM can be easily learned and applied to a vast range of workplaces. One of it’s best features is that it is a streamlined project management system that is accessible over the most common platforms such as Windows/Mac desktops or through android devices. This management system is ideal for any sales, marketing or service-related businesses optimising how you can generate your reports and store them where they are protected on the cloud. Leads are easy to follow with all your contacts stored in one place and can be organised coordinately to meet the business’s needs.

Agile’s appearance is very clean and simple, making it easier for those coming from a non-technical background to learn how to use the system. There are a huge range of tools integrated within this system such as email platforms, accounting software and other web applications, allowing businesses to save time accessing what they need through the one program. Notifications and alerts from Agile can be utilised to keep updated with any jobs in real time without having to constantly open and sign into the program.

It is practically effortless for a business to switch over to Agile with the simple process of importing your contacts in a short time. The support team for Agile are also very reassuring in assisting your business with setting up the system or answering any enquiries with their 24/7 accessible customer service team. This software maintains it’s great functionality through regular updates whether through modifications or necessary improvements that will keep the program running at an optimal level. A lot of businesses consider Agile to be very affordable and unlike other systems, offer a free trial period and a free version as one of their plan options with no lock-in contracts.

In terms of tools used within a project management system, Agile CRM have yet to offer the following in their program:

• Agile methodologies
• Gantt charts
• Kanban board
• Budget management
• Idea management
• Traditional methodologies

For some business professionals, it is difficult for them to find the time in their schedule to contact Agile’s support team. Others also find there is a lack of alternative support options such as instructional training videos or a visual guide in document form to help them set up the software.

EHS Assess has provided a list of certain requirements for future software that will manage their company in order for it to operate smoothly, efficiently and to its full potential. The requirements EHS desires are as follows:

• Having the ability to keep track of appointments and the status of current and/or previous ones
• Being able to have remote access of the software at any time of the day or place from any employee, if necessary
• Allows being able to assign certain jobs to specific employees
• Is or can be compatible with QuickBooks, the finance software that EHS Assess are currently utilising also
• Is able to record and store information about customers and/or jobs, both recent and already completed for future reference
• Provides different levels of access for different employees
• Must be simple and easy enough to use for all employees to understand and eventually utilise

Agile provides the flexibility of viewing current and previous jobs. This will help EHS Assess run smoother because of the easy management the company will soon have over their appointments. The following demonstrates the “Appointment Scheduler” where appointments are made, edited, managed and saved if needed for future reference. Depending on the business, different appointments can be assigned to whomever and can also be deemed active or completed.

This software also allows EHS Assess to sync their current information onto it with a click of a button. The company will not be delayed by days and will have no need in hiring someone to do it for them. It is simple and will not stop business for a long amount of time. The following displays how EHS Assess’ current finance software, QuickBooks, can be synced into Agile without any long or continuous type of delay.

The following illustrates the Agile software’s “dashboard” page. This page itself provides an incredible amount of management for emails, tasks, activities and even calls, as can be seen. Depending on the level of employee, different access can also be provided. Not only is this software simple to use but it can be remotely accessed and edited without disruption of any kind. Agile is simple and provides various features that will allow the company to increase their efficiency and management, this will, in turn, promote an increase in sales.

Interstate Expansion

In terms of future expansion of the business interstate EHS must consider the following while planning any potential expansion.

1. Regulation coverage  
2. Path of expansion decided
3. Client acquisition
4. Staff scouting
5. Training and culture implementation
6. Ongoing support
7. Integration into current structure.
8. Phone Support services

There are strong opportunities for EHS in the future with expected growth in the occupational health and safety sector over the next 5 years. Based on the current model of entering a competitive market and providing a high quality high price service we recommend that NSW be explored as the first phase of an interstate rollout with an already established market EHS will do well to build up a client base based on referrals and industry contacts in a sector that is mature enough to know what to expect from an occupational hygienics firm and will be able to identify the benefits of paying extra for the service and skills of EHS consultants.

In terms of regulation the business will need to be aware of the worksafe laws specific to NSW as well as comply to general regulation within the industry. EHS already employs veteran Occupational Hygienists and have prior experience with an attempted NSW expansion so adherence to regulation should be considered however there is no indication that this will be difficult for the business with prior knowledge of operation in NSW.

Client acquisition may pose a challenge as although large Victorian insurance clients also service NSW the internal personnel are completely different therefore direct expansion of work based on doing more jobs for current clients is not feasible. EHS will need to enter the market small with any potential referrals from Vic clients or industry contacts. Another option would be the employment of  1 or 2 new staff who are already working in the industry to supply their current client base with the new EHS product. As seen in the success of Vic once  a foundation is set  the service provided by EHS will allow word of mouth advertising to further increase the client base.

Initial staff scouting should be conducted by Brian personally with assistance from his chosen consultant who will be rolling out the expansion. Brian has proven to be able to identify strong candidates who are able to integrate into the EHS culture and excel in working autonomously and providing the necessary level of service to customers. Once a small team is assembled a member of the Vicotorian unit will be required to rollout the business in NSW . This provides a hands on expansion more easily emulating the processes in place that lead to the success of Victoria. This will also allow for implementation of current structure and ongoing support as even after the initial rollout when this consultant has relocated back to Vic they will be better positioned to provide going support with hands on knowledge of the people and clients of both locations.

After NSW we suggest the same process be followed for an expansion into QLD.

A phone service should be invested in by the company as it continues to grow . Currently Brian is struggling to accommodate the current client base if expansion is rolled out interstate this will be magnified. We suggest the partnership with an onshore BPO who are able to provide the high level of  customer service required of the EHS brand. This will be more expensive than an offshore call centre but Brian will be able to better monitor the quality of service provided and the BPO staff will be ore suitable in understanding the needs of Australian consumers.

You may have some other ideas that you think will be useful to the client, but you have not had the time/resource to look into in detail.

Alternatively, you may put in future “blue sky” ideas that the client may wish to consider, once your main recos are implemented.

Agile Implementation plan for EHS Assess

1. Assign a single person from within the company to be in charge of and oversee the rollout of Agile to EHS Assess as they will have detailed knowledge of the company and its operations. We would recommend this be someone with a strong IT background (presumably Justin). Having a single person in charge will help streamline the process as there is a lower chance of misunderstandings and/or double handling of information.
2. Ensure that the person assigned to be in charge of the rollout keeps Brian and Office personnel kept up to date on the progress and details of the implementation, who can then filter necessary information down to other employees, this will reduce the chances of misinformation spreading.
3. Ensure that both the person in charge of the rollout and Brian are both ready to tackle any challenges or roadblocks that are discovered early and dealt with before they have further implications and consequences.
4. Hold a meeting with all employees to discuss the reasons and motivations behind the software change, this will give you an opportunity to bring everyone up to the same page, sound out any concerns and ensure everyone has internally “bought-in” to the new project.
5. As this will naturally be a period of change for the business this is a good opportunity to visit any outdated policy and procedures and change or update them to better align with the new Project management. Policies that are not impacted by the project may also be visited, this way all “unrest” due to change is in this one period rather than having multiple periods of unrest.
6. Once the software is online it is critical that all staff are trained as soon as possible, there are multiple ways of doing this, but with a small team such as EHS Assess, it is recommended that one large formal training session be held and then any further issues or questions be discussed in an informal manner. Agile offers webinars to explain the software’s functionalities which can give an employee a general understanding of the program’s potentials, however agile offers a live, online training webinar. During the webinar, they will walk you through how to use those core features.
7. Once the software is up and running, monitoring its usage and areas for improvement and further training is critical. However, it is also important to note; all successes and report on it so other employees can see the benefits of the new software and continue motivation to learn and improve the system, agile also after a few weeks have a “customer success manager” analyse your usage of the system and then call you and discuss any issues and ways to get more out of the program. There is also a phone and online chat line to anytime communication and questions.

The main risks involved with implementing Agile to EHS Assess are things such as potentially forced downtime while converting, however this can be mitigated by having field workers continue logging their job information on the old excel spreadsheets and then moving it over once ready, however this is quite inefficient and can be a waste of time.

As Agile is a cloud based online software there are always security and connectivity risks, Agile address these concerns by highlighting that “Agile CRM uses a highly secure namespace on Google cloud, which essentially means your data is stored in a single database rather than being stored in a massive, shared database. This allows your data to remain private and separate from that of other customers. You will not share a database with other customers, as is often the case with other CRM providers.” While also having an uptime guarantee of 99.5%

Conclusion

In conclusion, after extensive research in regard to EHS Assess’ desired outcome, two recommendations have been developed in order to achieve their overall goal.

The first recommendation is to help EHS Assess adopt Agile CRM. This software will improve their efficiency by helping the company manage their appointments, clientele, emails, calls and even their finances within the one software. This software can also be accessed remotely at any given time or day and the use of will not only improve their management but also increase the company’s efficiency throughout.

The second recommendation includes the interstate expansion that EHS Assess is potentially considering. In order to maximise the likelihood of success, a list of potential requirements has been established with a few key points, depending on which state the company decides to expand into first.

It is likely that these recommendations will be successful and consequently achieve EHS Assess’ overall future objectives whilst also increasing sales and workflow in the near future.

References

Ike, M., Donovan, J., Topple, C., & Masli, E. K. (2018). Consideration of Host Nation Laws and Regulations by Japanese MNEs. In O. Gervasi, B. Murgante, S. Misra, E. Stankova, C. M. Torre, A. M. A. C. Rocha, D. Taniar, B. O. Apduhan, E. Tarantino, & Y. Ryu (Eds.), Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2018 (pp. 726-734). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Ike, M., Donovan, J. D., Topple, C., & Masli, E. K. (2019). A holistic perspective on corporate sustainability from a management viewpoint: Evidence from Japanese manufacturing multinational enterprises. Journal of Cleaner Production, 216, 139-151. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.151

World Bank, T. (2010). Indonesia’s program for pollution control, evaluation, and rating (PROPER) Retrieved from https://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/770561468038722316/Indonesias-program-for-pollution-control-evaluation-and-rating-PROPER

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