What does an Organization need today to automatically manage its Information? Is there a single model? Economically, can you subsist on solutions and not succumb to the attempt?
These questions invade Large Corporations, Public Institutions and also SMEs, each one in its proper dimension.
All generations in the evolution of computing, in one way or another have stopped to consider this critical point. With the incorporation of telecommunications, the Internet, outsourcing, videoconferencing, workflow, ERP solutions and now Cloud services, different types of solutions can be developed that will be valid depending on each organization.
It is true that the greater the automation, the greater control of operations and much more information for decision-making, the more contribution to the strengthening of institutional and corporate values through different media such as digital billboards where a communicational bombardment is generated on this matter, on the environment, on preventive measures in terms of security, customer service and many other legal areas; e-learning or training through the Network, external portals to provide information to the client and disseminate the actions that are undertaken in the field of Social Responsibility, among other topics, internal portals that support internal management and document workers about the happen daily… Where can we go?where we want or really up to where each Institution or Company is willing and able to Invest.
This last variable, especially in countries with a higher inflation rate, becomes an Achilles' heel where vulnerability arises, given the high cost of solutions, their maintenance, and the security that must prevail to preserve the structure and the information, the high costs of Consultancy, the increasing price of the hardware and software that are needed and that are rapidly obsolete, the cost of telecommunications services and, for you to count.
Do not be alarmed, below are some recommendations that are not intended to be a panacea, but if they are the basic and initial considerations that are suggested, be undertaken.
- Locate your Company or Institution.- Determine to what extent automation contributes decisively to the company's results. If you automate more, do you sell more? Does automation generate a competitive advantage? Does automation produce a significant reduction in operational costs? Does commercialization have a favorable impact in terms of segmenting it and taking initiatives for this action?, Does it produce a solidarity of the Client? Does it boost sales generating high customer satisfaction? Does it create total control of Operations and Human Resources to the level of becoming a bastion of activities?. At this point you determine if the automation is Contributory or Leading. Do not be fooled if automation in your company is not Leading and tend to relegate it to secondary levels, today,If it does not automate it does not survive, here it is about determining the weight in the Mission and Objectives of your organization so that in that dimension you assign more or less financial resources. Determine the convenience or inconvenience of transferring the Administration of some activities to third parties with a proven reputation, especially those that do not have a direct link with the central objective of the business or institution. Prepare a 10-year Automation Master Plan, prioritizing activities according to needs. This plan should be reviewed every year and adjusted, if necessary, based on internal dynamics and technological changes that arise. Be realistic in the selection of your solutions, neither maximize nor minimize Investment,Your choice cannot be subject to technological charms in the first instance or economic savings in the second instance, in both cases a Boomerang effect may occur that would harm your interests. The chosen option must provide and be tailored to your possibilities, the reliability and tranquility for your organization and the need for it. Just as "Cashier Systems" should not be acquired for a Banking Entity or for Oil, Cement and Large Corporations, in the same way a High Level solution, for example SAP, would be inconvenient for a small business, not because of its scope but for its cost.Build a Solid Network, it is preferable to decrease the number of automated points and gradually grow using technology from renowned quality providers,than increase the number of points using compatible technology, which sooner rather than later will become a headache. Support behind the Investment. Strengthen the Security of your structure. Security policies must be clearly defined, established and subject to periodic review, both of the information, as well as the equipment and places destined for its location. In the same way the design of Roles and Profiles of the jobs. The latter do not depend on the current occupant, they must be defined for the position that the organizational structure defined in its organizational chart. Use an appropriate methodological framework to contribute to ensuring that your Technology Platform has the Security Standards and the best practices of Information Technology, aligning with Cobit, ISO27001 and Itil, among others.You must develop this point with specialists. Assign a percentage of your Annual Budget to Automation, which must be respected and used according to the established priorities.
The suggestions presented above are considered internationally as Best Practices and remember that each Company and Institution have their own reality, different from each other and it is the responsibility of the Management of each Organization, duly advised, to define the correct selection and administration of the information structure.
