STORIES & SOLUTIONS FOR THE MODERN BUSINESS USER

If there is one positive from the pandemic, it’s that it has exposed opportunities for improvement in supply chain management. Healthcare leaders have faced a variety of challenges over the last several months from standing up virtual care programs to maintaining proper levels of PPE, ventilators, and medications. While patient safety remains a priority and is evidenced through limited visitors, enforcement of precautions, and more options for virtual care, supply chain optimization is advancing on the c-suite agenda and for good reason: Effective supply chain performance directly links to patient outcomes and clinical safety.

Holley Schramski, the former associate vice president of finance at the University of Georgia, recognized that her team was performing a lot of manual labor for their data processes. She recalls her associate controller being frustrated as Excel kept crashing while she tried to wrap up financial statements. Schramski said that UGA was “never going to evolve from a transactional operation to becoming more analytical unless we stopped all of our manual processes and started automating processes for our team.”

When the pandemic forced the country to stay home, government stakeholders immediately realized that their legacy systems had left them ill-equipped to keep up with the demand for constituent services and implement protocols to reduce risks to public health and safety.

Faced with COVID-19, higher education institutions have had to do things differently. With virtual learning, staff working remotely, and many colleges and universities using outdated systems, all eyes are on digital transformation. Institutions that have made the switch to modern, cloud-based systems have provided an easier transition in a COVID-19 world, by connecting students, faculty, and staff while they are no longer on campus.

You can pack up your desk in two minutes. The most reliable tools are your laptop, charger, and mouse. In an industry where you’re constantly changing projects and adapting to various work environments, being able to quickly switch gears and welcoming the concept of change is important.  

What’s the best thing about being a new analyst? It is the power to be creative and change the future for the better. I’ve spent the last year developing my skills alongside some of the brightest talent in the industry. Here’s what I learned during my first year:

As consultants, we build relationships with business leaders, provide the tools needed for effective change, and conduct ourselves in the most professional manner possible. We lead by example and treat others with respect and patience, building collaborative relationships that foster the trust business leaders need to achieve their objectives. In order to be successful, it is important for our business partners to lead by example and commit to helping us build the collaborative relationships needed for a successful transition.

Organizations that incorporate change agility as a competency in their transformation programs or leadership development have a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The more your people know how they react to change, the faster they can adapt to change, the quicker you can get to market, execute strategies, and realize the return on investment of critical business strategies and initiatives.

Summer camp isn’t just for the kids anymore. During the week of July 20, 2020, there is a digital immersion event, Learning(Hu)Man, hosted by Arizona State University that will bring insights from industry leaders and allow for networking with peers and vendors. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to discuss the challenges that the school year brings, and how to make the most of technology investments to keep things moving.

For many organizations, a cloud ERP system keeps things on track and streamlines existing processes. Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority is no exception. The airport authority includes Memphis International Airport, which is the largest cargo airport in North America and second largest cargo airport in the world.