The best resources in the world can mean just about nothing without proper and effective use. The outside hiring candidate with decades experience doesn’t always solve your problems and serve your clients any better than a motivated internal candidate that’s maybe a little inexperienced but has been there for you from the start. The unbelievable technology doesn’t always make your life easier than your existing technology.
As a rapidly growing small business, we are constantly reviewing and re-reviewing resources we have in place in order to optimize our operations. This means everything we got – people, technology, office space, etc. Whether it’s creating a more efficient system using existing technology or expanding and shifting roles of our employees, we are constantly re-evaluating our resources, particularly as those resources advance and develop. (People get smarter and technology gets cooler!)
The same principles can be applied to our clients’ situations. Frustration with existing solutions can drive our clients to us for help, and oftentimes they are surprised when the solution isn’t always an expensive swap of resources, neither technology nor people. Listening to these specific complaints about certain solutions, most usually come down to an issue with process. Even with the latest and greatest in technology, you still need a rock-solid workflow to drive your project success. Sometimes this workflow can even be achieved with the simplest and most outdated technology available to you. But the point is – it’s already available to you.
While review technology may be rapidly adding features to help you through the process, there is not and never will be an “Easy Button.” The features allow opportunity to make your workflow more effective and efficient, but you still need the workflow to drive the use of those resources. I’m not saying that your review tool that hasn’t upgraded in 10 years is always the right solution, but invest in the process that utilizes your existing resources before you invest in upgrading those resources.
It’s just good business: make the most out of what you have. Always.
