Ed Crowley, Photizo - 5 Steps for Implementing MPS/BPO/MSP/ITO/EDM/NOC/MOUSE

"I must tell you something, darling...
you...look...marvelous.."

Another guest author and fellow DOTC_Leopard, Ed Crowley (Photizo), chimes in.

This time, on the subject of 'implementation'.

Notice how the FivePoints can be applied to any discipline - expansive, isn't it?

Ed and I go back.

It is an honor to have so many fellow DOTC readers contribute - I consider myself fortunate.

Enjoy.
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Why is implementation important?

By Ed Crowley, Photizo


Implementation is the process by which you will construct the entire project and it is the frame and foundation, which anchors and shoulders the considerable weight of the entire project.

When I discuss implementation for managed print services, I don’t just mean the initial roll-out, but rather, the planning, customer-needs assessment, roll-out, on-going management, and evolution through the various MPS stages.

In my experience, the key to a successful MPS engagement begins with the end-user needs assessment. We often want to jump immediately into ‘right sizing’ the fleet, deployment planning, and all of those other activities that deliver immediate or near-term cost savings. Without an adequate understanding of the customer needs and the organizations environment, we can quickly turn from the hero to the villain.

Nothing can replace walking through the customers environment, survey where the equipment is, who is using it, asking about their needs, and issues. Holding internal focus groups with customers to understand what is and what isn’t working in their imaging environment is a great way to start. This can pave the way for a formal survey of all employees to gain an in-depth understanding of their needs and desires.

The net result of truly understanding the customer environment is that you will be able to craft a set of ‘policies’ for identifying how the products are rolled out and what are acceptable exception procedures.

Ed’s Top 5 for implementation :

1. Understand the end-user needs and requirements;
2. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Clearly set expectations (for both end-users, and the client), communicate as you work to meet these expectations, and keep communicating whether things are going well – or poorly.
3. Allow for exceptions. Don’t allow for too many exceptions, otherwise, they cease to be exceptions. But you must have a process for, and allow a limited number of exceptions. This is a huge factor in taking away the Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) from the end user.
4. Enforce effective implementation through incentives and penalties. If you exceed the agreed to performance parameters, you should be rewarded. Likewise, if you fail, you should have some penalty. Believe it or not, it keeps you and the customer honest.
5. Set realistic expectations. The temptation is to ‘wow’ the customer by over-promising. The best practice is to set a reasonable target, and then bust your tail to over-deliver. This is what will make you a hero in the customers mind.

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