Need Performance Scorecards?
Must increase service quality delivered
Lack actionable information
Need to optimize departmental operations
Need better tools
Planning an RFP process
Lack end-to-end reporting
Implementing Performance Management Solutions

Need Performance Scorecards?

Problem:

You know that things are moving, you know what expenses exist but you have trouble finding enough detailed operations data to make accurate and dynamic business decisions. You believe that the issue must be the accounting system or database system used by your customer service, order entry, or manufacturing staff. You don’t know the answers but you need them quickly.

Finding actionable information within a public agency is just as difficult as in larger organizations. Oh, there is data, but turning that data into a form that can be used is the challenge. You want to:

• Better understand shifts in citizen(customer) perceptions
• Better organize customer service efforts to meet customer perceptions
• Understand how much support costs for each customer
• Understand if agency and service initiatives are working in tandem or against each other

Solution:

Leveraging our team of advisors, we can help your agency better service it’s citizen customers with a defined growth and migration plan that outlines a strategic infrastructure plan across people, process, and technology. This plan will mirror your strategic objectives and yet provides a growth model to measure future parameters to success. We utilize the Balance Scorecard Model throughout this process. Balanced Scorecard Business Model Benefits

• Clearly communicate the mission and vision of an organization to all levels and departments
• Enhance management focus and ensure initiatives are aligned to original mission and vision statements
• Ensure the readiness of your organization to engage in dynamic business events that might arise.
• Delivery of an operations and initiatives model that can be managed by your staff on a consistent basis without the need for outside assistance.
• Improve customer service and consistency in which that service is delivered

Success Stories:

Small Business Contact Center Outsourcer-Balanced Scorecard and Growth Initiative
Small Business Retail-Balanced Scorecard and Growth Initiative
Financial Services-Optimization and Growth Planning
Dispatch & 911-Optimization and Growth Planning

Must increase service quality delivered

Problem:

In today’s market, with tight resources, organizations must make sure they are reacting to their public citizens (customers) effectively, in the manner that the customer respects. However, most organizations don’t understand their customers well enough to drive service in this manner.

When organizations understand their customers, they find that no matter what business process is put into place, consistent service doesn’t occur. Customers receive inconsistent answers when they talk to multiple people. Shipping clerks continue to error in quality and shipping fees.

Solution:

The Comb Group addresses these issues with our Customer Perception Analysis™. Through this program, The Comb Group will:

• Utilize your service centers as if we were customers to determine how your customers perceive your service
• Listen to live calls and watch other types of customer transactions as they occur
• Interview your service personnel

Results will be delivered using Value Stream Analysis techniques. These techniques allow you to focus on real, not perceived problems.

Success Stories:

Financial Services-Optimization and Growth Planning
Dispatch & 911-Optimization and Growth Planning
Small Business Outsourced Call Center-Optimization and Growth Planning

Lack actionable information

Problem:

You know that things are moving, you know what expenses exist but you have trouble finding enough detailed operations data to make accurate and dynamic business decisions. You believe that the issue must be the accounting system or database system used by your customer service, order entry, or manufacturing staff. You don’t know the answers but you need them quickly.

Finding actionable information within a public agency is just as difficult as in larger organizations. Oh, there is data, but turning that data into a form that can be used is the challenge. You want to:

• Better understand shifts in citizen(customer) perceptions
• Better organize customer service efforts to meet customer perceptions
• Understand how much support costs for each customer
• Understand if agency and service initiatives are working in tandem or against each other

Solution:

Leveraging our team of advisors, we can help your agency better service it’s citizen customers with a defined growth and migration plan that outlines a strategic infrastructure plan across people, process, and technology. This plan will mirror your strategic objectives and yet provides a growth model to measure future parameters to success. We utilize the Balance Scorecard Model throughout this process. Balanced Scorecard Business Model Benefits

• Clearly communicate the mission and vision of an organization to all levels and departments
• Enhance management focus and ensure initiatives are aligned to original mission and vision statements
• Ensure the readiness of your organization to engage in dynamic business events that might arise.
• Delivery of an operations and initiatives model that can be managed by your staff on a consistent basis without the need for outside assistance.
• Improve customer service and consistency in which that service is delivered

Success Stories:

Small Business Contact Center Outsourcer-Balanced Scorecard and Growth Initiative
Small Business Retail-Balanced Scorecard and Growth Initiative
Financial Services-Optimization and Growth Planning
Dispatch & 911-Optimization and Growth Planning

Need to optimize departmental operations

Problem:

You find that despite the efforts you have invested in improving organization performance, you find that service issues increase, interdepartmental miscommunications between service and process continue to occur resulting in slow service, there doesn’t seem to be a consistent process for communicating among departments and planning for future events always seems to leave critical operations issues rising as rollouts occur, and customers continue to have issues when multiple, complicated, follow-up is required.

Solution:

The Comb Group Diagnostics and Optimization services help you find untapped potential lying within your current systems of people, process, and technology, identify and build the appropriate performance management systems to manage all strategic objectives across the organization., integrate and standardize technology platforms following a merger or acquisition., consolidate disparate reporting systems and processes, transform business strategies to improve customer satisfaction and/or increase your organizations ability to sustain improvements in service or processing activities by assessing skill competencies and by developing a program to match expectations to existing infrastructure abilities.

Success Stories:

Media & Radio Networks-Optimization and Growth Planning
Media & Radio Networks-Sales Optimization and Technology Selection
Media & Radio Networks-Workflow Analysis and Transition Planning
Small Business Outsourced Call Center-Optimization and Growth Planning
Small Business Retail-Optimization and Growth Planning
Financial Services-Optimization and Growth Planning

Need better tools

Problem:

The myths-stemming from the never-ending supply of failed software development and replacement projects horror stories-revolve around: Cost, Time, Risk, Complexity

All are interrelated parameters. The process of deciding what to buy, build, or integrate, if performed with proper due diligence, can itself cost a sizeable percentage of the purchase price. Likewise, the further away from the 80 percent functional fit the package is, the more need for the package to be customized or tailored, which increases ultimate cost, not to mention risk. The cost of “wrap-arounds” can easily double the listed sticker price. Furthermore, if there is not a process in place that helps to identify a solid cross match of functionality that satisfies all business partners, the projects changes of success will be limited.

Solution:

The Comb Group has assisted in many business case and/or application evaluation processes that result in a delivery of:

• A consensus based prioritized list of Functional Specifications that all departments have agreed to with excitement, not just a “nodding head” to get the meetings over with.
• A systems roadmap including a detailed gap analysis with challenges identified at each milestone.
• Full Return on Investment Models for Financial, Process, People, Opportunity Cost, New Business Drivers.
• Recommendations from “Best in Class” products and services listing the top 3 providers of those products and or services.
• Fixed bid delivery cost for implementation of the applications under consideration.

Success Stories:

Financial Services-Speech Enabled Automated Systems
Media & Radio Networks-Sales Optimization and Technology Selection

Planning an RFP process

Problem:

Planning to Purchase New Hardware or Software is nothing short of a vast effort. Agencies find that once they begin talking with vendors, all of the “bells and whistles” start to confuse decision makers who started with a list of required functionality needed.

Most organizations want to consider: The investment already placed in the application/hardware in use today, if the current application/hardware is a package application, the customized components of the application/hardware need to be reviewed and their specifications need to be documented, any known future upgrades that interface currently or will interface in the future, The 80-20 Rule for application/hardware replacement projects: When building specifications for a system, consider what 80% of the functionality needs to be. Don’t spend 80% of the analysis time on 20% of the functionality, the number of internal technical resources available to train and support the new system on an ongoing basis, the annual and monthly maintenance fees, and the availability of technical support aside from the manufacturer.

Solution:

The Comb Group has lead many organizations through a thorough Functional Requirements and Request for Proposal process. In most cases, The Comb Group designs and develops the specific RFP used to govern the selection process. The Comb Group provides each vendor with a confidential questionnaire that is filled out on short notice to ensure that true and objective answers are provided. This process alone acts as an “insurance policy” for our customers. The Comb Group works alongside our customer in their selection efforts until the best solution has been identified. Many times, The Comb Group continues forward with the client by acting as project manager over the entire project, managing the efforts of internal and external vendor resources.

Success Stories:

Financial Services-RFP and Technology Selection
Media & Radio Networks-Sales Optimization and Technology Selection
Small Business-RFP and Technology Selection

Lack end-to-end reporting

Problem:

For most service departments in public agencies, there is more data available than one could ever desire. The problem is that the data is not in a centralized, single source. Thus, pulling together information to depict staff performance, departmental performance, or team performance non statistical information such as human behaviors, quality monitoring scores, etc becomes a massively time intensive function.

Solution:

The Comb Group has worked with multiple organizations to design, develop, or acquire the necessary tools and applications to centralize data into one single source. The Comb Group has tools that your organization can start with and then customize so that your organization does not start at ground zero. In addition, The Comb Group has completed a multitude of RFP creation and management engagements in which our organization has worked alongside our customers to find the appropriate tools in a cost effective manner.

Success Stories:

Health insurance-Application Design, Development, & Implementation
Financial Services-Application Design, CoDevelopment, & Implementation

Implementing Performance Management Solutions

Problem:

You find that your staff is working hard, yet not achieving the results required. You have identified performance goals, you have job descriptions, and you have incentive and recognition programs. What else do you need you ask yourself? Many organizations find themselves in this position. Without a truly integrated performance management system, most organizations will not realize the true potential lying within their existing people, processes, or technology.

Solution:

A performance management system starts with the development of a true Employee Development Program that is designed to provide enhanced support towards accomplishing increased business results. This program must: increases the competency and productivity of all employees, reduce the risk of customer related issues associated with administration of policies, reduce the time necessary to develop the competency of new employees and get the “to the floor”, increase the consistent application of company-wide standardized policies, procedures, products and philosophy, provide a cost effective yet efficient system for developing current staff to ensure customers receive consistent and quality service, provide a flexible training system that responds to individual learning needs and changing staff development demands and finally, one that provides a clear career path for growth; thus increasing employee retention and reducing costs associated with employee churn.

Success Stories:

Financial Services-Employee Development Program
Financial Services-Performance Management System Program
Media & Radio Networks-Employee Development Program