Whilst shared service centres may have their critics who claim that projects fail because they cause a disruption to the service flow by moving the work to a central location and creating failure demand, the facts certainly support in favour of the benefits service centres bring – particularly in times of economic uncertainty when administrative costs seem to rise and the burden of legislation appears to grow heavier.

Back office environments have the scale and scope to deliver great operational efficiencies so investing time and money to performance manage these areas and understand how optimisation can reap significant financial rewards is worthwhile.

Read the case study of how in creating this shared service centre benefits included improved productivity with less staff, backlogs were cleared, visibility over performance and quality resulted in recognition of best practice standards and the morale of staff improved.

More reading on shared service centres

eg offer a free on site review to help you understand the operational improvements that could be made.  Just give us a call on 01785 715772 or email ask and we can talk you through how this could apply to you and deliver real benefits – guaranteed.

The formal announcement took place last night in London at a product showcase of the whole eg operational intelligence® software suite. The event included an overview of the ‘Emerging Back Office Market’ from Donna Fluss, founder and President of DMG Consulting LLC, the leading analyst specialising in customer-focused business strategy, operations and technology services for Global 2000 and emerging companies.

Ms. Fluss is a recognised thought leader in the Workforce Optimization Market and, during the evening presented research conducted by DMG Consulting which confirmed that the Back Office Optimisation market is expected to be 3-7 times greater than the Contact Centre Workforce Optimisation Market.

eg’s software gives users access to historic, real-time and predictive Management Information covering all aspects of operational performance. It also provides capacity planning, forecasting and modelling capabilities which enable organisations to deliver significant operational improvements in both day-to-day decision-making and long-term forecasting.

The new version of eg work manager® v6.0, is a ‘thin client’ web browser version built using the latest Microsoft Silverlight and Windows Communication Foundation technologies. It has been designed to enable customers to deploy and extend the use of the eg operational intelligence® suite more easily and at lower total cost, whether deployments are ‘on premise’ or ‘in the cloud’.

eg’s software suite also incorporates Nuqleus 3D following the acquisition of XTAQ Limited in March 2010. The combined eg software suite now includes all of the core modules identified by DMG as essential for back office optimisation including:

- Desktop data capture

- Real-time work management

- E-learning and coaching.

Commenting on eg’s position in the emerging Back Office Optimisation Market, Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Gooch, said:

“Our software has been purpose built as a back office solution that includes planning, intra-day and intra-process work allocation, tracking and management as well as real-time management information and dashboards. It is clear that the back office market is emerging strongly and, with customers wanting a single supplier for this type of solution, eg is well positioned to capitalise on this major opportunity.”

The new product release will support customers implementing eg’s software for the first time as well as those currently using existing versions of the software suite.

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CONTACTS

About eg solutions plc

eg solutions plc is a global operations management software company. Our software provides historic, real-time and predictive Operational MI. When implemented with our training programme for managers and team leaders to use this intelligence, we guarantee improvements in operational results in short timescales.

The Company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (’AIM’) of the London Stock Exchange, is committed to customer satisfaction and the ongoing development of its operations management solutions.

Clients now have greater flexibility to administer and deliver eg’s training solutions.

e-learning includes a forum and discussion groups around specific topics to encourage learners to share questions and ideas.  It also has an assessment facility to validate participants understanding of specific modules or courses.

Administrators can manage users, roles, courses, instructors, facilities and generate reports for end users, Team Leaders and Customer Service Managers.

Some of eg’s core training modules, such Daily Activity for staff and Team Managers and eg operational intelligence^® reporting which support the implementation of the eg operational intelligence^® software suite, are now being undertaken through e-learning.

The e-learning tool will improve the accessibility of training through a centralised and easy-to-use portal offering multiple benefits such as:

• Building effective training programmes to accommodate staff located in multiple locations
• On-going access to on-line training to support sustainability requirements
• Easy deployment and full Management Information reporting
• Measuring the success of training and staff knowledge
• Increasing efficiency of training through role based training and individual/group training curriculums
• Courses can be completed remotely and self-paced
• Networking with peers through the virtual forums
• Branded front-end for customised ‘look and feel’

The training provided through e-learning will be supported by on-site support to ensure complete skills transfer.  The management information available will allow Managers to see who has completed the training, test results and any areas of concern.

Tim Becker, Head of Client Solutions commented:

“Feedback from Clients showed the demand for access to consistent training following the initial implementation both in relation to the use of the eg operational intelligence^® software suite and the eg principles of operational management^®.

It eradicates the ‘sitting with Nelly’ strategies that typically exist and ensures consistency of learning and complete flexibility for our clients”.

For more information or to arrange a demo, please contact Rachel Oliver, Marketing Manager at eg, on +44 (0) 1785 715772, email racheloliover@eguk.co.uk or visit www.eguk.co.uk.

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For more information please contact Rachel Oliver, Communications Manager at eg, on +44 (0) 1785 715772, email racheloliver@eguk.co.uk or visit www.eguk.co.uk.

Notes to editors:

About eg solutions plc

eg solutions plc is a global back office optimisation software company. Our software provides historic, real-time and predictive Operational MI.  When implemented with our training programme for managers and team leaders to use this intelligence, we guarantee improvements in operational results in short timescales.

eg’s proprietary software package eg operational intelligence® including eg work manager® has been developed and refined over the last 18 years and form a comprehensive work, resource and performance reporting tool. It enables clients to gather information about the key factors affecting performance and using eg’s operational management techniques identify appropriate decisions and actions that improve efficiency and reduce costs within weeks.

When implemented with the eg principles of operational management® methodology, eg operational intelligence® provides the opportunity for eg’s clients to double their productivity and dramatically improve customer service levels almost immediately. It also forms a foundation for continuous improvements in subsequent years.

The Company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (‘AIM’) of the London Stock Exchange, is committed to customer satisfaction and the ongoing development of its operations management solutions.

Blog by Mark Smith, CEO & EVP Research August 26, 2010

The market for operational intelligence (OI) has grown as organizations realize the importance of having information in real time and in the right context. To accomplish this requires that operational data is processed as it happens, commonly by being packaged into what are called events and made available through technologies for complex event processing or event monitoring. Operational intelligence has long been part of our research focus. In benchmark research on it, we found that optimizing business processes and reducing time to respond drive more than 70 percent of organizations to invest in OI and that utilization of events for managing risk and complying with regulations is important to more than half of organizations today.

One technology vendor I came across about a year ago is eg solutions, whose tools help business professionals in operational roles gain rapid insight about their organization’s processes. The company has 20 years of experience in providing tools for customers mostly in the United Kingdom and South Africa. In 2009 eg’s customer Legal & General won the Ventana Research Leadership Award for Operational Intelligence. This year the vendor acquired XTAQ, which developed tools for real-time data capture that can help in the processing of events for operational intelligence. I recently received an update on the company’s progress.

The product suite is called eg operational intelligence, and its tools work together in measuring, managing, improving and optimizing operational activities. The acquisition of XTAQ contributed a product called Nuqleus 3D for capturing events, beginning the measurement process and creating metrics. This acquisition was important as my research shows that an incomplete view of event information is the top dissatisfaction of organizations with OI technology today. A tool called eg work manager provides the ability to allocate and schedule work, then track and manage it in real time as input for determining future plans and forecasts. As well as real-time or historical information, eg operational intelligence can provide a predictive view. Its reports and methods of exporting data provide a means to improve performance through various metrics ranging from volumes and service to productivity and skills. These capabilities are part of a transformation from applications and tools built on a foundation of data and databases foundation to a foundation of events and event processing – the key difference is that the new technology operates at the pace of actions triggered across a network or the Internet.

Operational intelligence and the tools eg solutions provides can complement a range of other business systems, such as CRM, customer experience and interaction systems or workforce and operational process management systems. This platform and set of tools can be applied to business processes in the back or front office. The vendor promotes a short-time-to-value implementation model and guarantees that customers will see tangible improvements within 20 weeks of deployment. The business reasons for investment into operational intelligence, from improved customer experience to data quality and compliance, along with cost reduction can soon cover the cost of taking on a new business technology project. As outlined in my 2010 perspective (See: “Using Innovative and Disruptive Technology in 2010”), operational intelligence is one of the key technology areas in which companies can gain not just a competitive advantage but material improvements to their organizational effectiveness.

Let me know your thoughtsor come and collaborate with me on Facebook,LinkedInand Twitter

Regards,

Mark Smith – CEO & EVP Research

Here’s an excerpt…..

Bloor Research identified that there were a number of solutions that organisations may have already purchased or are thinking of purchasing to solve the issues involved in gaining control of operations management.  Bloor identified that there were two key approaches of IT solutions built to support operations management.  The first is based around Business Intelligence which requires significant effort to tailor an appropriate solution.  The second approach involves the use of specialised applications consisting of a variety of automated components, including workforce management, capacity management, customer management, process management.

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Other associated link that may be of interest:

Linked in groups:

eg operations management http://bit.ly/cq6Egd

Operational Intelligence http://bit.ly/acZvOV

Blog: http://bit.ly/b6fVQ9

Bristol, 1st October 2009 – XTAQ Ltd today looks back at an amazing first year since launch of Nuqleus 3D at the Professional Planning Forum back office and end to end service event, at the London Chamber of Commerce.

At launch, Nuqleus 3D was hailed by XTAQ as the software tool which would revolutionise improvement initiatives by enabling the capture of data from all areas of the operation – including manual and transactional processes in contact centres and back-office processing centres – with or without user intervention.

“This first year, Nuqleus 3D has proven its exceptional flexibility,” says Spencer O’Leary, Business Development Director at XTAQ. “The variable automation feature, which means as well as prompting users for details, it can be set to automatically capture information from data fields as they are completed, has revolutionised what our customers are able to accurately measure.”

“In addition, because Nuqleus 3D doesn’t require integration with the IT systems in use – it is system-agnostic – there’s no need for the IT department to invest time and money on integration projects. For our customers this means they can start seeing results very swiftly indeed, delivering trustworthy data within just a few short weeks of the live implementation.”

“Our customers are delighted at the benefits they are seeing so quickly from Nuqleus 3D. The quality of the data which Nuqleus 3D captures and the speed and integrity of the intelligence it delivers has been truly astounding.”

“And because it’s working in the live environment, operations management can further drill down or even make changes to what’s being captured, in order to get a deeper understanding of what’s happening, why it’s happening and the impact it is having on their business, their customers and the people within their operation.”

“One of the areas where customers are reaping significant benefits is in the setting of, and measuring against, benchmarks. So many benchmarks are based on gut feel or best guess. Yet benchmarks are used throughout the business as markers for Service Level Agreements, Resource Planning, Productivity and Shrinkage – and are embedded in reward, recognition and appraisal goals. With our new product, Nuqleus 3D, the guesswork is taken out of the benchmark. Nuqleus 3D enables accurate measurement and therefore accurate benchmarks to be set. Nuqleus 3D then continues to measure against those benchmarks, providing indisputable, quality information.”

“The integrity of the intelligence being provided by Nuqleus 3D enables informed decisions to be made on where to focus performance improvements. The decision-making process has become rational, intelligence-based and, because performance is continuously monitored, exceptions can be responded to appropriately and without delay. Accurate measurement with Nuqleus 3D is minimising risk and maximising potential for our customers.”

As one customer told XTAQ last week “Nuqleus 3D has given us the ability to understand areas of the business that we’d never previously been able to measure – and all with minimal impact on the day to day running of the business or the IT set-up.”

Another added “We can now clearly demonstrate just how much we’ve been able to improve our efficiency and service quality.”

eg’s software gives users access to historic, real-time and predictive Management Information about all the factors affecting operational performance.  It provides capacity planning, forecasting and modelling capabilities which enable organisations to make the right operational decisions to effectively measure, manage and improve business operations on a day-to-day basis, as well as forecast for the long term.

The new modules of the suite, eg work manager® v5.1.0 and eg operational intelligence® v2.1.0, improve the efficiency of the key daily functions users undertake, including:

• Work allocation
• Quality
• Reporting & Dashboards
• System Setup & Administration

Tony Lynock, Head of Software, said: “With over 41,000 users of our software across the world, eg’s priority is to continuously improve the functionality of our products to ensure our customers’ needs are met.  eg work manager® v5.1 and eg operational intelligence® v2.1 build on the features of our last major product release and are the platform for the development of our strategic next generation of web-based products.”

Since the release of eg work manager® v5.0 and eg operational intelligence® v2.0 eg experienced the fastest new take up of a new product release in the company’s history.

The new product releases will support customers implementing eg’s software for the first time and those currently using existing versions of the software suite.

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For more information or to arrange a demo, please contact Catherine Staite, Communications Manager at eg, on +44 (0) 1785 715772, email catherinestaite@eguk.co.uk or visit www.eguk.co.uk.

About eg solutions plc

eg solutions plc is a global operations management software company. Our software provides historic, real-time and predictive Operational MI.  When implemented with our training programme for managers and team leaders to use this intelligence, we guarantee improvements in operational results in short timescales.

eg’s proprietary software package eg operational intelligence® has been developed and refined over the last 18 years and forms a comprehensive work, resource and performance reporting tool. It enables clients to gather information about the key factors affecting performance and using eg’s operational management techniques identify appropriate decisions and actions that improve efficiency and reduce costs within weeks.

Additional modules of the suite include: eg activity manager™, eg work manager® work scheduler; eg work manager® archiving and eg operational intelligence® data views.  eg’s software can be implemented to individual users’ desktops or be deployed using Software as a Service.

• eg work manager®
• eg operational intelligence®
• Elements of the eg principles of operational management®.

One of the key benefits of the new online learning management system will be the provision of consistent training following initial implementations, for both eg’s software and operational management methodology. This will support new team members who are undertaking training for the first time or act as a refresher to existing users.

Within new implementations, the training provided through the system will be supported by on-site consultancy to ensure that the learning is put into full context. Management Information will be available to both eg and clients, providing details of who has completed the training along with test results highlighting any areas of concern.

Tim Becker, Client Engagement Manager, said: “There is a strong demand for a solution which can enable Managers and Team Leaders to take a more proactive approach to training. Many of our clients said they would like a straightforward, immediate way to refresh their understanding of eg’s operational management software and principles, train new users and improve the consistency of skills within teams.”

If you would like any further information about online learning, email ask@eguk.co.uk or sign up to our mailing list to receive regular updates about this and other eg news and events (see the sign up form at the bottom of the page).

eg solutions plc [eg], the global operations software company, recently launched a new module of its proprietary eg operational intelligence® software suite. eg activity manager™ complements eg’s existing software by helping users measure non-core areas and understand actual activity and time spent on tasks at a more granular level.

eg activity manager™ is a dynamic web-based measurement tool designed to enable businesses to record the actual time individuals and teams spend on work related and other activities. It can be used to determine the time spent on tasks, sets of tasks or end-to-end processes and also the time spent on ‘indirect’ activities such as meetings and training.

Elizabeth Gooch, CEO of eg, said: “Whereas other modules of our software suite are aimed more at core processing areas of customer services operations, eg activity manager™ has been developed specifically for non-core areas. This means that teams such as Human Resources and Finance, traditionally seen as undertaking the type of tasks which are difficult to quantify, can now also be measured on their operational efficiency.

“The current economic climate has seen organisations across every industry look at cutting costs – in eg’s experience their objective is one of two options: either doing the same volume of work with less staff or doing more with the numbers they have got. If you don’t measure and monitor what your people are doing, your ability to make these important decisions and manage your teams is limited. Importantly, there is a higher salary cost associated with people in non-core teams, therefore the value of implementing eg activity manager™ can be even greater than implementing other modules of the eg operational intelligence® software suite in core processing areas.”

eg’s software has been developed and refined over the last 18 years and forms a comprehensive work, resource and performance reporting tool. It enables clients to gather information about the key factors affecting performance, thereby enabling them to make appropriate decisions and take action to improve efficiency and reduce costs in weeks – guaranteed.

eg’s clients can also use the newly developed eg activity manager™ in the following additional ways:

• Any form of work measurement activity where accurate ‘real time’ operational metrics are needed
• Obtaining the core data for Six Sigma programmes and BPR analysis
• Developing measures where the actual time spent is key (e.g. telephone servicing areas where time is spent talking to customers, or the rate at which back office process are completed needs to be monitored)
• Business functions where time spent on particular activities or customers needs to be accurately recorded for costing or charging purposes.

To arrange a demo or for further information, please contact Catherine Staite, Communications Manager, on +44 (0) 1785 715772 or email catherinestaite@eguk.co.uk.

Gold Certified Partners are the highest level of certification recognised by Microsoft. In order to be recognised as a Gold Partner, eg was required to demonstrate its proficiency in a number of relevant Microsoft competencies. Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.

eg achieved capabilities in three competencies: Business Intelligence, ISV/Software Solutions and Custom Development Solutions.

Phil Jones, Chief Technology Officer of eg, said: “Retaining our Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program shows our clients that we are committed to delivering the highest quality of operations management software products and services. It is also a reflection of the dedication of our Software Development teams who ensure we meet and exceed the requirements of each competency.”

As a Gold Certified Partner eg will receive a valuable set of benefits, including training and technical support, which will help eg to continue to provide products and services which satisfy the needs of its clients.