Unlocking client value quickly

In the tumultuous waters of today’s business world, rapid change and disruption have become the norm.

Unprecedented technology advancements and ever shifting consumer expectations mean that continuous evolution and fast, efficient value creation is more important than ever.

As consultants, we’re acutely aware of the need to make a difference quickly. We’re not brought in to help teams tick over, we’re brought in to drive meaningful change and deliver it yesterday.

This expectation is daunting and energising in equal measure, and it’s one of the main reasons why my peers and I are so passionate about what we do here at Voco.

Delivering high quality outputs and outcomes with urgency has become a priority in all sectors, but it’s arguably even more important in the public sector.

We do a lot of work with government clients on projects that directly affect the well-being of our country in areas like healthcare, education, and public safety. Delivering value quickly can significantly improve the quality of life of our communities, and make a difference to people’s everyday experience of living in New Zealand.

On government projects, public accountability and transparency are hugely important. Quick wins demonstrate responsiveness and build trust with stakeholders, showing that their needs are being prioritised and addressed efficiently. Rapid results that can be communicated to the public, showing that the government is actively working to improve services and solve problems, are worth their weight in gold.

So the nature of our work has driven us to develop tools and techniques that deliver value back to our clients as quickly as possible, and I’d like to share some of these with the NZ business community.

But before we get into our tools of the trade and the “how”, let’s consider the “why”…

Why unlocking value quickly is so important...

1.     Competitive advantage

In a fast-paced market, the ability to adapt and deliver change quickly provides a significant competitive advantage. Organisations that can transform efficiently are better positioned to respond to unexpected market changes, fend off disruption, capitalise on new opportunities, and outperform competitors.

2.    Customer satisfaction and loyalty

Rapid improvements in products, services, and customer experiences leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. In an era where customer expectations are continually rising, and continuous improvement of technology platforms and user interfaces is considered table-stakes, meeting these demands swiftly is crucial for retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.

3.    Employee engagement and retention

More and more of the work we do is in the Business Apps space where we look for opportunities to automate repeatable processes that allow our clients to operate more accurately and efficiently. One of the very welcome by-products of delivering a process efficiency app is that people no longer have to do mundane, repetitive tasks and get time back in their day to do more rewarding and productive work.

We also look to get the client’s team deeply involved in our projects. A well-managed transformation or product delivery process that involves employees and supports their development will typically lead to higher engagement and retention rates. When your people are involved in delivering outputs and outcomes that make a difference to the business, they will feel proud of their contribution and more deeply motivated.

4.    Financial performance

Quick value realisation typically translates into improved financial performance. By streamlining operations, reducing costs, improving processes, and enhancing products, companies will inevitably achieve better profitability and shareholder value.

5.    Sustainability and long-term growth

Unlocking value quickly ensures that companies are not just able to survive, but are set up to thrive in the long term. Sustainable growth is achieved through continuous innovation, efficient operations, and a proactive approach to market dynamics.

So that’s why we try to unlock value quickly. Here are some of the tools and techniques we use to actually deliver….

Discovery

Discovery is the one time where we slow down to speed up. We begin every engagement with a thorough analysis of the problems we’re trying to solve or opportunities we’re trying to realise. We look at customer or user audiences and interrogate their needs. We examine technology platforms and any constraints that we need to design around. We evaluate processes, systems, organisational structures, and market positioning. And where we can, we let the data do the talking. Leveraging analytics and industry benchmarks, to highlight key areas for improvement and potential value creation.

Roadmapping & rapid prototyping

Most projects we work on, whether it’s an enterprise-wide digital transformation, or a domain-specific Business App, can be delivered incrementally.

We work with our clients to create a long list of features and functionality that will address the audience needs and problems to solve (that we identified in Discovery), and then we help them prioritise this list so that we can focus our initial development efforts on the features that will add the most value in the shortest timeframe.

Developing rapid prototypes and minimum viable products allows you to learn by doing, build momentum, and get real user feedback early. It’s a mindset as much as a methodology and you have to get comfortable with the idea that the solution is not going to be fully formed and perfect on day one.

Agile ways of working

MVPs and roadmapping go hand in hand with agile ways of working. Delivering in sprints leads to quick wins, continuous feedback, lower risk and faster value creation - when you get it right (but that’s a whole other article!)

Change management and stakeholder engagement

Any change needs to be supported by transparent communication across all levels of the organisation, ensuring that everyone is informed, engaged, and aligned with the what we’re trying to achieve.

But it’s not just about communication, it’s about supporting the change with training and coaching, helping employees adapt to new processes and technologies, and fostering a culture that embraces and welcomes change.

Performance monitoring and continuous improvement

Establishing KPIs and regular monitoring ensures that we can track the impact of what we’ve delivered. We always like to use data to drive decision making where we can. It removes opinions from the equation, particularly when we’re trying to decide which features or functionality to build next.

The Role of AI, process automation, and Business Apps

Everyone is talking about AI at the moment and there’s no doubt that it has the potential to massively accelerate value creation in lots of different ways. But Apps that automate business processes can be just as powerful.

Business apps can provide you with real-time access to critical data and insights, enabling quicker decision-making and more agile responses to market changes.

When routine tasks that used to take up valuable time are automated it creates space for your team to focus on more strategic activities.

Automation also reduces the risk of human error, ensuring more accurate and reliable processes. This can be particularly beneficial in areas like finance and supply chain management, where precision is critical.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that the technology you use to enable business efficiencies and rapid value creation, is probably less important than the use cases you apply it to. There’s always more than one way to skin a cat!

We don’t just do, we teach

One of the things that I think sets us apart a consultancy partner is that we try to equip our clients with the tools and knowledge they need to tackle complex challenges independently.

We believe in fostering self-sufficiency and empowering our clients to become masters of simplification and fast value creation – to create a culture built around delivering outcomes. By doing this, we create a lasting impact that extends far beyond our consulting engagement.

In a world where speed and adaptability are everything, we love nothing more than coming into a business, simplifying the complex and unlocking value at lightning speed. But when we have a deeper, more cultural impact on our clients’ mindset towards delivery so that they can achieve sustained success – that’s truly rewarding.