How the Flexibility of Our Business Process Automation Software Allows Our Customers to Grow

Rarely do we walk on a lot and take the base model to go. It may be the quickest and simplest way, but it also may be inadequate for our needs or simply leave us disappointed in the long run.

Business process automation software isn’t much different. Flexibility and configurability are crucial to deliver on unique business process needs.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what it means to benefit from software customizations and business rules that are built specifically to serve the needs of a business.

Why It’s Important to Offer Flexible Solutions

Every multi-unit operator understands a few key challenges that come with running a complex operation. Those manifest into questions like:

• How do you run operations more efficiently and profitably?
• How do you get data out of the disparate systems?
• How do you present it in a meaningful way across all departments and job functions?

That’s what I questioned when I worked on the franchise side. As I ran over 70 stores across three different brands, the sheer volume of data was daunting – much less trying to extract it out of several systems. I knew there needed to be a better way – one that wasn’t painstakingly manual and living in disparate systems – not only to access my data but gain insights from it.

The major hurdle I encountered when I looked at the market was that I couldn’t find a solution that wouldn’t force me to make do with something that didn’t precisely fit my needs. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and work with a developer to create the solution. The result was oneVIEW, a robust data aggregation and reporting tool that allowed me to have access to real-time data for all my stores.

With this solution in hand, I was now able to make both strategic and tactical decisions in a way I never could before. And after receiving an overwhelming response from my peers, I founded OneDataSource.

That story is shared in part for context, but also to show why it’s important to not be forced into an out-of-the-box solution that doesn’t fit your needs. In that scenario, you’ve invested money and time into something that won’t adapt with you. You’ve changed your business processes to fit the software only to find out that’s bad for your business.

That’s why it’s important to find a flexible solution, one that’s configured to meet your requirements of today and flex with you as you grow and scale.

Getting the right insights when you need them is paramount to making quick, strategic business decisions. But it’s also important to have flexibility in how you access, view, and report on data.

Combining Flexible Tech with Consultative Expertise

Flexible technology isn’t the only important factor, though.

As companies grow, new and different needs arise. So, when you invest in flexible technology, you want to know that the software provider is invested in growth as well. They should act as a partner, providing their consultative expertise while being open and accepting of feedback. Once implemented, the flexible software should be just that with access to the team to make changes driven by customer needs.

Listening and acting on customer needs is also part of innovation and evolution. Coming from the world of quick-service restaurants gave me the insight needed to develop and grow oneVIEW. But listening to customer needs was what inspired the launch of onePAY, an intelligent accounts payable solution.

How Our Customers Have Benefitted from This Approach

When companies take steps towards business process automation with the right software partner, the results can be profound. Whether you’re operating a handful of stores or hundreds, the benefits are clear. Take our following two customers, for example.

When you’re operating 780 stores across multiple brands with revenues at $1 billion, introducing flexible business process automation software can deliver operational efficiencies that lead to significant bottom-line improvements.  That’s what MUY! Companies found when they partnered with OneDataSource to implement oneVIEW.

For MUY! Companies, the ability to aggregate all the different brands into one view gave them the flexibility to dissect data in the ways they need to. “We look at metrics in somewhat different ways based on that brand,” shared James Bodenstedt, President & CEO, MUY! Companies. “What OneDataSource has done for us with oneVIEW is take that data and dissect it in a way that gives us back better information to make decisions.”

Now, employees at all levels have the information they need to make strategic business decisions. For MUY! Companies, that means district managers sharing insights on store performance with restaurant managers, looking at day before results to make decisions on plans going forward.

Plus, they gain flexibility, especially helpful when owning multiple brands because needs and requirements can be different. James shared, “I’ve always appreciated the way OneDataSource listened to us and tried to exceed our needs…amending things based on our requests or requirements.”

Here’s another example, but this time you’ll see how even those with smaller store counts can be ideal candidates for partnering with an experienced, consultative software provider.

For many, working with a lean administrative staff that manages everything from payroll and HR to accounts receivable and payables is par for the course. But the weight of that can be great, especially when you want to grow.

Operating 20+ stores, Joey Anderson, Owner/Operator of WenGap, LLC, believes technology and growth go hand in hand. And with the help of OneDataSource and onePAY, they’ve felt the advantage of intelligent automation and consultation to help them grow and scale without the administrative burden.

“We’re really excited because with OneDataSource, some of the internal reporting the reconciliations can be done faster and automated,” shared Joey. “We are all on board for using technology to get the information that we need quicker.”

Getting the right insights when you need them is paramount to making quick, strategic business decisions. But it’s also important to have flexibility in how you access, view, and report on data. “We export our data in a different format than other companies, but [OneDataSource] altered how they do things for our needs, which has been very beneficial.”

To be a true, consultative partner, software providers must be open and willing to listen to customers’ needs and act on that information. That’s at the core of how OneDataSource operates. “The value that we have found with OneDataSource is the product is great. What is even better is OneDataSource is immediate and very receptive to feedback for how to grow.”

FEATURED CONTENT

Accounts Payable Health Check

In this 20-question evaluation guide, you’ll examine the maturity of your accounts payable operation and explore ways to improve your back office – and business.

Wonder where your AP operation stacks up?