Blogs

Congressman Donald Rumsfeld said, “There are also unknown unknowns … the ones we don’t know we don’t know … it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.”

Rumsfeld is right. You don’t know what you don’t know, and it's impossible to know everything. Being mindful and prepared for potential unknowns, however, will help you avoid making poor business decisions down the road. This strategy is about being aware of and managing unknown factors as well as implementing plans to reduce potential risks – versus fearing the unknown.

You might be asking, “Why should I pay for a business process review? Aren’t they just trying to sell me something?”

Unfortunately, the answer is “maybe.” If the business consultant doesn’t share everything they learn and offer advice based on the business process review then yes, they were just selling it to you. If, however, the consultant uses the business process review as a springboard to learning about your business and go through the learning process with you, you should expect to pay for the knowledge and results gained.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2014 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

If your business is growing and you’ve been looking into a new business management software system, you’ve run across enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Now that they’re widely available for businesses of all sizes, they’re something you should strongly consider.

Every organization operates differently, and not all systems provide the same features and benefits. However, you don't need to recreate the wheel. Taking a moment to understand current business requirements and future goals will allow you to prioritize your “wish list” and create a detailed roadmap that leads to implementation success.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

Did you know that, statistically, over 60% of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations fail? That's a lot of failures.

How would you define your organization's processes and procedures? Do they allow you to do your job efficiently and effectively? Or do you find yourself creating “workarounds” to complete daily tasks?

Often, an issue is a symptom of a larger underlying problem. Taking the time to understand business processes and requirements will allow you to create and implement the appropriate solution, saving you time and money in the long run. At Asyma Solutions, we work with customers and complete a rigorous process review that involves examining current system processes and procedures to create positive change, rectifying issues facing today's businesses. 

Business consultants are expensive. Many firms will charge you time and materials – an hourly rate anywhere from $125 to $250 per hour, plus travel, plus lodging, plus, plus, plus. So, what should you hire a business consultant?

Studies have repeatedly shown that businesses that create an engaged workforce are more profitable, resilient, and able to cultivate growth. It is, therefore, surprising that so many organizations fail to provide the conditions necessary to promote growth through employee engagement. If your company is not exceeding your expectations, here's how employee engagement drives new business leads.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.

HVAC companies face the unique challenge of managing construction projects while also juggling a service organization. While overwhelming at times, especially in an industry where the margin of error is slim to none, there are several things that HVAC companies can do to prepare to organize and deal with requests for information (RFIs).

If your business is anything like most businesses, a potentially inexhaustible source of workplace ideas and innovation lies untapped right under your nose. That innovation source is your employees. However, if your business is, again, anything like most businesses, a lack of employee engagement is most likely preventing you from leveraging that source.