Background
In today's world, operational change frequently requires advanced technological tools. At HTM, we provide both the experience and the vision to comfortably implement change in operations and technology.
We fit seasoned professionals to corporate goals and build the necessary bridges between the business and technical worlds. We help companies make the transition from strategy to operations-from problem definition to solutions and results.
Our major areas of focus are -
- Enterprise Content Management / Business Process Management
- Change Management and Operational Reorganization
- Operational Design Implementation
- Technology Design and Development
There is significant interrelation between these topics, and the investigation of issues in one area frequently leads to discoveries in another.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL REORGANIZATION
HTM specializes in change management for -- Technology selection and resulting operational change
- Corporate or departmental integration after a corporate merger or acquisition
- Global expansion and outsourcing
- New market entry
- Change of cultural focus or paradigm, ie Non-profit to for profit/productivity based model
At HTM, our fundamental concern is with corporate transition. Change is challenging by definition, and it's impact on personnel and corporate effectiveness can be "make or break" for competitive longevity.
While change is a given, this knowledge doesn't necessarily make people better prepared. It's only half the battle for management to understand what the future holds-the challenge is in communicating change without freezing productivity and exacerbating the rumor mill. This holds true for any merger, downsizing, reorganization, or cultural shift required.
Several years ago, a major candy bar company successfully changed it's product line from those huge candy bars to a product that was 30% smaller without a price reduction or losing market share. How did they do that? More recently, moveable cubicles replaced stationary drywall to become the accepted personal working space. How did that happen? Both of these are examples of marketing and operational changes that are now so accepted as to be transparent. But these changes were not foregone successes. Facilitating change and managing uncertainty is what HTM is all about.
OPERATIONAL DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION
HTM has extensive background in converting corporate strategic plans into operational reality. We focus on-- Implementing the organizational change and/or the technical change-and implementing with measurable results
- Providing interim management teams to effect change
- Providing direction that is sensitive to the ripple effect in technology implementation, direction that ensures that everyone is on board
- Adapting methodologies to the requirements of different departments and cultures
Here's a common scenario: the system works perfectly-and everybody hates it! Or worse yet, nobody uses it. At HTM we know that the effectiveness of technology is not measured in nanoseconds. We aim for a solution that works so well that people don't remember what it was like before they had it. We work to ensure corporate integration, and we maximize the effectiveness of the new tools in support of the corporate goals.
Technology design and redesign, along with cycling of distributed and centralized decisions and processes, are guarantees that affect the successful matching of available technology with corporate evolution. This can mean developing and using multiple, continually evolving strategies-education, incentive plans, structured peer pressure and power realignment. HTM experts become, in essence, the survival guides for corporate invention.
TECHNOLOGY DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
HTM provides significant value-add in design and development for -- Enterprise management systems
- Package selection and applicability
- Technology conversion
When people understand corporate operations and also understand the tools of technology, the result is a rare ease of conversation between the boardroom and the computer room. One of our primary strengths is our ability to function with equal empathy in both environments. We have designed, developed and implemented systems internationally on platforms requiring knowledge of mainframe, mid-range, server and communications options. And we have extensive business management expertise that allows us to speak with authority and understanding-clearly and candidly-to senior management.
HOW WE WORK
Internal change can be very hard-people are threatened. Success is often in the methodology. HTM achieves tangible end results, using proven methods to deliver successful projects-- We work alongside our clients to turn upstream advice into downstream results
- We strive to build honest, informal and productive relationships at all levels of contact within the organization
- We work to success criteria that are defined at the start of an engagement
- We often establish an initial pilot project that is limited in scope, and allows us to prove our approach and our working relationship, thus minimizing risk to the client
When a firm invests in our services, it does not contract for a specified number of hours worked; our clients get the best we have to give to the success of their project. In other words, we charge for performance, not time. As an indication of the success of these methods, most of our work has been done on referral.
While the length of HTM projects has varied from 30 days to 2 years, HTM strives for some visible measure of success within 30 to 90 days. We don't produce documents as an end result-we produce increased profit, cost reduction, or efficiency that makes money for the client.
CLIENT PROFILE
HTM's clients include major corporations such as Blue Cross of California, Wells Fargo Bank and MCA/Universal. But they also include smaller organizations like Women In Film, a non-profit turnaround. The most traumatic transition from business adolescence to business maturity generally takes place within smaller companies, who can benefit from consulting experience most visibly. Therefore, corporate size is not the major determining factor in our client selection.
We search out corporate environments where we can successfully realize the goals of effecting operational change and process implementation. We value highly entrepreneurial environments-business climates that breed energy, ideas and personal rewards. It's our belief that the more receptive and adaptable an organization, the more it will manage change instead of be managed by it. In our experience, this is the environment where change can take hold most effectively.