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About Jan Jasper
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"We had a terrific time with you here. It was excellent, very productive and incredibly valuable for my group!"
Kate Cassino, Global Web Director, The McGraw-Hill Companies
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Graphic Design and Corporate Identity Firm
Productivity Challenge This busy design studio had trouble tracking details of jobs. With multiple designers
on the same
account, clients' change requests were often not relayed to the correct person in a timely fashion. In addition, the difficulty
of finding files on the server sometimes forced employees to re-do work. In all the confusion, client work sometimes had to be
re-done and deadlines were missed.
Our Solution and Results We studied the studio's workflow, then designed a user-friendly but comprehensive job
ticket
along with checklists for pre-press and pre-billing. Job status can now be seen at a glance, and it's clear who is responsible
for what. Wasted staff time and missed deadlines have been dramatically reduced.
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Real Estate Training Academy
Productivity Challenge Presenting continuing education courses for real estate brokers involved a huge amount of
detail. The Academy's manager needed to keep her database up-to-date for mailings, handle registration and payments, verify
attendees' license numbers, issue certificates of completion, and file reports with the state. An inefficient legacy system had
been computerized, and the poorly-designed registration form caused data entry errors. The client was using Act! software, which
was the right software for the job but had not been properly customized. Due to all these glitches, each employee invented his
own system, which only added to the confusion.
Our Solution and Results We re-designed the registration form to reduce data-entry errors, added the needed
fields to
Act! software, and created checklists for course preparation. We also prepared a procedures manual to ensure consistent methods
were used by all staff. This saved many hours of wasted effort each month and made the seminars run much more smoothly.
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Publisher of Newspaper and Books
Productivity Challenge The staff was spending excessive time trouble-shooting customer orders and inquiries. We
uncovered
issues such as poorly-designed website order forms that allowed customers to place an order without providing all the needed
information. Help requests, whether on website or by telephone, went into a general box and were forwarded multiple times before
reaching the correct employee, and the resulting delays made customers even more unhappy.
Our Solution and Results We re-designed the web site's order and customer service pages. We also changed
the voice mail
system to ensure that customer inquiries went quickly to the correct department. Customer satisfaction increased, complaints were
greatly reduced, and employee morale improved.
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Dealer in Antique Gold and Gems
Productivity Challenge Keeping records in a business where no two inventory items are alike is a real challenge.
Many items come in mixed lots, no two pieces are alike, and every gem needs to be individually evaluated, priced, and cleaned
and/or repaired. Then the pieces go into inventory until they are sold or consigned. Each item had multiple forms to capture
all this information, as it moved from intake to repair to inventory to sale to payment. This system was both time-intensive
and error-prone.
Our Solution and Results
After analyzing the business's workflow, we designed one form that captures all the needed
information, replacing 6 forms with one comprehensive form that does it all. Our new system saved hours of employee time each
week, ensured that pieces were no longer "lost" in inventory, and ensured that sale prices reflected actual costs of acquiring
and repairing each piece.
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Food Importer and Supplier to Private Label Customers
Productivity Challenge
This company receives a customer's logo, creates a 'dummy' of the new packaging, and upon
receiving customer approval prints the logo on the packages, then fulfills the order. They needed a more systematic way to
track this complex order process. They also needed to organize prospect information so the sales staff could spend less time
hunting down phone numbers, and more time landing new customers. The company database was in Access - not the right choice as
it lacked email, CRM and task-management features.
Our Solution and Results
We researched and selected an integrated software package that would track prospecting, sales,
fulfillment, and also interface with accounting. Working with the programmer and web designer, we supervised the installation
and customization of the new software, as well as the data migration process. With this new streamlined information system, days
were shaved off the order fulfillment time, and the sales force's close rate improved significantly.
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Representation for Commercial Tenants
Productivity Challenge The company used numerous similar- looking documents as templates which it customized
for various clients. The documents were very lengthy and the office was fast-paced, so proof-reading was sometimes done
too hastily. On two occasions, employees sent a client the wrong document, inadvertently exposing another client's confidential
information - causing the firm embarrassment, and a risk of legal action.
Our Solution and Results After doing a work flow analysis, we established new document management procedures
which included
protocols for naming, saving, and managing files. We also made format changes to documents so templates can be easily distinguished
from each other. This cured the problem of the wrong documents being sent, and greatly reduced stress for the company president
and employees alike.
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Financial Planner
Productivity Challenge
This planner did not have time for business development and was barely able to keep up with her
existing client work. Client data was stored in the computer in a random fashion. She had no system for following up with prospects
and clients, so opportunities fell through the cracks. Her over-reliance on paper made things take longer than they should.
Our Solution and Results We trained her to use Outlook to systematically capture client details such as age, zip code, and
number of children. Being able to quickly search and sort helps her more efficiently serve her clients. We suggested she stop the
time-consuming practice of photocopying and postal-mailing articles of interest to clients and prospects, and begin sending them
electronically instead. These changes freed up about three hours a week - time she can finally devote to business development
activities.
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Public Relations Firm
Productivity Challenge
The firm's principal wanted all his information at his fingertips so he could be productive
despite constant travel. He needed detailed contact information for clients and prospects, as well as his calendar and task
list, to fully sync from Microsoft Outlook to his smartphone - yet his bundled sync software only allowed a mere 15 categories
and it truncated his notes. Setting up meetings while on the road was difficult if he couldn't remember what trade show he met
a prospect at or what they discussed, and the details he needed were back at the office.
Our Solution and Results
We analyzed the client's needs, then researched, selected and installed a more robust handheld
syncing program to accommodate the dozens of Outlook categories the client needed. With all his information now portable, he
can easily communicate and schedule meetings with prospects and clients, wherever he is in the world.
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Law Firm #1
Productivity Challenge
A senior partner was chronically late submitting his timesheets, which caused delays in billing
the firm's clients. Our inquiry revealed that this computer-savvy attorney was disciplined about tasks that involved the computer,
but he often misplaced his paper timesheets. In addition, his illegible handwriting forced the billing clerk to come back to him
with questions, introducing further delays in billing.
Our Solution and Results
We designed a new timesheet in Excel, which the attorney leaves open on his computer all day so he
cannot misplace it. The new digital timesheet also obviates his handwriting problem, so the billing clerk no longer needs to come
back to him for clarification. This new timesheet has saved so much time that it's been adapted firm-wide, and the firm's cash
flow has been dramatically improved as a result.
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Law Firm #2
Productivity Challenge
The firm's failure to bill clients for appropriate expenses was costing the firm revenue. Their
system required recording expenses twice - first in the client files, then again into TimesSlips software. The firm had tried
assigning these tasks to various employees, but it was so time-consuming that often expenses were simply not captured. These
expenses were being absorbed, rather than passing them along to clients for reimbursement.
Our Solution and Results
After analyzing available staff time and office workflow, we found a simple solution - move an
underused computer into the mailroom to facilitate one-step entry of messenger, fax, and copy charges. With the time required
to track and enter client expenses cut in half, the firm's reimbursement rate dramatically improved, plugging a significant
revenue leak.
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Law Firm #3
Productivity Challenge
An attorney had trouble focusing, she was spending too much time trying to decide what to do next
and wasting time looking for papers. She used Microsoft Outlook, but because Outlook's calendar views did not suit her, she
also used a paper calendar and the traditional Lawyers Diary. Having her schedule in 3 different places made it difficult to
prioritize and plan her day. It also posed a risk of scheduling two appointments at the same time. In addition, her desk was
disorganized because she had a great many open matters and no systematic way for organizing these files.
Our Solution and Results
We created a custom view for the Outlook calendar to suit her needs. This enabled her to drop
the Lawyer's Diary and the paper calendar. With one calendar, she can now see everything at a glance and can prioritize more
easily. We also created a system to organize papers for active matters. As a result she is more focused, spends less time
looking for notes and more time getting the work done, and has reduced stress.
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