The premise of this short blog is to explore the common myth that the client (internal or external) is always right. The client’s understanding and perspective of a problem to be resolved doesn’t mean that they have the right answer. This can be especially true when it comes to reporting.
Can’t see the wood for the trees: Often the client’s perspective is clouded by their embroiled position within the challenge (a classic “can’t see the wood for the trees” issue). Similarly, the client team may be small and/or inexperienced and they are therefore not able to draw on previous/wider experience to find a solution.
Too often the client will misguidedly try to describe what the solution is – rather than describe their problem and work with the provider to satisfy that need. Managing a discovery processes and drawing out needs, and requirements is a skill in itself, often overlooked.
Key person risk plays its part here too (covered in a separate blog – read here) when the system or process is internally created.
However, with a vendor system, knowledge of the system and its capabilities sits firmly with the provider and so it’s us who is best placed to know how to deliver the solution to the challenge/s or new requirement. It is therefore crucial that the requirement and as importantly the reasons leading to it are clearly explained.
Resolving the right problem: From the provider’s perspective it can be very easy, and sometimes tempting, to simply say “yes” to each and every requirement from a client, however, that simple “yes” can have far reaching and costly consequences if the change request and what has led to it is not clearly explained.
The client’s client: Having a disciplined and principled approach to reporting and a flexible reporting solution allows you to provide outstanding service to your clients and accommodate any new and additional requirements without having to resort to one off manual processes and activities, but by configuring the system to automatically provide the additional information or display and deliver the information in the required manner.
Reporting as a Service fully automates the end to end reporting process, and future proofs your reporting due to its flexibility and inherent scale. With 100% of our clients’ requirements being satisfied by Reporting as a Service.