Integrate the improvement of your information system into your digital strategy

Understanding the job of information systems consultant

Definition and main tasks

An information systems consultant is a professional who helps companies choose and integrate new technologies into their day-to-day operations. Its mission is to advise on the best SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions to adopt to improve mobility, communication and process automation. This type of consultant plays a crucial role in analyzing the company’s needs, selecting the right tools, and training teams in the new working methods.

The importance of keeping up to date with new technologies

In a world where technologies are evolving at breakneck speed, it’s essential for information systems consultants to stay up to date. This enables them to offer innovative, high-performance solutions tailored to today’s business challenges. Technology watch, which involves monitoring technological developments, new practices and emerging trends, is a crucial activity for these professionals. It enables them not only to understand and anticipate market trends, but also to identify innovation opportunities for their customers.

Outsourcing this monitoring can be particularly beneficial. In fact, by calling on external experts specialized in monitoring technological trends, companies benefit from fresh eyes and broader expertise. Because of their external position, these experts have an overview and can compare practices in different sectors and companies, enabling cross-pollination of ideas and strategies. This cross-fertilization is invaluable, as it enables us to come up with innovative and appropriate solutions, often inspired by success stories observed in other contexts or industries.

What’s more, outsourced monitoring ensures the objectivity and freshness of our recommendations. Internal consultants can sometimes be too involved in operational details or restricted by corporate culture, while external experts bring a global, neutral perspective. They are often best placed to challenge the status quo and encourage the adoption of new technologies or methodologies.

In short, thanks to their technology watch and outsourced position, information systems consultants can continually enrich their offering, propose cutting-edge solutions and thus help the companies they support to transform and maintain a competitive edge in a constantly changing environment.

The benefits of adopting new information systems tools

Enhanced mobility and performance

The adoption of new information system tools enables companies to gain in mobility and performance. By using SaaS solutions, employees can access the data and applications they need, wherever they are, promoting greater responsiveness and operational flexibility. It is important to note, however, that the productivity gains resulting from the adoption of these tools vary considerably depending on the company’s departments. According to EXOCORP’s observations, the average productivity gain is 42% for the sales and production departments. This significant increase testifies to the effectiveness of these tools in facilitating exchanges, managing customer relations and optimizing production processes. For the accounting department, the impact is even more striking, with an observed productivity gain of 71%. This is due to the very nature of accounting tasks, which benefit greatly from automated calculations, electronic document management and financial data integration, making processes faster, more accurate and less error-prone.

Improved automation and communication

The automation of processes thanks to new information systems reduces repetitive tasks and enables better allocation of human resources. For example, administrative tasks such as data entry, scheduling appointments or tracking deliveries can be automated to increase efficiency and reduce errors. What’s more, these systems facilitate internal and external communication, making exchanges smoother and faster. For external communication, automation can take the form of customer relationship management (CRM) systems that automatically send appointment reminders, order confirmations or personalized newsletters to customers. Similarly, chatbots can be used to provide 24/7 customer support, answering frequently asked questions and guiding customers through standard procedures without immediate human intervention. These examples illustrate how automation can significantly improve interactions with customers and partners, boosting a company’s responsiveness and brand image.

Information systems urbanization

The urbanization of information systems via SaaS services represents a key strategy for companies seeking to optimize and modernize their technological infrastructure. This approach involves structuring and rationalizing the information system by integrating software-as-a-service solutions, which are hosted and maintained remotely. Opting for SaaS services brings unprecedented flexibility to businesses: firstly, it allows them to adjust their usage and investment according to their real needs and growth, avoiding the high up-front costs and long-term commitment associated with buying and maintaining software in-house. What’s more, by subscribing to modular services, companies can test, adopt or withdraw specific applications as their requirements evolve, limiting the risk of committing to unsuitable tools.

What’s more, urbanization via SaaS enables continuous, automatic updating of solutions, ensuring that the company always has the latest functionality and security, without the hassle of managing these updates in-house. This operational flexibility and ability to adapt quickly to new market trends and requirements is crucial in a fast-changing economic environment, enabling companies to remain competitive and responsive in the face of challenges and opportunities. In short, the urbanization of information systems via SaaS services offers companies a flexible and secure way of navigating today’s complex and constantly evolving technological landscape.

Company services that can be modernized

BACKOFFICE

• Electronic document management (EDM)
• Collaborative documents
• Mobility
• IP telephony linked to CRM
• Internal communication (chat + internal websites + dynamic screens)
• On-site data collection
• Automatic appointment scheduling
• Geolocation

MARKETING

• Website and E-Commerce
• E-Reputation
• Social Selling
• Marketing Automation
• Growth Hacking
• Personalized emailing and newsletters
• Strategic and competitive intelligence
• Automated report editing
• Survey
• Newsletter / SMS campaign

SALES

• Acquisition device
• Action tracking (CRM)
• Shared Tasks and Agendas
• Contacts management and monitoring
• Improving customer relations
• Loyalty scheme
• Automatic personalized e-mails
• Tracking sales media
• Business and project management

MANAGEMENT

• Billing / Accounting
• Bank reconciliation
• Management (ERP)
• Inventory management
• Cash flow management
• Budget
• Monitoring / Dashboards
• Scanning with automatic transcription
• Payment / Collection

The impact of information systems modernization on the company

How it transforms sales operations

The modernization of information systems is transforming business operations, making companies more agile, more competitive and better prepared to meet market demands. This includes better data management, faster, more informed decision-making, and greater capacity for innovation. A crucial aspect of this modernization may be the implementation of a new-generation CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. Unlike traditional customer relationship management methods, often based on Excel spreadsheets or manual solutions, a modern CRM offers advanced centralization and automation of customer data.

The main advantage of CRM over Excel spreadsheets lies in its ability to provide a unified, real-time view of the customer journey. This enables companies to accurately track customer interactions, purchase histories, preferences and feedback, facilitating a personalized, proactive approach to sales and after-sales service. What’s more, modern CRMs often incorporate advanced analytics capabilities, offering valuable insights that help refine marketing strategies, optimize sales processes, and improve customer satisfaction.

What’s more, a CRM enables improved collaboration between different departments in the company, from marketing to sales to customer support, with everyone having access to the information they need to do their jobs more efficiently and consistently. This eliminates information silos and reduces the errors and redundancies often associated with manual data management.

Implementing a CRM is therefore a significant step towards digitizing business processes, leading to better responsiveness, increased efficiency and in-depth knowledge of the market and customers. For a more in-depth look at this subject, we suggest you read our other article on the benefits of integrating the implementation or modernization of a CRM into a company’s overall digital strategy, offering a complete perspective on optimizing customer relationship management in the digital age.

Challenges and how to overcome them

Challenges, particularly in terms of data security, change management and ongoing employee training. To overcome them, EXOCORP implements a series of proven strategies. Firstly, in terms of data security, EXOCORP uses advanced security protocols and state-of-the-art encryption solutions to protect sensitive information. In addition, regular audits are carried out to ensure that all security measures are up to date and effective.

When it comes to change management, EXOCORP adopts a holistic approach that includes transparent, ongoing communication with all stakeholders. This means preparing the ground upstream, by raising awareness and actively involving employees in the transformation process. Brainstorming sessions, workshops and training courses are organized to facilitate adaptation to change and minimize resistance.

For ongoing employee training, EXOCORP develops customized training programs that are both flexible and relevant to the specific needs of the company and its staff. This includes access to online courses, practical workshops, and ongoing support from information systems experts. What’s more, EXOCORP fosters a culture of continuous learning by integrating regular feedback and encouraging innovation and curiosity within its teams.

By integrating these strategies, EXOCORP helps companies successfully navigate the challenges of modernization, ensuring not only a smooth technological transition but also that teams are ready and able to make the most of the new solutions they implement.

Why outsource your IT modernization project?

The advantages of using an external consultant

Outsourcing the IT modernization project offers several advantages, such as access to specialized expertise and skills, an outside perspective that may reveal unsuspected opportunities or problems, and increased flexibility to adapt to changing business needs. EXOCORP consultants stand out in this field thanks to their close collaboration with the other experts in the collective. This interdisciplinary synergy ensures that the modernization project is better integrated into the company’s overall strategy, taking into account all aspects, whether technological, commercial or organizational.

At EXOCORP, each consultant brings specific expertise to the table, but it’s the combination of this knowledge that creates unique added value. Working together, they provide a 360° view of projects, ensuring that all decisions taken not only serve immediate objectives, but also align with the company’s long-term goals. This holistic approach avoids isolated solutions and ensures greater coherence and efficiency for the modernized information system.

What’s more, EXOCORP’s consultants make it a point of honor to give concrete demonstrations of the solutions they propose. These demonstrations not only visualize the potential of new technologies, but also reassure and engage stakeholders by showing tangible results. This working method promotes better understanding and acceptance of the proposed changes.

What’s more, the collective can solicit testimonials from customers who have benefited from the innovative tools we’ve put in place, offering interested companies concrete cases of success and transformation. These testimonials are invaluable because they provide concrete proof of the effectiveness and added value of EXOCORP’s solutions, building confidence and encouraging wider adoption of the collective’s proposals.

In short, choosing EXOCORP’s consultants to outsource information systems modernization means opting for collective expertise, careful strategic integration and tangible demonstration of benefits, thus ensuring the success and longevity of the project.

When to consider outsourcing

Outsourcing is beneficial for both small and large projects, offering flexibility and expertise tailored to each specific need. Whether for major initiatives or minor adjustments, calling on outside expertise ensures efficient, professional implementation. Indeed, investment in outsourcing often pays for itself within the first year, thanks to performance improvements, process optimization and accelerated innovation. It generally costs more for a company not to be supported in this area, as mistakes, delays or inappropriate technological choices can lead to much higher costs in the long term.

Outsourcing also enables the company to focus on its core business, while benefiting from the latest technological innovations and industry best practices. This is particularly true when specialized skills are required, or when in-house resources are limited or already mobilized on other critical projects. By calling in external experts, companies can ensure that their information systems modernization project is carried out with the necessary rigor and expertise, while keeping their teams focused on their core activities.

So, whether the project is large or small, outsourcing is a strategic solution for maximizing efficiency, minimizing risk, and guaranteeing a technological upgrade aligned with the company’s objectives and capabilities.

Integrating information system modernization into digital strategy

Planning and implementation

To successfully integrate IT modernization, it’s essential to carefully plan each stage and ensure that it aligns with the company’s overall digital strategy. EXOCORP provides a comprehensive support service, encompassing not only the assessment of current and future needs and the selection of appropriate technologies, but also annual support for employees. This annual assistance guarantees ongoing monitoring and regular adjustment of the solutions implemented, ensuring constant adaptation and improvement in line with the company’s evolving needs.

This comprehensive plan also includes the implementation of a robust training and support program for employees, ensuring a thorough understanding and effective use of the new integrated technologies. The aim is to enable employees not only to adapt to the new tools, but also to master them, so as to exploit their full potential and actively contribute to the company’s modernization objective. In short, with EXOCORP, companies benefit from a lasting partnership and comprehensive support, essential for a successful technological transition and enhanced performance.

Integration success stories

Many companies have succeeded in transforming their operations and improving their competitiveness by modernizing their information systems. These success stories are often characterized by a well-planned, holistic approach that takes into account both the technical and human aspects of the transformation. For a concrete view of these successful transformations, we recommend you take a look at EXOCORP’s achievements. You’ll find detailed examples of successful integration, illustrating improvements in performance and productivity.

And don’t miss our article on the conferences, workshops and seminars organized by the collective. In particular, we organize a conference entitled “They transformed themselves”, which presents concrete customer cases with the results achieved. These testimonials and case studies offer valuable insights and can serve as a source of inspiration for your own modernization project. They demonstrate the positive impact of well-executed modernization and EXOCORP’s expertise in supporting these changes.

Conclusion

EXOCORP’s consultants, with their in-depth expertise in information systems, are key players in driving business modernization. By astutely selecting cutting-edge technological solutions, optimizing processes through automation, and ensuring adequate team training, they position companies at the forefront of competitiveness in a dynamic business environment. The expertise of EXOCORP’s consultants, available through outsourcing, represents undeniable added value: it injects innovative vision and specialized skills directly into the heart of your modernization strategy. For a transformation that aligns ambition and technological reality, we invite you to contact us and discover how EXOCORP’s consultants can lead your company towards a more efficient and adaptable future.