Is ERP system selection on the horizon? Having now been helping clients specify and select new business systems for over 26 years, we have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly approaches to what can be a daunting task.  Regardless of market sector, business size, available budget or urgency of timescales, we believe there is a tried and tested process to successfully specify, select and implement business systems. So here are the top four mistakes we’ve encountered when it comes to ERP system selection, and, more importantly, how to avoid them.   Number 1 – Lack of Buy In We get ..read more

‘The art of the possible’ We hear and use this phrase a fair bit when we first meet with our clients. Most are seeking to transform their business in some way and our role is to help them achieve some or all of that through reviewing their existing and/or selecting new business systems. Whilst we don’t write the code or even implement solutions, we do offer the best independent advice based on our extensive business transformation experience going right back to 1997. It’s often the case in our introductory call or first meeting with a potential client; when asked what they are hoping to gain f ..read more

We are pleased to announce that our Senior Consultant Paul has passed his Change Management qualification! To hold this accreditation, Paul has had to understand ‘real world’ change processes and offer insights and ideas to help prove options to facilitate change. In the world of our clients, this means that we are even more skilled in looking at how to help your teams address their fears and resistance to change by providing support and different approaches that suit your team. We are excited to see what comes next for Paul. Congratulations from all of us at Gradient! To learn more about this ..read more

Change management can feel like an overwhelming subject, especially if you’re looking at starting a journey to embrace change in your business. We understand this, and this month, we look at three key points to ensure any change is a success. These three points may sound simple, but sometimes the simple things give the biggest results.   Point 1 – What is the change going to be? This sounds obvious. You’re probably wondering why we are starting with something that really does sound like everyone should know it! Well… Regardless of whether you’re a multinational with hundreds of employees ..read more

We talk a lot about people, processes and systems. After all, it’s at the heart of what we do. However, we think one of the three is much more important than the other two. That is people. Without your team’s buy-in, any business transformation project will likely hit roadblocks, which none of us want. But there is so much more to it than this. In this blog, we’re going to look at how we ensure that your team and ours work seamlessly to give you the best outcomes.   Why your people are key Your staff, team or whatever you prefer to call them within your business, are the most important pa ..read more

All washed up on the face of it is a strange title for a blog, but stick with it! The analogy of doing your laundry may seem tenuous, but actually, it’s just one of many choices we’re faced with in our modern lives. This month, Paul Ridsdale-Smith looks at how too much choice is not always an easy thing to navigate.   How do you react to an excess of choice? Are you blinded into inaction? When there are seemingly too many options, how do you move forward? Choose one and hope for the best? Leave your selection to fate, to destiny, or in the lap of the gods? I am not known for my proficienc ..read more

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that our ERP MOT service has changed to be our Business Systems Health Check. Whilst we completed this process a couple of months ago, we thought it was about time to explain why we switched things up.      We don’t just know ERP! It may not be obvious, as one of the main services to our clients is “system selection” and most people presume we’re talking about an ERP system, but we’re not just about ERP; far from it! We have supported our clients with reviewing and selecting other business systems too. We are currently work ..read more

We are pleased to announce that we have rebranded our Business Systems MOT to be a Business Systems Health Check. We hear from many of our prospects and clients that whilst they know there are issues with their current business systems and processes, they are unclear about the next steps. Do they set about trying to fix what they have, start a Phase 2 or consider selecting something new? Our Health Check is designed to resolve that dilemma – within a couple of weeks, we can report back with our observations and recommendations.  Our involvement may end there, or you might wish to retain u ..read more

Times are tough at the moment. If you’re like many businesses currently, capital is tight, your people are stretched, and there just aren’t enough hours in the day. With this in mind, this month, our senior consultant Paul Ridsdale-Smith takes a look at how minimising waste isn’t just about being lean! Let’s start by saying whilst the above aren’t explicitly Lean Wastes, you certainly can’t afford to squander them even slightly, but neither can your business afford to stand still.  So how do you decide where to focus the resources you have? Start by answering these questions:  What ..read more

We are proud to announce that our very own Pete Doyle has been featured in Lancashire Business View. Lancashire Business View is a magazine based in Blackburn and aims to bring together the business community of the county. We also had the opportunity to attend the launch event and met the cover star Ram Gupta from Nybble To read more about what Pete had to say about getting the best from your business systems, turn to page 64 of issue 110! If you want to know more about how we can support you with getting the most from your business systems then please get in touch     ..read more