There’s a vast echoing gap between the mindset of accounting and project management in most businesses. It has a lot to do with time: The PMO works with a today-and-tomorrow mindset – getting the project done, on time, to specs. … Read More
Improve Profitability
How Accurate is Your Data?
“Across our 10 branch offices, last quarter sales are up 7%, on average.” This statement tells you exactly nothing. But it sure sounds like good news in a management meeting. The problem is that seldom does anyone ask the right … Read More
Lean Methodologies for Integrators
Lean is not just for manufacturers anymore, it’s an important concept for integration companies to start thinking about. Lean Methodologies bring together thinking about the delivery of customer value within the … … Read More
Project Under-Billing Can Be Your Undoing
Accurate and real-time data is critical to proper cash flow management, and under-billing long-term projects is a leading cause of cash crunches Never fund customer projects with your own money. It’s great advice that can be difficult to heed, especially … Read More
Management is about Making Decisions
Are you good at making decisions? Good management is about making clear and timely decisions so that the business runs smoothly and profitably with as little disruption and drama as possible. Three common deterrents to clear decision making by company … Read More
“I Can’t Sell Labor for That!”
Like it or not, integrators are in the business of selling labor. There came a point in my 40+ year professional sales career when I stopped whining about how “I can’t sell labor for that” due to burdened internal costs. … Read More
The Project Closure Process
The project closure process, which as project managers know, simply means closing out a project at its conclusion, can happen many ways. Some project closures are positive; many are negative. In my experience working with many systems integration companies, … Read More
Estimating Methodologies for Integrators
What are the best estimating methodologies? In Part I of this series, we looked at the myth of the perfect project estimate and discussed how assumptions and risks factor into an estimate. Today, we continue this conversation and examine the … Read More
The Myth of the Perfect Project Estimate
Is it better for a project estimate to be precise or accurate? It’s my experience, over hundreds of AV integration projects and hundreds more in numerous industries, that most people believe a precise estimate is more accurate — and that … Read More
Solutions360 Releases New Job Costing Survival Guide
Why Is Job Costing So Important in 2020? Over the last 20 years, Solutions360 has worked with hundreds of businesses to help apply technology that improves business process management and profitability. One of the most complicated issues that Solutions360 has … Read More