Successfully implementing a contingent labor or managed services program takes time. There, I said it. There’s a lot of nice round numbers and estimates, but the fact is: It takes time. And one of the most important steps in the process is called Discovery. Like the name implies, it’s where you find out about a lot of stuff and aside from the other steps necessary to ensure a good implementation, this due diligence process is critical and sometimes yields additional benefits.
Discovery is done in a workshop format. These workshops can sometimes feel like the Spanish Inquisition for clients, with question after question. We haven’t had any casualties yet, but did have a customer once ask, “Are you guys writing a book?” Well, actually we are.
You see this is the beginning of a book of sorts; well more like a guide. We capture the existing state and really try to take apart the proverbial “toaster” with the intent to put it back together with an MSP stuck in it. The goal is to understand how the organization runs so we can recommend the correct solution for their business.
Sounds easy, right? Well, I’m not going to describe all the details (and there is a lot of great detail), but what typically happens is that this process tends to bring to light other areas that can be improved. In some cases it even identifies needs or processes that a customer never knew existed. For example:
All of these examples are easily rectified by simply identifying the behavior, designing the future state and managing the change through our implementation and communication plan. Identifying the desired behavior is the key. Creating consistency around the processes and contingent worker engagement usually shows immediate cost savings and just as importantly, helps companies stay in legal compliance (also known as less risk).
Because of the discovery process, many clients often learn so much about not only their business, but also their existing practices that may or may not align with their corporate objectives or risk profile. We find that the value of an implementation not only resides in standing up the managed staffing program, but the standardization of the processes and ancillary values that can be unearthed by going through this exercise.
So like Forrest Gump once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna’ get.” The good news is when you do find out what you get (in the Discovery process) something will finally get done about it.
Lou Panico is senior director of customer integrations for Yoh. That means he has implemented a lot of managed staffing programs over the years and could tell you stories.