7.3 Case Scenario

Question

Your company has been appointed as Business Analysts to assist a small document storage facility (Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. (CDS)) in analysing, re-organising and strengthening their business.

Neither the physical security nor the online security is your problem as an external company handles this. The only aspect of security you need to keep in mind is the cost to the company.

7.3.1 The Company Profile

The company offers secure online, in the Cloud, (and offline) document storage to small companies who need to secure their important documents off-site and in a location not associated with the client. Documents may need to be scanned before uploading online if they are not in an electronic format already.A typical client would be a lawyer, doctor, consulting agent, etc., that needs to reduce the risk of losing important original documents due to fire, theft, sabotage, etc. They would generally also require off-site physical storage of these documents (do not worry about the physical document storage scenario for this WIL project; only consider the provision of online document storage).

Currently, CDS does not have any IT systems to handle the day-to-day running of the business. All their payroll, banking, debtors, creditors, stock of office supplies and other administration is done manually by the accountant/administrator and stored in spread sheets and word processing documents, and the logging of calls and sales to the help desk is managed by the help desk.

CDS Mission: Our mission is to provide secure document storage to individuals and businesses.

CDS Vision: Our vision is to become a market leader in document storage.

The company has 10 employees. These employees are:

The Director,

The Director's secretary:

A financial manager;

Accountant/Administrator;

Salespersons (x2);

A help desk and support team (x3);

A cloud computing specialist.When required, the help desk and support team members double up as sales people/administrators.

Company strategy for the next five years:

To grow from a small company to at least a medium-sized company;

To be a household name and the recognised online document storage company:

To grow their return on investment (ROI) by at least 30%;

To become a complete online solution in terms of all business.

The infrastructure consists of the following:

A large server that has almost reached its capacity;

The office infrastructure consists of an internet and e-mail server, a small network to accommodate 20 workstations, only the necessary software on the workstations, for example, a help desk support application and MS Office and

MS Outlook;

Wireless network connections as well as LAN;

An open office floor plan with the boardroom and Director's office having lockable doors;

A server room;

A large off-site warehouse at a secret location to store physical documents.

The company sells online document storage packages as follows:

.

5 Gig storage for R99 00 a month;10 Gig for R180 00 a month;

15 Gig for R260 00 a month;

Anything bigger needs to be discussed with a salesperson;

If a client wants to upgrade, they should contact the company's help desk to assist them with the change.

7.3.2 Limitations

Due to the size of the current server, ROI is not what it could be. Buying a bigger or second server would strain the company's cash flow of the company so it is not an immediate option.

7.3.3 Your role as a Business Analyst

Help CDS implement IT solutions in a cost-effective way by determining the requirements of their organisation, and communicating these clearly to all stakeholders:

Begin with defining, analysing and documenting their requirements.

7.3.4 Deliverables

As part of your WIL project you are required to produce the following in two phases: first phase documentation (fact finding) must be submitted at about Week 6 of the semester and Phase 2 (finalisation of documentation) at the end of the semester.

7.3.5 Phase 1: Fact Finding

The first phase should be your midpoint submission. It would help if you were sure you found all the information from the case mentioned above. It is also essential to include information on similar businesses as this will assist you in providing valuable feedback to your client. As part of your Phase 1 submission, you must:

1. Utilise all the tools and knowledge you have to determine what the business is about, their problems, shortcomings, etc.

2. Identify the business processes and organisational structure.

3. Identify the roles of every person on the organogram.

4. Compile a list of closed end questions to determine the information mentioned in Points 1 and 2 above.

5. Find similar companies and include summaries of their business plans and operational requirements where you can.

Answer 1

Phase 1: Fact Finding Documentation

1. Business Overview

Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. (CDS) specializes in secure online document storage solutions primarily aimed at small businesses requiring off-site protection for their important documents. As a provider of both cloud and offline storage services, CDS seeks to address the risks of document loss due to potential disasters like fire, theft, or sabotage. Currently, their operations are heavily reliant on manual processes, lacking IT systems to efficiently manage their business activities.

2. Identified Problems and Shortcomings

• Manual Processes: All administrative tasks (payroll, accounting, debt management, inventory) are handled manually, leading to inefficiency, the potential for human error, and a decreased ability to scale operations.
• Ineffective Communication: Lack of integrated communication tools may hinder response and support times, impacting customer satisfaction.
• System Limitations: The current server is nearing capacity, limiting scalability and potentially leading to performance issues.
• Lack of Automation: Sales, billing, and support processes currently lack automation, which can increase response time and reduce customer satisfaction.
• Resource Utilization: Roles such as the help desk team doubling up as salespeople may lead to inefficiencies due to conflicting priorities.

3. Business Processes and Organisational Structure

• Organisational Structure:

  • Director: Oversees all operations and strategic direction.
  • Director's Secretary: Manages schedules, correspondence, and documentation.
  • Financial Manager: Responsible for financial health, forecasting, and budgeting.
  • Accountant/Administrator: Handles day-to-day financial transactions and administrative duties.
  • Salespersons (x2): Focus on selling document storage packages and customer inquiries.
  • Help Desk/Support Team (x3): Provides technical support and customer assistance regarding document storage services.
  • Cloud Computing Specialist: Manages cloud infrastructure and ensures security and reliability.

• Primary Business Processes:

  • Customer Acquisition: Salespersons interact with potential clients, explain offerings, and help them choose suitable packages.
  • Document Storage Service: Involves receiving documents, scanning if necessary, and uploading files to the cloud.
  • Customer Support: Help desk team assists clients with technical issues and service queries.
  • Financial Management: Accountant manages invoicing, payments, and accounting activities.

4. Closed-End Questions for Information Gathering

1. How many clients currently use CDS's document storage services?
2. What are the current pain points in your manual administrative processes?
3. Are there any specific time delays you encounter routinely when managing customer inquiries?
4. What is the current server's active storage capacity?
5. How many customer support inquiries do you receive weekly?
6. What software tools, if any, do you currently use for accounting and invoicing?
7. Are employees satisfied with their current roles and responsibilities?
8. How do you currently handle client upgrades for cloud storage?
9. What types of documents are most frequently stored by clients (e.g., legal, medical, financial)?
10. Have you observed any common reasons for client dissatisfaction in the past year?

5. Similar Companies Analysis

1. SecureDocs Inc.:

   • Business Plan: Focuses on secure document sharing and storage tailored for small to mid-sized companies. They utilize a subscription model and have a robust online platform that integrates mobile access and collaboration tools.
   • Operational Requirements: Strong IT infrastructure that supports high availability and security, automated billing, and client support systems.

2. DocuVault:

   • Business Plan: Offers document storage and retrieval services with emphasis on regulatory compliance especially for industries such as health and finance. They provide client-specific solutions with a focus on customizable storage packages.
   • Operational Requirements: Utilizes a digital record-keeping system that automates client onboarding and billing cycles, maintaining a robust IT security framework.

3. iStorage:

   • Business Plan: Provides customers with scalable storage solutions focused on data security. They cater to both businesses and individuals wishing to protect personal data.
   • Operational Requirements: Incorporates cloud computing for storage and has enabled end-to-end encryption to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.

Summary

The analysis has revealed several key areas where Cirrus Document Storage can improve its operations and align with its mission and vision. The absence of effective IT systems is a significant barrier to achieving their strategic goals of growth and efficiency. Furthermore, studying similar companies has highlighted best practices that CDS can adopt to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. Moving forward, identified gaps and questions will guide the next phase of the documentation and implementation strategy.