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.

Question

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 (×2);
A help desk and support team (×3);
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, ROl 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..outlines deliverables of task given but in a Formal Report?

Answer 1

Formal Report on the Analysis and Recommendations for Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd.

1. Introduction

This report outlines the analysis of Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. (CDS) and presents recommendations for the implementation of cost-effective IT solutions. The primary aim is to support CDS in streamlining its operations and enhancing its service delivery in online document storage.

2. Company Profile

Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. offers secure online and offline document storage services primarily to small businesses such as law firms, medical practices, and consulting agencies. The company aims to reduce the risk of losing important original documents due to unforeseen incidents by providing a secure off-site storage solution. As of now, CDS relies on manual processes for managing payroll, financial transactions, and customer service operations.

Mission

To provide secure document storage to individuals and businesses.

Vision

To become a market leader in document storage.

3. Company Structure

CDS employs ten individuals structured as follows:

• Director
• Director's Secretary
• Financial Manager
• Accountant/Administrator
• Salespersons (x2)
• Help Desk and Support Team (x3)
• Cloud Computing Specialist

4. Current Infrastructure

• A large server nearing capacity.
• Office infrastructure: internet, email server, LAN, and WLAN for 20 workstations with basic software applications.
• Open office layout with secure areas for management.
• Off-site warehouse for physical document storage.

The company offers multiple online storage packages based on client requirements but faces limitations due to server capacity, affecting ROI.

5. Limitations

The current limitations identified in the operational framework include:

• The existing server's capacity constraints hinder optimal performance.
• Manual handling of financial and customer service operations increases error rates and inefficiencies.
• Limited resources to invest in new IT infrastructure without straining cash flow.

6. Requirements Analysis

6.1 Key Challenges

• Inefficient manual processes leading to increased labor costs and errors.
• Inability to effectively manage customer requests and upgrades.
• Limited scalability due to server capacity.

6.2 Stakeholder Requirements

• Management: Efficient reporting and monitoring capabilities for better decision-making.
• Sales Team: A streamlined customer relationship management (CRM) system.
• Help Desk/Support Team: A ticketing system for efficient issue resolution.
• Administrative Staff: Integration of financial tools for payroll and accounting.

7. Recommendations

7.1 IT Solutions

1. Cloud-based Management System

   • Invest in a cloud-based solution for customer management and financial operations to minimize reliance on existing hardware and improve scalability.

2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

   • Implement a CRM system to simplify customer interactions, manage sales leads, and track upgrades and support requests.

3. Help Desk Software

   • Employ a help desk ticketing system to efficiently manage customer inquiries and support requests, increasing response times and customer satisfaction.

4. Financial Software Integration

   • Integrate cloud-based accounting software to streamline financials, automate payroll, and eliminate manual errors.

5. Virtualization

   • Look into server virtualization to maximize current server utilization before investing in new hardware.

7.2 Cost-Effectiveness Strategy

• Subscription Model: Opt for subscription-based software solutions to prevent substantial upfront costs.
• Phased Implementation: Roll out new technologies in phases to spread costs and minimize disruptions in current operations.
• Employee Training: Ensure proper training for employees which will increase productivity and reduce resistance to system changes.

8. Conclusion

By implementing the recommended IT solutions, CDS can improve operational efficiency, client satisfaction, and scalability, while maintaining cost-effectiveness. Prioritizing cloud-based systems and automation will lead to achieving the company's strategic goals, including enhancing ROI and establishing a strong market presence.

9. Next Steps

1. Present this report to stakeholders for feedback and approval.
2. Begin a detailed analysis of software options and vendors.
3. Develop a project timeline and budget for the implementation phase.
4. Schedule training sessions for staff on new systems.

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This formal report aims to summarize the current state of CDS and propose a structured approach to enhancing its business processes through IT solutions in line with the company's strategic vision and mission.