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stabilisation in that new world. It will be
key to thriving in the longer term.
The software market is crowded.
There is a multitude of apps, platforms,
systems and whatever else, each
promising to deliver outstanding results.
What should you look for in a software
solution to manage the operations side
of your business? Where is the market
headed? Where do you start?
The first step has to be to properly
map out your requirements. Involve all
relevant areas of the business. Identify
the gaps, the frustrations, and work
out – as far as possible – what it is that
you need your software to deliver. If you
don’t know what you are looking for,
you almost certainly won’t find it.
You may have already identified one
or more potential solutions that you
believe might fit the bill. Involve the
solution provider in the requirements-
gathering process. They will be able
to give you insight into what can and
cannot be done. They should also be
able to bring new ideas and experience
If we are to tackle climate to the table and to suggest things that
change and meet the UK’s net you had not previously considered.
Outside of your own internal
zero target by 2050, we need to requirements-gathering exercise, the
radically reduce our reliance on first two qualities to look for in your
fossil fuels at the point of use, external search are the flexibility and
including burning natural gas agility of the software in question.
In terms of agility, how quickly can
the software adapt to meet a change in
the external circumstances that your
business faces? For example, this might
be a new workstream, a change in
legislation or even a global pandemic.
The more flexible the solution, the
more options it gives you internally
with regard to the various areas of
your business it can cover. How much
demobilise their workforce, then sit at and methodology, advanced plant functionality does it deliver out of the
home and wait for further instructions. and equipment, the automation and box? Look into how easily and quickly
After that initial shock, innovation optimisation of processes, digitisation – and therefore cost effectively – can it
and technology became front of mind of non-productive admin time be customised so that it fits around your
for many of the people we spoke to and utilising the right operations business, rather than your business
within the gas industry. We have an management software. having to fit round it. Look also for
opportunity now to take stock. How do By operations management software flexibility of subscription terms.
we make our businesses safer, yet more we simply mean software that runs the Your existing software landscape must
efficient? How do we set ourselves operational side of your business, i.e., be taken into consideration. A common
up to work remotely? How do we put the people, the processes they follow, complaint we hear from businesses
ourselves in a position where we can the tasks they complete and data they is that they already have a number of
react quickly to a sudden change in collect in the field, the assets and the different software platforms in place,
working conditions? management of projects. It is a wide half of which they don’t use, and none
Ofgem’s draft proposals for RIIO-2 remit and the software landscape has of which talk to each other. That in itself
will put further economic pressure on evolved greatly in recent years. breeds distrust of software as a solution.
the distribution networks and their Businesses that were already utilising There is no need to continue tolerating
supply chain. The supply chain, as a technology effectively have found that situation. As you are carrying out
whole, needs to consider where savings themselves at a significant advantage in your requirements review, take that
can be realised, without compromising the Covid-compliant world. tiny step back and evaluate what the
safety or customer satisfaction. Previously, digitisation – or the business actually needs. Discard what
Innovation can deliver a large paperless approach, as some call it – was you don’t need. Implement an overall,
chunk of those savings in a number possibly perceived as a luxury. Now, cost effective solution that fits your
of different ways: new techniques it is seen as essential to survival and business with no wastage.

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