From reporting to action

Many installation companies have large amounts of data, but effectively combining and converting that data into actionable management information can be a challenge. The result? A lack of grip on key processes, such as project management and work inventory.

Operational steering information offers a solution: it provides insight, improves internal processes and can deliver extra value for customers. A win-win-win!

Here are five ways your installation company can use operational steering information to work more efficiently and profitably.

Before you can manage data, you need to be sure that the data is reliable. Data quality is, among other things, about how well systems are filled with the right information. If crucial data is missing or incorrect, it becomes impossible to make informed decisions. Therefore, getting a grip on data quality is essential.

For example: if employees do not consistently enter basic data such as project start and end dates or hours, it becomes very difficult to make your work stock transparent – both on a contemporary basis and in the future. Real-time insight into these data quality issues through a ‘data quality dashboard’, including notifications, can be a great first step towards getting the data right and moving towards reliable management information.

Another challenge for many installation companies is balancing workload and capacity. Too much work leads to overload, while too little work can lead to inefficiency and missed revenue. Operational control information helps to strike the right balance.

With work inventory dashboards that integrate data from HR and ERP systems (e.g. 4PS, Syntess, AFAS and Visma), you can visualise key data points at team or project level.

We did the same for Mansveld Techniek, for example. By combining the available productive hours per team with the expected demand for hours per month, you allow project leaders to see at a glance how the work stock compares to the available capacity. This not only helps to increase efficiency, but also to make timely decisions on additional capacity or sales activities.

Material sales are often responsible for a (large) part of the turnover at installation companies. By making the right purchasing decisions in time, you can increase margins on these products. How do you make those decisions? With the right data!

With dashboards for purchasing and sales of materials, installation companies can gain insight into realised or pending payment discounts and margins per project in order to anticipate them. This not only helps to be able to take timely action on purchasing materials, but also to see where extra profits can be made.

Late payments and incomplete billing processes can put significant pressure on cash flow. Sending out invoices on time and monitoring outstanding payments are crucial to ensure financial stability.

Invoicing dashboards not only show which invoices are outstanding, but also help identify projects that are ready for invoicing. This makes it possible to collect payments faster and more efficiently, but also to see which projects are behind on invoicing and/or payments.