There's always a better way -- especially when it comes to saving costs.
When our company published magazines, we provided content in print and on a website. In redesigning one of our products, we came face to face with a brutal fact. We were building the two products (print and online) separately. Sure, the beautiful world of electronics allowed us to copy items from one side to the other. But it was a largely manual process. It did not save costs -- it multiplied them.
The product redesign forced us to look at things differently. Soon we headed toward creating the core content in a database that could pour content into print pages. The same database supplied the core data in a searchable format online, and supplied pre-coded information for our e-mail newsletters.
Like many better ways to save costs, the transition brought a little pain. It cost time and energy -- sometimes even money -- up front, with no guarantee of success. Our production staff probed new software, while I pounded my head against the wall getting web page coding to work. But the outcome was worthwhile.
There's always a better way. But is it always the best way for you?
Here are three thing to consider:
1. Not every system warrants a better way.
Remember that 80 percent of your cost savings are in 20 percent of your processes. If you're going to spend time finding a better way, spend it on that 20 percent.
2. Not every new cost-savings idea is a better way.
Everybody who slips something into the suggestion box does so because he or she thinks it's a better way. It's a big challenge to promote creativity while filtering ideas for actual effectiveness.
3. Don't filter cost-saving ideas too hard by yourself.
Some of the best ideas we've ever had got a "you're kidding, right?" at the brainstorming session. Let the seeds of ideas have some time to take root and grow. Lots of today's great ideas looked impossible at first.
My Links : Mortgage Origination Check Cash Advance
