How does Data expertise contribute to Consultancy?

Iryna Shuppo: Data continues to lead in the digital world today driving decision-making, innovation, and competitive advantage. Our partners recognise the importance of utilising data effectively to stay ahead in the market.  

Given this tendency, we saw a compelling opportunity to integrate data expertise into our Consultancy service offerings. There is no doubt that this decision was the correct one. 

Data does not sit in isolation though, usually clients approach us with a business challenge that translates into a specific request for data solutions. This is why the product impact in Consultancy holds considerable importance.  

Moreover, data management is a part of the entire process. So therefore, it requires collaboration and input from various areas of expertise to work out the optimal solution. 

Depending on the client’s needs, our Data Consultants could advise on: 

  • Modernising the current setup, whether by resolving the existing issues, or by reassuring the business of the solution’s ability to support business plans;  
  • Effective data costs optimisation; 
  • Developing data strategies by recommending suitable technologies, tools, and methodologies to achieve desired outcomes; 
  • Working out a step-by-step transformation plan to reassure clients about the next steps and ensure success; 
  • Building innovative architectural designs for efficient systems. 

Regardless, our proposals are always shaped by the needs of the client.

Who are the clients that are seeking Consultancy support? What specific needs or challenges do clients need help addressing? 

Valiantsin Shkvarko: The most precise yet uninformative response would be that they are different businesses with distinct requirements and challenges to tackle. 

Each case is unique. However, I do have some “most-liked requests” that I would like to highlight by sharing a recent case.  

The client was satisfied with their on-premises data infrastructure that fulfilled existing business needs. However, limitations arose in their ability to pursue new business initiatives due to increased data processing demands, and their desire to integrate machine learning capabilities. 

Our objective was to work out the right architecture of a future solution that incorporates business goals & ambitious plans.  

So, we built a Cloud solution in Azure with a unified “single source of truth” for client data. The proposed architecture helped eliminate numerous “data pockets” and duplicate information obtained from data providers. The detailed and cost-effective migration plan reassured our clients about the next steps in the process.

Siarhei Oshyn: I noticed that our clients share a common concern regarding the proper implementation of data management solutions, or a lack of clarity on what effective data solutions should entail to fulfil business needs. In this case, we could act as 3rd party expert offering an independent opinion and assistance. 

In a recent case, despite significant investment in a Snowflake-based Data Warehouse, the client did not see the benefits they expected, facing excessive costs and slow time-to-market. They aimed to assess the usage of the existing Data Warehouse across their systems, determine if it is fit for any future business plans, and make decisions on further investment in the current solution.

How do you usually approach Consultancy requests?

Valiantsin Shkvarko: I have a great example describing common stages in Data Consultancy.  

One of our clients is a global advisory firm that helps leading brands increase productivity from their media investments and design effective media operating models.  

It is easier to name brands that are not in their portfolio. Below is an impressive picture of this.

The client approached us for support with addressing the business challenges they faced:

Understanding Business Context

This stage lays out the foundation of Consultancy involvement. Consultants engage in discussions with key stakeholders to gain insights into the client’s visions, strategic plans, and priorities. 

In our example, we started off with determining goals which the business had set for itself. They were ambitious enough: 

  • To provide customers with high-quality service and establish partnerships based on trust and professionalism. 
  • Maintaining the efficiency of internal processes. 
  • Market leadership. 
  • Ensuring company growth. 

Subsequently, we figured out what prevented them from achieving these goals, and it wasn’t competitors.  

Most of business processes depend on data processing and analysis, aiming for a high level of automation. However, a significant part of these processes still needed considerable manual intervention: 

  • Employees experienced a work overload due to the volume of manual tasks. 
  • Significant reliance on manual processes increased the risk of errors occurring at every step of the end-to-end process. 

It has appeared to be more related to organisational challenges rather than IT-related issues. 

However, by getting all the context, it allowed us to determine what was needed from a technological perspective and how digital solutions might help.

Analysing Current State

For building a holistic view, consultants must examine existing setups: solutions, architectural decisions, and the reasoning behind them. This entails identifying any gaps or weaknesses in the current setup as well as collecting new requirements to guide subsequent actions.  

At this stage, consultants collaborate closely with the client’s team and take a hands-on approach by assessing architecture design and solution implementation. 

We worked closely with data analysts, the development team, and business representatives. 

We explored how and why the existing architecture and services were chosen, and why MS Excel and VBA are the heart of the system. Simultaneously, we observed the availability of nearby opportunities in the form of Amazon Web Services. 

At the end of this stage, there was a playback to all interested parties outlining our vision of end-to-end setup and intersections between all parts. It is surprising how individuals within the same company may lack insight into each other’s processes and the dynamics of neighbouring departments.

Developing a Future State

This is an essential stage that consolidates all the findings gathered in previous steps and develops distinct options to address the client’s requests. Consultants aim to present different alternatives, outlining their pros and cons, and recommending the most optimal solution based on their expertise & considering the client’s priorities. 

In the given example, we worked out enhancements to the existing business processes. These adjustments involved various degrees of automation. While one option suggested full automation; it came with a significant cost and time investment. Alternatively, other options proposed a balanced approach retaining some manual steps in the e-2-e process while automating the critical and error-prone tasks.  

We opted for the most suitable option, adopting an iterative approach that delivers incremental value with each iteration and improving the next stage of the end-to-end process.

Technically, we built the architecture considering the cost-effective approach, volume and type of data, processing, and storage approaches:  

Even though the development stage has not finished yet, the client sees the impressive initial results. These outcomes enable them to reduce time spent on routine operations, re-balance employee workloads, and embark on more complex initiatives. 

Wrapping up Consultancy engagement

As consultancy experts conclude their engagement, they ensure the clarity of their impact on sponsors and confirm that initial objectives have been achieved. All deliverables from our work are transferred to the relevant parties, and knowledge-sharing sessions are conducted.

Driving transparency

Consultancy often influences strategic or critical decisions within the client’s business. Therefore, consultants through the whole duration of our engagement must maintain close collaboration with the client’s team, ensuring a prominent level of transparency regarding our plans, confirming priorities, and adjusting outcomes based on the client’s needs.

What kind of challenges did you face in the past?

Siarhei: One of the challenges is time. Consultancy projects often have short deadlines, so finding the right balance between the depth and breadth of our work is essential. By sticking to a plan, staying flexible, and staying connected, we can meet deadlines and give clients valuable solutions.  

Iryna: Reflecting on past experiences, meeting client expectations is crucial but can be challenging. In Consultancy. Our focus is on addressing issues and delivering tangible results that help with big decisions. However, evolving needs, changing requirements, and a high level of ambiguity can affect this process. Nevertheless, our commitment stays unchangeable to give our clients the most from our engagement.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having a good portfolio of accomplished cases, a well-established framework, growing experience in the Data management area and trusted experts, we are ready to handle whatever comes our way with enthusiasm and confidence. 

See what our customers have to say about their consultancy experience: https://www.godeltech.com/mgs-partnership-with-godel-helps-to-shape-customer-experience-product-roadmap/.