| Our industry is changing very rapidly and very dramatically. DDS’ Client Service department has reinvented itself to best meet clients' evolving needs. On September 28th, we marked the completion of the first phase of this reorganization and prepared ourselves for the work ahead.
One of the changes we have implemented is to redefine the account management role. Prior to the reorganization, account people fulfilled myriad roles. They were responsible for troubleshooting and training as well as for managing the client relationship. This model worked well in the past; however, in today’s increasingly complex marketplace, a higher degree of specialization and expertise is required to offer the highest possible level of service.
We have therefore split the Client Service tasks among three distinct disciplines: Dedicated trainers working in the Integrated Training Group to provide product training; Client Application Services personnel, our subject-matter experts, provide product and technical support; and business analysts provide relationship management and consultation. The Client Service directors participated in a lengthy evaluation process to determine which role best matched the strengths of the staff.
The new business analyst role expands upon the former account handler role in many ways. Business analysts must remain abreast of all industry news and trends, and engage with clients in a different way. They must be proactive, suggesting how clients can best capitalize on the tools we offer, and employing creative methods to give clients what they want.
To hone our business analysts’ skills, they attended a two-day seminar conducted by Fordham University professor and consultation expert Toby Tetenbaum, co-author of The Value-Creating Consultant. Ms. Tetenbaum has worked with numerous companies, from Fortune 10 companies to small startups, to strengthen their consultation skills. In addition, we are bolstering our business analysts’ skill sets with training in additional hard skills such as Microsoft Excel, SQL and Access.
Our clients have already begun reaping the benefits of this new role. For one client, a business analyst was able to indicate where increased DDS product usage could improve that company’s efficiency. In another case, a business analyst married DDS data with advanced tools in Excel to provide vital agency-specific data. Resourceful use of third-party tools together with data from DDS applications provides low-cost, fast solutions to client requests.
“Clients make large investments in DDS,” says Steve Peeples, director of Client Service. “It’s the business analyst’s job to help the client optimize that investment.” |  |