The full advantages of a Management Information System (MIS), can only be realised when implemented and approached as a strategic initiative, states Microsoft Gold Partner Mint Management Technologies client relationship management (CRM) director Chris Barry.
The security and longevity of company information have been streamlined with continuous increases in efficiency realised, owing to the introduction of MIS to organisations’ technical ecosystems.
“With massive records of information available at the click of a button and safeguarded in the cloud, companies are not only able to use an MIS for time-and-cost savings, but also to ensure a competitive advantage,” Barry explains.
“At the forefront of enterprise management, MIS enables companies to access, compare, distribute and evaluate massive quantities of data. This, in turn, enables faster decision-making times and provides companies with access to more accurate information on which these decisions are based.”
Barry adds that supply chains are streamlined with the introduction of MIS as organisations can view and access information, implement processes simultaneously and collectively measure the results from different regions across the globe.
“The realisation of a successful MIS implementation, as well as ongoing management, requires an ongoing strategy that includes all aspects of a company’s operational environment.
“Information management extends to each and every aspect of your business. In the absence of adequate visibility, collaboration and management of all information sources, the realisation of sustainable growth is questionable,” Barry states.
Choosing the right MIS for your business
An MIS focuses on the management of information systems to provide efficiency and effectiveness of strategic decision making. With this statement in mind, it is imperative that an organisation’s information management requirements are clearly articulated prior to the deployment of an MIS, such as a CRM system.
It is also crucial that the solution selected is natively capable of storing the required data, and able to render the metrics in a user-friendly and easily comprehensible way.
Further, it needs to be determined which aspects of your organisation’s information management will be incorporated into the system, Barry adds.
“For example, should you be implementing a CRM system, you need to consider which aspects of information management the system will cover and how it can incorporate all spheres of your organisation. This will ensure a 360-degree view of operations coupled with immediate access to information for accurate decision making that is geared towards growth and efficiency.
“Lastly, you need to consider how the system will be managed, collaborated and adjusted to achieve your overall goals.”
Barry reiterates that MIS should form part of an organisation’s overall strategy and should continuously be monitored, analysed and adjusted to achieve the desired results coupled with continuous collaboration between an organisation and its system vendor to enjoy the full benefits of all system capabilities and ensure the maximum return on investment.
“MIS creates a balance between people, technology and information, thereby, nurturing growth while ensuring that no company information goes unused, unwanted or wasted but is used as a valuable contribution towards the achievement of an organisation’s overall goals,” he concludes.