Building rapport and trust with clients is a fundamental component of the implementation project at SS&C Advent. After the sale is complete, the project planning workshop offers the first opportunity for the professional services team to facilitate engagement with new clients using our proven Advent Implementation Methodology (AIM). During this time, our business and technical teams meet "face-to-face" to strategize project milestones. These meetings are successful due to collaboration aids including whiteboards, proprietary documents, and product demonstrations. However, during the current pandemic we have modified the method in which our teams engage with clients; offering an opportunity to reimagine what a successful client engagement experience can be.
While it is preferable to meet face-to-face, we are fortunate to have successfully implemented portions of our projects remotely for years, and with increasing regularity, to maintain client engagement and expectations. Given that Advent Professional Services and many of our clients have a global operating model, we have developed and honed a remote delivery approach to ensure effective communication through all phases of the implementation lifecycle. With our global organization, the professional services team is able to leverage our full expertise and talent across the board to ensure client success.
Our core implementation methodology or AIM has remained the same; however, the delivery is evolving to better support a remote approach. To avoid meeting fatigue, the project planning workshop has transitioned from full-day onsite meetings to shorter working sessions over several days. Other key components to maintain client engagement include a more agile way of working, such as:
- Project Deliverables: Plan delivery of project scope in smaller and shorter cycles.
- Higher Touchpoints: Increase the frequency of recurring project team meetings from weekly to twice a week.
- Remote Meeting Tools: Use technologies (GoToMeeting, MS Teams, Zoom, etc.) to keep meetings efficient, engaging, and relevant to all attendees, as well as serve the clients’ different needs and requirements.
- Centralized Project Management Tools: Secure cloud-based milestone, task, and issue management to keep both teams aligned on project tracking and completion of tasks.
Remote implementations are not new for us, but as we evaluated the current landscape, the team saw an opportunity to improve our current practices. Simply offering a modified version of the in-person implementation project would not work. Together, the team found an optimal way to manage remote projects to provide a transparent, scalable, and personalized approach. Part of AIM includes a feedback session and survey to compile the lessons learned during the implementation. This helps us to continually fine-tune our deliveries and onboarding experience. Internally, we have taken this opportunity to find efficiency for our hosting and managed services clients.
Leveraging best practices and building on the success of each remote implementation, the team is progressing through the defined project phase on time and delivering an engaging client experience. At SS&C Advent, our utmost goal is to provide the most optimal solutions for our clients to thrive.
To learn more and maximize the value of your tech investment, visit Advent Professional Services.
