Let’s stop beating our heads against a brick wall: 4 fundamental disconnects with outmoded contract terms and conditions

In the last decade, state and local agencies changed the way they implement large software modernization projects; however, the same is not true for the contracts that govern these projects. For this article, we discuss four categories of terms and conditions that are outdated and don’t reflect the evolution of software products or the product implementation approaches required for today’s modernization projects.  Consequently, vendors, procurement professionals, lawyers, and client leadership spend significant time, money and emotional capital trying to solve the proverbial “fit a square peg in a round hole” conundrum during negotiations.

Technology has changed the face of the world. Especially with the advances made during the last decade. However, if you look at new homes in the U.S., you will realize some outdated technology is still deeply entrenched.  Take, for example, telephone jacks; these still come as a default option provided by homebuilders. But how many of us use these telephone jacks? Technologies like VOIP and smartphones have taken over with aggressive pricing, marketing strategies, ease of use, and business value that cannot be overlooked.

Part 2: Understanding your audience through website analytics

Organizations are increasingly using the web to interact with their customers. Besides websites, web portals are becoming a ubiquitous component of organizations’ customer service strategy. These technologies allow customers to serve themselves and satisfy their need for instantaneous information. However, as self-service is replacing traditional customer service methods, organizations may be lacking critical information about their most precious asset.

The Public Retirement Information Systems Management (PRISM) conference is known for spurring thought-provoking discussions about how technology can improve public pension systems and this year was no exception. The educational sessions are the primary catalyst for these highly important discussions and this year’s conference in Nashville, Tennessee was chock-full of them. In an effort to move the conversation beyond the conference walls, I, Jordan Bartlett (JB) interviewed two Sagitec employees who attended PRISM to see what they learned.

 Part 1: Integrating Google Analytics with your websites and portals

In today's business world, metrics are paramount for they pave the way toward business process optimization. As a previous blog post stated, one way to obtain metrics is through a Business Process Management engine. To augment that data, organizations can also utilize Google Analytics (GA). By integrating GA with an organization's website and web portal, stakeholders are able to obtain useful data that can help them make impactful business decisions.

In today’s digital and highly automated business environment, there is a growing trend to expand operational performance benchmarking. This fixation on continuous process improvement was evident in a recent study by the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS). The study, which compiled responses from 159 state, local and provincial government pension funds, found that 23 percent of pension funds have expanded operational performance benchmarking and 8 percent are considering it.

Digital Transformation is definitely the rage du jour – and for good reason.  Traditional business models have been assaulted as innovative companies radically improve performance and customer reach.  Digital advances such as analytics, mobility, social media and smart embedded devices are changing business models, customer relationships, and entire value propositions.

Did you know that two of three Americans own a smartphone today? Smartphones are used for almost everything today – ordering food, banking needs, shopping online or booking doctor’s appointments. Most industries have realized the potential of mobility solutions and have leveraged it for better customer experience and detailed behavior analytics leading to personalized products and services.

Homelessness is a continual problem in many countries and the same goes for the U.S. Though many states have reported a decrease in homelessness, there are as many states where there has been an increase in the number of people without proper homes. While there are quite a few shelter homes and organizations trying to provide daily accommodation, they are always in dire need of resources and donations.

The tax season is upon us and this time of year happens to be a busy time for pension agencies. In addition to compiling and sending out annual 1099-Rs, pension organizations must also increase their level of member communication and engagement to ensure their membership is updated with important tax information. Members are anxious to know when their annual 1099-R will be mailed out, what exemptions they may qualify for, or if they should update their tax withholding amounts.