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In a market that demands ever-increasing innovation, many organizations have found in integrated management systems (IMS) the solutions and strategies to optimize their internal processes.
To give you an idea, according to a survey by Deloitte , 89% of companies invested in management systems and tools in 2020, and in 2021 , 59% of them increased their investments in these platforms.
Therefore, given its relevance to an innovative and competitive business environment, capable of bringing about significant changes in corporate management, this article will help you better understand integrated management systems and how they can help organizations. Check it out!
What is an integrated management system?
Generally, a company with multiple departments tends to have different workflows and processes occurring in its various areas. What happens is that these areas end up being analyzed in isolation, with minimal communication with other departments.
This context makes it difficult for managers to have a systemic view of the company , since each area works with different processes and independently of other sectors.
Thus, whether for logistics, sales, inventory, marketing, or any other sector, everyone uses tools that don't exchange information with each other , which hinders a strategic view of the business.
With an Integrated Management System (IMS), this scenario is reversed. An Integrated Management System (IMS) will promote the integration of systems , methods, and techniques used in a company. In other words, it will unify processes and systems on a single platform, allowing the manager to have an integrated view of the functioning of the entire business.
Therefore, it has become fundamental in an increasingly competitive environment, requiring companies to seek more agile solutions and standardize processes in their organizational routine.
Ultimately, if your marketing team has access to accurate and timely information about valuable details of the sales process, such as geographic and behavioral specifics generated by sales and logistics teams, for example, the targeting of campaigns and actions can be much more effective.
Thus, with the speed of data and information production and sharing that an integrated management system (IMS) delivers, the manager is able to analyze and think strategically about the business they manage.
Want to learn more about this topic? Download our material: More strategic business with data-driven decisions .
How do you know if your company needs an Integrated Management System (IMS)?
Don't know where to start?
First, check the following: the logistics system, data transparency, organization, and tax issues within the company. For each of these areas, identify the difficulties listed below. If your company has these weaknesses, it's time to adopt an Integrated Management System .
1- Poor logistics
Difficulties in logistics can result from a lack of communication between the sales and logistics departments, for example, generating inefficiencies that can lead to delivery delays, as well as other errors that could be avoided with an integrated management system (IMS).
This will create costs for the company as a whole. If this type of problem is prevalent, an Integrated Management System (IMS) will help to standardize the work, integrating the responsible sectors in order to guarantee correct deliverables within the established deadline.
2- Low data transparency
A lack of transparency regarding profit and revenue data can lead to poor visibility of resources, which will be reflected in pricing.
Therefore, it becomes important to have a good understanding of the source of the company's revenue, in order to understand which products yield which results. This allows for price adjustments to be made if necessary.
This comprehensive view of profitability can be achieved with the SGI (Integrated Management System).
3- Disorganization and lack of integration
Business disorganization can be identified when there is a lack of knowledge about cash flow, a lack of clarity about the quantity of raw materials available in stock, and difficulty in calculating the quantity of supplies.
All these facts are clear signs that management is not integrated and that departments are working in isolation, without sharing information that could help the company's collective growth.
4- Lack of tax knowledge
A manager who lacks sufficient preparation to handle the company's tax issues may make mistakes that will harm the company with the relevant authorities.
If a company fails to meet its legal obligations due to negligence or lack of knowledge on the part of the manager, it will suffer penalties that, depending on the business structure, can directly affect its performance, credibility , and market position .
5- Recurring failures
When they were developed, many software programs were designed with a single objective in mind: to help users with their pain points in order to complement and enrich corporate data.
However, the need to customize the solutions has generated recurring problems with connectivity, security, and synchronization . This is because the solutions were not developed to communicate with each other.
Why invest in business process integration?
An integrated management system is necessary to address the difficulties and problems mentioned earlier and boost the company's results. To achieve this, it's essential to choose the platform that best suits the company's needs and objectives.
Therefore, the choice should take into account the credibility and reputation that the integration system has in the market .
In short, understand the main pain points of your business and how the system can eliminate them:
1- Integrated Management System and increased productivity
With the complete integration of sectors, teams, and processes, the company's performance will naturally improve. Here, the team will work more efficiently by having a complete view of the processes and being able to dedicate themselves in a more agile way, aligned with the company's objectives.
The manager, in turn, will have a general overview of the team's performance , analyzing productivity levels, and with this data can also make decisions and investments that improve the team's productivity.
2- Work optimization
Alongside increased productivity, we have the optimization of team work, also due to the integration of processes and departments.
Thus, departments that generate mutually relevant information, such as sales and marketing, can better discuss their needs and processes , monitoring in real time what is being done and making corrections during the process.
In addition to preventing rework, this contributes to delivering a higher quality product or service without delays .
3- Integrated Management System and strategy in decision-making
An integrated visualization of processes and team performance gives managers a rich overview of areas that are more profitable or have higher productivity.
This information, in reports delivered by the integrated management system, serves as a basis for more precise and strategic decision-making, since it can visualize indicators and metrics, analyze the performance of each sector or the development of each process, identify pros and cons, and reshape the strategy if necessary.
4- Information security
Through the integrated management system, the manager can access relevant and accurate data and information about the company's processes and indicators.
This security regarding the information obtained allows for correct and effective decision-making, as decisions are made based on a realistic overview diagnosed by the integrated management system.
5- Integrated Management System: saves time and money.
Another clear benefit of implementing an integrated management system (IMS) is the cost and time savings. After all, the integrated system will be fed by all sectors, and everyone will be able to view the new data in real time.
The system itself can process and generate reports instantly, updating the data as it is entered into the system. In terms of business procedures, this facilitates work and shortens the time it takes for other departments to access other information through the system.
Conclusion on the Integrated Management System
An integrated management system makes business management more sophisticated, as well as more agile and efficient.
One of the many factors that contribute to the success of an Integrated Management System (IMS) is the easy access to accurate data on the performance of each area of the company (marketing, sales, finance, logistics, etc.), which allows managers to achieve an analytical and intelligent view based on relevant information.
Therefore, the integrated management system highlights the importance of data-driven management. Want to learn more about this topic? Talk to one of our specialists !
