Overview & Challenge
Our client is a leading pet products and services retailer, in operation for more than 50 years. They cater to a vast network of customers and partners, providing products, services, advice, and experiences via their e-commerce platform.
Client’s Objectives
The client sought a solution to optimize their change approval process. Given the large number of change requests they received, they required a new process to limit approvers and ensure changes were reviewed before approval.
Challenges
The major challenge was the time and effort required to track, review, approve or reject change requests. The process was complicated by the need for approvals to be dependent on specific time frames and the date of each change request.
Solution
Our Strategy
Our strategy was to create a comprehensive approval process hinged on specific times and days of the week. This was designed to regulate approvals and ensure each change is thoroughly reviewed before approval.
Implementation Phases
We implemented our solution by integrating logic into the approval process that considered the time and day when approvers will approve and the planned start date of the change. This prevented changes from being approved before their CAB approval meeting review.
Unique Approach
Our unique approach involved creating a new notification system for approvers. These notifications provided instructions on when they could approve the change and the steps they needed to follow, thereby streamlining the process.
Business Outcomes
Streamlined Approval Process: The implementation of a time-dependent approval system optimized the change approval process, ensuring changes were not approved before being thoroughly reviewed. This streamlined approach reduced the risk of accidental approvals and enhanced the efficiency of the process.
Reduced Approval Time: By limiting the number of approvers and implementing a structured approval process, the client experienced a significant reduction in approval time. This allowed for faster decision-making and minimized delays in implementing necessary changes.
Improved Accuracy and Risk Mitigation: The enhanced approval process minimized the risk of accidental approvals and ensured changes underwent proper review before being approved. This improved accuracy and reduced the likelihood of errors or adverse effects resulting from unchecked changes.
Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity: The optimized change approval process increased overall efficiency and productivity within the organization. By streamlining the process and providing clear guidelines to approvers, time and effort were saved, allowing resources to be allocated more effectively.
Improved Change Management Practices: The success of this project highlighted the importance of timely and efficient review processes in change management. The lessons learned informed future solutions and provided valuable insights for similar scenarios, enabling the client to enhance their change management practices.
These business results demonstrate the positive impact of optimizing the change approval process for the pet products retailer. The streamlined approach, reduced approval time, improved accuracy and risk mitigation, enhanced efficiency and productivity, and improved change management practices all contribute to a more agile and effective organization.
