Interim Managers find permanent solution
Russam GMS is one of the leading UK interim management providers. Established in 1983 they have over 7,500 executives on their books with assignments in the public sector, manufacturing, financial and healthcare services and defence. Proud of being a company which “never forgets the importance of people” it has recently won the prestigious HR Excellence Award for Most Effective use of Resources in an Interim Project.
Interim managers are often used to provide fresh thinking or to crack tough projects to tight deadlines. It is not surprising therefore that the effective management of business processes through integrated IT and on-line technology has become a key part of Russam’s planning for the success of both their clients’ and their own business model.
Their methods certainly appear to be working – Russam have seen massive growth over the past two years with turnover rising from £3.5 million in 2006 to this year’s forecast of £10.5 million. The story behind their growth reflects their determination to analyse every aspect of their business and to continually improve their operations.
“As soon as you see it in operation you’re sold. The real answer to all of this is to use it, whether you’re a user in the office or an executive onsite, the advantages just come tumbling out.”
The challenge
Originally Russam’s accounts department processed all its timesheets, invoices and salaries manually. The system involved compiling paper time logs, re-keying invoicing and payroll data and progress chasing tasks. Inevitably it also meant dealing with delays and the hassle caused by discrepancies in processing the flood of paperwork which was then sent out by post. The company estimates that between a week and a fortnight
were wasted each quarter reconciling differences.
“The lady who had been doing the job decided to leave after many years service,” says Glyn Lloyd, Business Manager at Russam GMS. “I sat down to train a new member of staff to process the timesheets and it was quickly evident that we were sinking under a sea of paper. It occurred to me that this method of doing things was ridiculous in this day and age.”
The solution
After reviewing the various timesheet processing systems on the market Russam’s selected Etz Timesheet Solutions. It automatically reminds executives to send timesheets (and authorisation) on line from wherever they are working. This instantly generates an accurate client invoice, including the signed time sheet, in one neat PDF file speeding up cash flow and ending the flow of paper.
“If we had stuck with the system we used 2 years ago we would have needed 4 or 5 extra staff to deal with the extra administration that comes with the growth we’ve achieved. And needed extra office space for the staff and all the extra paperwork. After implementing The Etz Timesheet Solution we have just one person looking after everything from start to finish”
Implementation of The Etz Timesheet Solution began in February 2007 across all new assignments and as it linked seamlessly with Russam’s existing Sage accounting system* it swiftly proved to be a success. “In terms of installation problems, to be truthful there weren’t any. Things have gone without a hitch,” said Glyn.
The results
The key business issues of increasing productivity and reducing costs were all addressed by this streamlined process. At a stroke it ended task duplication and eradicated keying errors and delays. It now takes a few seconds to trigger the uploading of data on to Sage, a process which formerly took days to achieve.
“In terms of service we’ve been spoilt. Etz have stayed in touch with us throughout and on the few occasions we have had a query, they’ve been at the end of the phone to deal with everything and to sort it out. The customer service has been second to none”
It has also proved a success with Russam’s executives. As the system operates from a software as a service (SaaS) platform it works wherever there is an internet connection guaranteeing a reliable and secure service. It is extremely user friendly and even automatically calculates hours worked to the nearest minute to reduce time logging errors.
This in turn has substantially cut the amount of time Russam’s finance department spend chasing lost, late or inaccurate timesheets whilst providing more speedy and accurate financial management data.
A delighted Glyn Lloyd commenting on the phenomenal improvements in terms of cost and efficiency said “In the 40 years I’ve worked in the industry I have bought many systems and this one has delivered so much more.We are doing three times as much work as two years ago, with
only one member of staff overseeing it.” He added “Unlike before we don’t notice all the work that’s going on, because so much of it is now done
on line.”
* ETZ Timesheet Solutions works successfully with all major accounting packages and is tailored to meet the exact requirements of your company and to reflect the time recording needs of your candidates.
