SME News December 2017

8 SME NEWS / December 2017 , CrownWorkforceManagement Systems specialise in the development and supply of software for private and public-sector organisations to optimise their workforce. David Hughes provides us with a breakdown of the services that the company offers and describes what aspects make it successful, with reference to being Best WorkforceManagement Solutions Provider –West Midlands. Changing the Landscape of the Workplace Established in 1987, Crown offers HR, Time and Attendance, Workflow, Scheduling/Rostering and Workforce Analytics software. It works closely with its customers to identify areas where improvements are required and where costs can be saved, resulting in improved service levels, reduced labour costs and success in the market place. David outlines the overall mission of the company, describing how the team plan to reach the targets that they set themselves. “Here at Crown, our mission is to provide our customers with the very best systems to optimise the investment they make in their workforce. Investment in Customer Support and Research & Development has grown to keep pace with technology and market demands. With our help, customers will identify areas where improvements are required and where costs can be saved resulting in improved productivity, better customer service and success in their chosen market place.” Furthermore, as highlighted in the mission of the company, the firm works for the people. David thinks this is a major factor in helping the business stand out within the industry, and whilst always working for the client, it is the people and team within the company which attract the best business and clients. Delivering a personal approach and not focusing on solely the product, Crown mark themselves out as one of the best options for potential and existing clients. “Essentially, we are very much a people-oriented company. Whilst our competitors have a broadly similar offering regarding functionality and price, we believe it is our people that make the difference particularly when implementing and supporting a major capital investment such as a Workforce Management system. Our system manages the time and activity of an employee and it is vital that the workforce engages with that process, this is where Crown excels through its people by providing support and guidance to help all the stakeholders in an organisation benefit from the solution. “Additionally, we feel that our competitors have a very product-focused approach to business, and that impersonal approach does not sit well with organisations that are introducing a system designed to manage people in a way that will make them more productive, better trained and ultimately able to fulfil their potential as employees.” Regarding the main benefits of being based in the Midlands region, David is keen to highlight that due to the diverse and wide-ranging client base of the company, it is vital that the company is easily accessible from both ends of the country, and that the staff can visit clients on a regular basis. “Crown has a large and diverse client base spread throughout the UK, being Midlands based means that we are at the centre of the country and the motorway network, making it easy for customers to visit us and vice-versa. Crown also hold a number of customer events each year and again having a central location means that customers from all over the UK can reach us easily. The number of appropriately sized organisations for Crown (400+ employees) are plentiful in the wider Midlands area particularly the Service sector, which tend to have large workforces that are spread geographically and a degree of operational complexity which the Crown solution is best suited to.” Staff must be well equipped to provide the best service possible to clients, and David explains how he ensures that all employees are aware of what is expected of them, and guaranteeing they are well trained and places to deliver a good service. “Internally, our culture is very much centred on the old-fashioned virtues of staff development and welfare. Crown Computing has successfully transitioned to ISO 9001:2015 the latest version of the quality management standard. ISO9001 is the world’s most recognised quality management system standard – embraced by millions of organisations worldwide and is administered by the British Standards Institution (BSI). The new standard continues to ensure that we as an organisation adopt a robust and thorough approach to management and business processes, helping maintain consistency and customer assurance. “Crown has been consistently certified to recognised quality management standards since 1993 and has undergone regular assessments across all business areas to maintain the certification.” Overall, there are many upcoming developments on the horizon for Crown, as it looks to continue to develop its products and services, and react to the different requirements that will arise from clients. Reacting and being proactive are aspects which will see Crown able to build on its ongoing success. “Looking ahead, Crown will continue to develop its products and services in line with Customer and market demands and react to the increased demand for Cloud-based solutions i.e. SaaS (Software- as-a-Service) and Workforce Analytics.” MID17020