Risk managers looking to move on from spreadsheets or leave the limitations of a legacy system behind know what they want from a new RMIS. But they should also know there are certain things they’re entitled to. Given the size of the investment, as well as the fact that the system will support efforts to prevent losses, control costs, and inform decisions that impact an entire organization, there are—at a minimum—five critical elements that every risk manager should expect from their RMIS platform and service team.
#1 – A transparent, proven RMIS implementation process
RMIS implementations are complex endeavors. Promises of “quick” and “easy” should be taken with a grain of salt. As with IT projects of any size, the potential for unforeseen delays and changes in scope are not uncommon. You deserve to know where you stand throughout the implementation process. In addition to a detailed plan for delivery, the team you work with should also be experienced enough to anticipate and address potential problems, and have a track record of successfully responding to unforeseeable issues.
What you can expect from Origami Risk:The Origami approach to implementation is different by design. Constant dialogue is key to knowing where you stand and getting it right the first time. Instead of a surprise “unveiling” of your new RMIS, careful planning and iterative delivery ensure that critical components become available for testing on a rolling basis. Results and feedback are gathered and distributed in advance of regular meetings—held weekly, in most cases—that continue throughout the entire implementation. This allows you to make adjustments or pivot to a more optimal solution, should one arise. As seen in a recently published implementation success story, the right implementation process can also act as an additional form of training that prepares users well before the arrival of the go-live date.
#2 – An approach to implementation that goes beyond ticking boxes
Rather than recreating existing forms, reports, and workflows with the goal of marking your RMIS as “Delivered,” implementation should be an opportunity to examine and refine the processes that currently underpin your risk management efforts. That means the team implementing the system must have more than technical expertise; they must demonstrate the ability to understand your organization’s business objectives and provide insight into achieving them.
What you can expect from Origami Risk: We know that every software vendor promotes the knowledge and expertise of their employees. Yet as Net Promoter Scores (NPS) measuring RMIS client satisfaction show, there is a difference when it comes to the effectiveness of service you can expect from your RMIS provider.
Hiring for experience, ability, and fit, then incentivizing employees based on overall client satisfaction, are central components in our approach to providing collaborative support. By choosing to partner with Origami, you’ll be working with highly skilled professionals who have backgrounds in the development and support of RMIS technology, as well as a depth of risk, insurance, and claims knowledge.
#3 – An ongoing relationship with your RMIS service team
Regardless of whether it’s been months or years since go-live, having to re-explain the history of an issue or walk another call-center representative through your decision-making processes can be extremely frustrating. Instead of building on lessons learned, each conversation is a return to square one. This limits your ability to get the most out of your RMIS.
What you can expect from Origami: Rather than pushing you and your system to a random member of another support team—composed of people not involved in implementation—or toward a call center, your Origami implementation team continues to work with you. There are no handoffs. As your use of the system evolves, the team that implemented your RMIS remains the team that supports it. After all, a person who knows the details of the system—not just the hows, but the whys—is far more likely to resolve issues efficiently and provide insight that takes into account the way you’ve used the system in the past.
#4 – Freedom from training members of your RMIS service team
The departure of service team members—whether as a result of insufficient support for service personnel or a newer, “better” reorganization—means a loss of institutional and client system-specific knowledge. With the loss of this critical context, clients are often forced into a position of reeducating new team members on the hows and whys mentioned above. Even with the retention of some team members, a reduction in staff can leave you holding the bag, as less support often means more work for you and your team.
What you can expect from Origami Risk: Stability in leadership and a consistent focus on the success of our clients has led Origami Risk to bring in and retain highly skilled individuals who take ownership of issues, display keen problem-solving ability, have a collaborative mindset, and possess an eagerness to learn and share knowledge.
The success of this approach has led to a thriving culture and recognition as one of the industry’s best places to work by numerous publications, including Inc. magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business, and Best and Brightest Companies. For us, this means a lower rate of turnover. For our clients, this means access to consistent service team members who understand what you are trying to accomplish and who are capable of helping you make the most effective use of your new RMIS.
#5 – Access to administrative settings and the ability to make changes on the fly
Even when reaching go-live with a system that exceeds expectations, a RMIS provider should have a clear understanding of what it takes to make changes. When it comes to the configurability of RMIS software, is it possible to make changes on the fly? In some cases, changes may require a member of the vendor’s support team. Will these changes require submitting a ticket and waiting? Are you going to be asked to pay additional fees for these changes?
What you can expect from Origami Risk: With Origami, making changes to field labels, forms, data mappings, batch import or export processes, audit questions, allocation component weightings, security permissions, and more can all be done through the front end by designated client administrators. No custom code is required, eliminating the need to submit a ticket or constantly buy additional service hours as the needs of your business evolve.
You can expect better outcomes with Origami Risk
You’re entitled to a RMIS provider that has a more transparent and collaborative approach to implementation and a relationship with your RMIS support team that extends beyond implementation. You should also expect to spend time using the system instead of bringing yet another member of your service team up to speed. And you’re entitled to make changes to the system as your approach to risk evolves. As client success stories show, a partnership with Origami Risk means that can expect to benefit from continuous and consistent RMIS technology and support that’s focused help you achieve your short- and long-term business goals.