By Inayeth Govender, general manager for demand generation at Tarsus On Demand

The cloud offers businesses huge data processing and analysis possibilities, better security, and improved performance. But cloud transformations can be complex.Flexibility and functionality allow SMBs to scale up or down, as needed and lets them take advantage of the same benefits as big, cash-rich corporations.

The challenge is that because every business has diverse requirements, a single solution is impossible. Customers require tailored cloud solutions that enable them to be more market-responsive and nimble. This is where collaborative problem solving comes into play.

Why do we collaborate?
Traditional problem-solving techniques have become either obsolete or ineffective. In a highly complex world, individual problem-solving is unproductive. Today’s workplaces demand people who can solve non-routine problems, collaborating with others by combining their ideas and effort.

Tarsus On Demand engages in collaborative problem-solving to arrive at the best solution to a business problem. This offers several advantages: work may be distributed among team members; a diversity of information, views, and experiences can be used to solve the problem; and team members can stimulate one another, resulting in improved outcomes, inventiveness, and a greater level of solution quality.

To develop a deep understanding of a customer's issues and then help them to design a solution that is about better business rather than software, requires a multi-functional, multi-disciplinary team with the right capabilities. Here is TODs five-phase approach to collaborative problem solving:

Phase 1: Sell the solution, not the product
By asking probing questions and inquiring as to the extent of the challenge, we gain a better grasp of the customer’s needs and dreams and begin to develop a solid value proposition together with our partner.

It’s a mindset that can be applied in almost any scenario where innovation or thinking differently is required. Design thinking is an iterative process that seeks to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions that might not have been immediately apparent. It is a solution-based way to solve problems in a creative and collaborative way.

Phase 2: Define the problem you are trying to solve
Defining the problem is the most important factor in finding a good solution. Many organisations, however, are not proficient at articulating their problems and identifying which ones are crucial. The key is to ask the right questions.

What is the customer’s basic need? Who will benefit from the solution? What is the problem to be solved and why should it be solved? What has already been tried? What requirements must a solution meet? How will the customer evaluate solutions and measure success?

Phase 3: Who are the best people in your business to solve the problem?
People are our organisation’s most valuable asset. We know their capabilities, skill sets, expertise, and their weak spots. We know what motivates them. These insights help to lay the groundwork for a unique, highly productive team that can communicate, cooperate, and innovate in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

Phase 4: Are your people diverse enough to bring different approaches to the table?
Unlike skills, which are usually acquired or learned, capabilities are innate. They are non-contextual and can be applied in any work situation. Critical thinking is one such capability.

Our people rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. They always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments, and findings represent the entire picture. They identify, analyse, and solve problems systematically to arrive at the best possible solution in the circumstances.

Phase 5: Find the subject matter experts
Having several subject matter experts on our team is vital to maintaining and growing our partners’ businesses. Our subject matter experts are good at identifying patterns and applying the same solution in multiple different scenarios, and across a range of different types of businesses.

The benefits
The benefits of collaborative problem solving for a tailored cloud solution cannot be overstated: improved efficiency, lower costs, enhanced security, access to the latest tools, and simplified business processes. In the long run, this approach is key to solving SMB business problems and to the continued success of TOD’s strategic partner.