Articles   VAR Crown Jewel: Process Improvement Reworking How Work Is Done Leverages Real Value From New Technology By Garry J. Manz and Bill Biach Value-added resellers (VARs) today do an excellent job of supplying  every nuance of information technology (IT). Often their contributions are  exactly what the client needs to update the business. But at times, the  gnawing feeling develops that all is not well. Although smart, new IT changes have been put in place, the customer may not be getting the optimum benefit from them. Growing organizations invest in better IT tools so they can do their work better, but often they don't achieve the expected results because  they haven't really changed the ways in which their work gets done. New technology is intended to "empower" new business processes, not  automate old ones. Applied to inefficient, antiquated, misunderstood or misdirected business processes, a new technology becomes not a magic  bullet to solve problems, but simply an inefficient technology. Hero Solution VARs who take a holistic approach can improve the value chain of service they're offering to clients--and distinguish themselves from competition as professionals who see the bigger picture. As the arsenal of IT solutions is discussed with the client, the VAR can point out the need to upgrade the link between IT and business.  Process analysis should precede, or at least accompany, hardware and software upgrades. This might be seen as consulting work--not the VAR's area. This may be so. The solution may be an informal partnering with a savvy consultant. The  consultant will make a systematic analysis of the client's business  processes with the goal of providing a sound, updated infrastructure to make the business grow. Meanwhile, the VAR proceeds with the required IT  systems and comes out a hero. The holistic, partnering upgrade will include these components: Designing or redesigning business processes to meet the  organization's value-delivery goal or model; Selecting and installing technology that lubricates and fuels those  processes (the VAR's contribution); Aligning business workflow to the new technology, documenting how  the new processes will be fulfilled using the new tools and procedures;  and Providing employees with procedure-oriented training as to how they  will get their work done with the new technology, not just how the   technology works. Cart Before the Horse Although new computer hardware, software and tools may be installed  quickly to maintain productivity and service in a business growing at a frantic pace, it is not uncommon to find that the computers and programs have become temperamental, efficiency has dropped, and maintenance bills  and staff frustration levels have escalated. Perhaps because of the speed of the installation, the users find that  the software does not work as planned. Or perhaps the business is still  buried in paperwork, and important information still falls through the  cracks. The staff feels that the computers haven't simplified their jobs  or improved overall operations. In contrast, putting the business process horse before the technology  cart, a VAR, asked to install a video conferencing or other system, might  suggest that the client first analyze the business processes surrounding it. As the VAR builds the physical infrastructure, the consultant offers  unfolding insight to optimize the imp-lementation. Alternatively, an expert called in first to help a company visualize processes identifies places where further IT support, supplied by the VAR, is needed. Such service bundling recognizes that successful resale involves both  procedural analysis and installing a new technology. Formula for Success The key to overall success in a business is to integrate a business  plan and a technology plan into one seamless activity within an organization. Such smart planning--or management consulting--traditionally  applied to large Fortune 500 companies, can be offered to small and medium-sized companies as well. Smart planning includes: Situation assessment --a complete overview of an entire  organization and clarification of general areas of operational  improvement including processes, computer systems and staff; Management process baseline assessment --personnel visually  map a business process to create a process baseline. Bottlenecks,  illogical or ineffective activities and improvement opportunities are rapidly identified and captured; Accelerated process re-engineering --a "Preferred Process  Design" is developed which will capture improvement opportunities previously identified, as well as eliminate wasteful, redundant and low-  or no-value activities; and Total implementation strategy --the organization must develop a comprehensive and realistic implementation plan for driving necessary  change. This plan will consider and balance the impacts on all key business resources, including staff, capital and facilities. Garry J. Manz is president of Innovative  Network Solutions Inc. (http://www.insnj.com/), a Parsippany, N.J.-based system integrator and  Internet/ intranet service provider, including virtual private networking and website building tied into internal apps. He can be reached at garrym@insnj.com). Bill Biach is president of BIA, the  Cranford, N.J.-based division of Biach Industries Inc. (http://www.biachinfoarts.com/), and has nearly 50 years of experience in answering complex  procedural and technological problems for the nuclear, aerospace and chemical processing industries. He can be reached at billb@biach.com. Editor's Note: Manz and Biach first became aware of their complementary services  when INS was designing an automated phone system for BIA. The informal partnership that resulted is designed to add more  value to the VAR's offerings. Excerpt from:  Getting basics right is key for tech company Wireless is one bright spot in 2002 By Wayne E. Pollard Special to the Daily Record Published in the Daily Record 1/20/02 New markets, new money Technology companies that were able to identify new markets in 2001 were able to survive, if not thrive. "We had a really good year because we are picking up a lot of new product lines," said Garry Manz, president of Parsippany-based Innovative Network Solutions, a systems integrator that does LAN and WAN installations. Manz agreed that wireless is the way of the future. In 2001, the 10-year-old company focused on thin client technologies, which let applications run on wireless devices. "The technology is going towards making things more mobile." Manz also said that, as a result of the Sept. 11 attacks, disaster recovery and business planning is big and will continue to be in 2002. Innovative Network Solutions’ services are a business necessity, Manz said. A good deal of what we do is providing support … people still need support." Although companies are being smarter about spending money, he does not expect them to stop spending. "I think we’re in pretty good shape," he said. "Last year was the best year we’ve ever had. It’s going to keep going." Reprinted from March 13, 2001 N E W J E BUSINESS NEWS New Jersey’s Most Successful Young Business People GARRY MANZ President, Innovative Network Solutions   Garry Manz, 36, president of Innovative Network Solutions in Parsippany, learned a surprising lesson while earning his bachelor of science degree in computer science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. "College taught me that I never wanted to program [computers] in my life," he says. "I really wanted to focus on something with people skills and technical background." Manz found that focus with the company he founded in 1991. Innovative Network Solutions is a Parsippany-based reseller of local-area-network software and Internet connectivity solutions with clients from Trenton to New York City and all points in between. Manz got the company off the ground with a $2,500 loan from family members. In 1991, the company had $62,000 in revenue. In 2000, Innovative Network Solutions had $2.8 million in revenue, and Manz expects revenue between $3 million and $4 million this year. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson in 1987 and working as a field service technician for MicroAge in Parsippany, Manz started a short-lived company, Micro Magic, in 1989. "Micro Magic lasted maybe two months," he says. Manz says Innovative Network Solutions got its big break in 1994 with a contract to revamp computer systems in the New Jersey area for Tower Records. Other contracts with large companies followed. In his off time, he’s involved in building high-speed turbine-powered boats, and he also likes to jet ski. 40 UNDER 40