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TechTalk: 6 Steps to avoid & reduce swivel chairing
Denise Williams's Blog
April 06 2023

Some swivel chairs are FUN…and some are not. Tech slang phrase, ‘Swivel chairing’, references switching between two or more computer programs for workflow and re-entering the same information in the same or multiple applications. 

Studies show back-office employees swivel chaired an average 1,100 switches daily. WOW! Employees using more applications, had up to 28% higher error rates. Swivel chairing wastes time by searching for documents on your PC, jumping in/out of programs, referencing the wrong version, and clogging up email.

Here are some examples of the insidious swivel chairing - do you ever think / hear this?... Where did I put that document?  Can you send me that again? Is this the latest version? Oh no, she’s on vacation, I cannot get into her email. Ugg, now I’ve got to manually update the status. Did you grant me access to the Google folder?

Learn more about the 6 Steps to avoid & reduce swivel chairing - read on...


Here are 6 Steps to avoid & reduce swivel chairing:

1.    Retire Legacy Systems Legacy system can be defined asan information system that may be based on outdated technologies but is critical to day-to-day operations.” Consider decommissioning your legacy system and opting for a newer solution. Subscription based systems offer more flexibility, savings and you’ll have the latest version.

2.     Improve Searchability The worst situation is not being able to find the information you need, that you know you have – and getting to it while the customer is waiting. Searchability is key, to enable easy identification and access throughout the workflow, which can significantly cut down on manual effort.

3.     One-Stop-Shop Order Management/Editing   Searching for info is great, but even better is centralized Order Management. Everyone should be able to access that ‘one source of truth’ to manage docs, communicate, update all within one system without having to jump between other folders, email, and other sources. Plus, some more robust systems, provide audit trails, which can be key when critical hand-offs are under review.

4.     Enable Mobile Connectivity Systems that lack or partially enable mobile connectivity, can be a swivel chair mechanism.  Working in-field or off-site, with a mobile connection, such as mobile phone or iPad, are common in today’s work environments. Look for a system that does not require ‘waiting to get back to the office’ to complete tasks and offers one-stop-shop connectivity.

5.     One-Stop-Shop Reporting and Analytics  So if you don’t have your information centralized how much work is it to understand your business? If it takes countless hours to consolidate unstructured data from multiple sources, to bring it into a useable format, a centralized platform is for you.  Understand your business to best manage it, and best to have data to back it up.

6.     Enable Role-Based Permissions Perhaps you have a vendor or contractor, that you want to give access to the one-stop-shop order system but don’t want them to see price or competitive data. Newer solutions allow for role-based permissions. Enabling everyone to work in the system, without conflict or concern, reduces the rework and reprocessing hand offs.

By taking these six steps, a company put money back in their pocket by reducing rework, errors and switching costs – and all the while improving the customer and employee experience!

If you have a SOT TechTalk topic you’d like to suggest, please email me at Denise@RDSteam.us 

Denise Williams, 
Real Document Solutions
Read more TechTalk blogs here

Thank you.


Sources: www.gartnerdotcom/en/information-technology/glossary/legacy-application-or-system, www.intellectivedotcom/5-ways-to-decrease-swivel-chairing/, www.pegadotcom