Business Monitor
Bespoke Software
Case Study
How Cloud Construct helped Good2Great to enhance business coaching services with bespoke business monitoring software
Client:
Johnny Themans, Founder, Good2Great.
Cloud Construct service:
Bespoke software development.
Budget:
£20,000
Since 2007, Good2Great have been helping new and established business owners in Shropshire and neighbouring counties to:
- increase their profitability
- become more successful.
The company offers masterclasses, membership programmes and one-to-one coaching.
Highlights
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Challenge
- A need to eliminate lengthy “catch up” sessions and get straight to providing valuable coaching
- Modernise current inefficient and inadequate systems and processes
- A desire to analyse client data to offer enhanced customer services
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Solution
- Business Monitor, bespoke cloud-based software which can be developed in line with Good2Great and technological advancements
- A Minimal Viable Product (MVP) to identify strengths and areas to improve
- Intelligent algorithm with bespoke code to monitor qualitative and quantitative data collection, triggering business advisor response to help when needed
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Results
- Ability to offer more personalised, strategic coaching and better customer service
- An additional revenue stream as a tool for independent business coaches
- Future plans for Machine Learning application in Business Monitor “virtual coach”
Interested in Business Monitor?
Watch this short video from the founder on how to get started using the software build by Cloud Construct.
In business coaching, the coach–client relationship is everything.
The coach needs to prove that they are a valuable asset who delivers results, so the client continues to invest in their services.
They also want to develop long-term client relationships. They go into coaching because they want to make a positive impact on people’s lives. They don’t want to spend all their time on new client acquisition.
It’s therefore important that every minute of the session is packed with coaching and strategy.
“As a coach, there’s nothing worse than going to a meeting unprepared. If you don’t have regular updates or data from your client, you’re reliant on a catch up at the start of the session. It could steamroller your whole meeting.
You’re then left to process what they’ve said, evaluate their activity, think on your feet about what they should do next. The pressure is on to invent fire in every meeting! It’s poor coaching.
Over the years we’ve developed core processes and systems to ensure our clients receive a valuable service and achieve business growth.
But I was frustrated by inadequacies and inefficiencies of the systems.
I wanted a way to keep each client’s information in one, easily accessible place – not spread across multiple applications, Google Forms or piles of of paper.
I also wanted to be able to analyse client data easily, so that this could be used in coaching sessions to deliver personalised recommendations and strategies. It could also be used to identify when clients are facing crises or in chaos and need additional help.
I knew there must be a better way, so I called on Cloud Construct.”
Johnny Themans, Good2Great
Solution
Cloud Construct started working with Johnny in September 2020.
He had specific requirements which “off the shelf” didn’t deliver. He also had plenty of ideas for the future.
Phase One
Step 1: Systems and processes
The first step was to fully understand his systems and processes. Johnny took the team through his current system to show which functionalities he used, didn’t use and which he wanted to be improved.
The software would need the facility to manage a list of client businesses, a feedback form which he could tailor for each business, and reporting and data analysis features.
With this information Cloud Construct started prototyping. They prototyped out two forms: one feedback form and one reporting form, using Adobe XD. This allowed Johnny to see how it looked and understand the flow of the software before building started.
At the same time, Cloud Construct helped Johnny to come up with a name for the software which encapsulated the offer and was available as a domain. They named the app Business Monitor.
The next step was to build the Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
MVP is software which features the core elements of the project, developed as cost efficiently as possible. It’s not a super-polished version of the software but it’s usable. It allows the customer to see what works and needs improving.
The Business Monitor MVP was launched in January 2021.
It features a questionnaire which is sent to users on a weekly basis and another questionnaire sent monthly. This helps to keep business owners accountable and on track to achieve business success.
One of the unique features of the app is the collection of qualitative and quantitative data. Users aren’t just asked about revenue, marketing and operations numbers and figures, but how they feel about it – happy, indifferent or unhappy.
An algorithm, written by Cloud Construct, uses code logic to monitor users’ actions and feedback. If a user selects “unhappy” enough times, it triggers a “red mindset” and shows they may need further help. They will be sent a message asking them if they want to chat with a business advisor.
The data is recorded and visualised in a graph.
It’s a function of the app that Johnny and the team plan to develop over time.
“The MVP phase was valuable because it allowed me to see how both clients and I interacted with Business Monitor and which features they valued most. I could make judgements based on real life behaviour, not guesswork, on how it could be improved.
For example, I found I was spending too much time setting up forms for clients, so a priority for the next phase was to enable clients to set up their own profiles.
I could get important feedback from Good2Great clients during the phase, which I’ve fed back to Cloud Construct for the next phase of the software.”
Johnny Themans, Good2Great
Results
40 businesses used Business Monitor in its MVP form.
Good2Great business advisors now use their clients’ business activity and mindset updates to offer highly personalised strategic advice, focused on the areas of their business where it is needed most.
“Business Monitor has made it so much easier to record and track activity.
It’s a huge benefit to the business owner. They get into good habits by tracking their numbers and data. They’re making decisions on what they know, not what they feel. This motivates them to achieve more.
The biggest benefit is the ability to offer such personalised advice. We can steer our clients using real time data and help them to make decisions which will make them more successful and happier.
When our clients are more successful and happier, it proves Good2Great’s worth. This will help us to attract more clients.”
Johnny Themans, Good2Great
The data and feedback gained from the MVP is now being used to develop the next phase of Business Monitor.
Phase Two
Clients will be able to set up their own Business Monitor profile, saving Johnny and his team hours of work.
New data analysis features will compare mindset feedback across industries. Business advisors will then be able to ascertain whether it’s an isolated issue, or if it’s an issue affecting business owners across the industry and offer support accordingly.
Business Monitor will also provide an additional revenue stream for Good2Great, when the service is made available to independent coaches for a monthly fee.
The Cloud Construct team is now identifying applications for Machine Learning in Business Monitor as a virtual coach, which could offer another level of customer service without putting more pressure on Johnny and the Good2Great team.
“The Business Monitor project has been a real collaboration.
The Cloud Construct team has listened to my ideas and needs and brought them to life. They’ve coached me on the potential of cloud-based software and how it can be incorporated into a tool which will help streamline business processes and improve the client experience.
They delivered on the core deliverables on time and kept me informed and updated at every stage of the process.
Business Monitor is already a great tool, but it’s exciting to imagine how it will develop and benefit my business as new technology is made available.”
Johnny Themans, Good2Great
Find out more about Business Monitor here: https://good-2-great.co.uk/business-monitor/
