Tomorrow I Will Be Facilitating A Data Analytics Workshop > I Love Data!!!

I love data!

And with that love of seeing the numbers behind things and the stories the data tells, I get to do what I do best… train people to use the data in their business to drive better decision-making.

Topics covered in the training include:

  • What is Data Analytics?
  • Overview of Data Analytics in the Philippines
  • Self-Assessment of our own Data Analytics
  • Finding, Mining and Presenting Data
  • Big Data and Data Warehousing
  • Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive Analytics
  • Business Intelligence and Business Dashboards
  • Using Data Analytics to Drive Decisions

ANALYTICS CAN

The first three parts of the training set the foundation we currently see in most organizations concerned with data analytics. Knowing who are analysts and learning more about the world wide talent gap helps get us in the mind set that we have to do more with less.

The next section is all about using methodologies to be more efficient and optimal in finding, mining and presenting data. This is targeted to building better reports that do more then just report, but actually influence decision-making.

The next two sections are the heart of the class… talking about Big Data and the 3 types of analyitics. This is an area most people coming to the training really gain a lot of useful insight from.

Sections 7 and 8 are all about adding value to take a good analyst and empower them to be a great analyst.

I’m expecting 12-15 people which is the idea size for a group discussion with a lot of give and take about how data analytics is being used and what can be done to raise the bar.

Nerd alert. I love this stuff!!!

It Will Be An Awesome Recruitment Analytics Training on August 4th.

Going to be training tomorrow on Recruitment Analytics with over 30 participants.

Topics covered in the training include:

  • What is Recruitment Analytics?
  • Recruitment Analytics in the Philippines
  • Self-Assessment of your Recruitment Analytics
  • Finding the Right Data at the Right Time
  • Applicant Tracking Systems
  • Big Data and Recruiting
  • Business Intelligence and Data Visualization
  • Making Data-Driven Decisions

A definition of recruitment analytics is simply the metrics and analysis that relates to recruiting.

However, we all know its actually a lot more challenging in practice.

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New technologies like social networks, applicant tracking systems and business intelligence applications are fundamentally changing the entire recruitment process from sourcing to placement.

The pressure to deliver results has never been greater.

HR and Recruitment managers are now more then ever required to demonstrate the return on investment their efforts are contributing to the bottom line.

The class size is maxed out, but I will be doing another session on September 1, 2015.

It All Starts With A Business Question…

A Business Question is any type of question that is asked to help understand the business better.

Business Questions are generally asked by executives and senior leaders to help them make more educated decisions.

Often middle management and professional staff are required to provide the answer to the question.

There is no bad question.

However, there are many bad ways to try to answer the question.

Good analysts are able to take the question and find data to answer the question, analyze the results and report their findings.

This is true with just about any kind of analysis work.

Learning how to best tackle business questions is what DMAI specializes in.

We have several upcoming events where I will be showing people how to answer business questions using the data they have in and around there business.

  • August 4 – Recruitment Analytics @ the DMAI  office in Ortigas
  • August 6 – Fundamentals of Business Analytics with Inspire @ the Richmond Hotel in Ortigas
  • August 11 – Data Analytics  @ the DMAI  office in Ortigas
  • August 13 – Big Data and Social Media Analytics @ PNP Headquarters in QC
  • August 27 – Big Data and HR Analytics @ SMX with Ariva  
  • September 1 – Recruitment Analytics @ the DMAI  office in Ortigas
  • September 15 – Data Analytics  @ the DMAI  office in Ortigas

Lots of opportunities to hear more about analytics in the coming weeks!

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Doing What I Do Best

So I have been doing public speaking and professional training for over 3 and a half years here in the Philippines.

Honestly I takes a few minutes to recount all the times I have spoken about analytics… which is an awesomely good problem to have.

I have gotten used to many of the nuances of doing training here as opposed to doing similar training in the U.S.

Now I know to mix in some Tagalog words, to tell lots of analytics stories using Filipino centric data points and lessons, to be ready to engage the participants in ways that makes them open up and share more.

I also know that someone will always be late because of “traffic sa EDSA” and that just about everyone can relate to things like working for bosses who don’t use data, but “gut feel”.

This really is a great place to conduct training and after 3+ years I am now no longer the only one talking about analytics.

The CHED Memo on Business Analytics,  IBM’s push for the Analytica organization, and seeing so far at least two other training companies offering business analytics. So many awesome things showing I am in the right place at the right time.

By the way… if I can count right the number is 47. And that is in person. If I add radio and TV  its closer to 55.

So Im averaging about 18 a year. And I have 5 more lined up in the next six weeks.

Not bad.

Go Dan Go!!

🙂

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Implementing the CHED Memo on Business Analytics > How DMAIPH Can Help

In 2013, the Commission for Higher Education (CHED), the governing body for Higher Education in the Philippines, published a memorandum requiring accredited colleges and universities to establish a Business Analytics Specialization Program for Business Admin and IT students.

The objectives of the business analytics specialization track aims to provide Filipino students the skills needed for different forms of Analytics namely, Descriptive, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics. This track enables students to identify opportunities and implement or enact solutions for which these analytics can be used to solve business problems to aid intelligence and informed business decision-making.

One of the analytics training solutions that DMAIPH offers, is partnering with schools  on curriculum and instruction enhancement.  We are also more than willing to meet with you to explore possibilities of collaboration.

The key areas DMAIPH can assist with are as follows:

  1. Consultation with Key School Administration Decision Makers
  2. Initial Faculty Training via a 1-Day hands on workshop
  3. Building Student Awareness by speaking at student events
  4. Guest Speaking in classrooms and academic events
  5. OJT Opportunities with DMAI and out partner companies
  6. Fresh Grad Training for analysts looking to start their career
  7. Provide a textbook for business analytics based on the CHED memo

DMAIPH is adapt at providing staff and students with an overview of the current trends in business analytics that drives today’s businesses, as well as providing an understanding on data management techniques that can help organizations achieve their business goals and address operational challenges.

The need for more analysts and professionals with analytics training in the Philippines continues to quicken at an amazing rate. On any given day you can see over 2,000 analyst jobs posted on jobstreet.com

The demand of analytics talent in the Philippines far outweighs the demand. Even with specialized tracks like the Fundamentals of Business Analytics starting up over the Philippines, more needs to be done.

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DMAIPH is uniquely positioned to help schools deliver on CHED’s memo and help supply the demand Filipino businesses, BPOs and Call Centers are asking for.

We have been doing analytics training, consulting and outsourcing in the Philippines since May 2012. In addition, DMAIPH has helped over two dozen companies bring more analytics into their business and have trained over 100 batches of analytics trainees.

Analytics Education – Facilitating a mastery of the fundamentals of analytics is what DMAIPH does best. As a key parnter of the Data Science Philippines Meetup Group, DMAIPH champions the use of using data.

All across the world, companies are scrambling to hire analytics talent to optimize the big data they have in their businesses. We can empower students and their instructors with the knowledge they need to prepare for careers in analytics. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly so we can set a guest lecturer date, On-the-Job Training experience or other analytics education solution specifically tailored to your needs.

Dan… Stick To The Plan

Having one of those days we all have once in awhile… where you invested so much time and energy into a plan, but you feel a need to change the plan.

For some it is comes with not playing well by rules. The more rules the less freedom and the less sense of  having control.

For others it may be the plan not longer fits where their life has evolved.

And then there are some who just like changing things. Mixing them up so they don’t stagnate and get bored.

Me, I’m all three.

I often hear the term serial entrepreneur… people who start things up and when the business reaches a certain point of maturity, they move on.

Never thought that one fit me too well. Im not really the cut bait and move on, I just like adding new things to what I am already doing.

I also think a lot about my super high expectations… since it is so hard to keep up with me, just about everyone tires and slows down eventually. Its impossible to expect the average person to stick to my plan, which makes it hard for me to stick to it.

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However, at this point I have built something special. The company still needs a lot of work. The business plan needs to evolve faster than it has. We need to patch some holes in the boat. But overall, DMAIPH is in a pretty good spot.

So this is one of those “Stick To The Plan, Dan” days.

Look at the data, fight off the wanderlust (at least for now) and carry on.

Change is coming soon, I crave that change and Hope is just around the corner… but not today.

Work on payroll, add something to the book, blog…

Business Strategy with Analytics – Aligning a business strategy to drive an organization forward requires a robust analytics solution. Businesses who have good analytics tend to be much more profitable and efficient then ones that do not. DMAIPH has helped dozens of companies in both the U.S. and the Philippines with adding more data analysis in their business strategy. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to find out what we can do to help you align your business strategy with analytics.

Sustaining Excellence

Still super happy over the Golden State Warriors going the NBA Finals the past two years. Winning a title, setting the records for wins… The way they did it, was a marvel to watch.

They lead their division from the beginning and never looked back. That take a special group to be consistent day in and day out.

They won with a first year head coach. That’s saying something that things were set up so well, that a new leader was able to step in and excel.

They beat the team with the best player in the world. Role players stepped up and made a difference. They wore LeBron out in a way that he never saw coming.

Now can they be a dynasty? Can they repeat this success or was it just a one-time thing? We will find out this year with the much hoped for Warriors-Cavs Round 3.

When you look across the San Francisco Bay, you see a team that is a true dynasty. The San Francisco Giants have one 3 World Series titles in 5 years. They made the playoffs again last year and are always in the hunt.

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Besides having many of the same characteristics of the Warriors, the Giants have been able to take things to the next level.

Like the Warriors, they have a lot of home grown talent. That’s a proven way to go in any medium.

The Giants also have true starts who are not as well-known as the stars on the team they have beaten. They are hard workers who give it their all time and again.

There are a lot of lesson business leaders can learn from watching the way these team succeed… perhaps a future blog post on that.

But for now, as a huge fan of both teams… as I celebrate once again… I can only hope that the Warriors can sustain excellence like the Giants have.

It’s a great time to be a sports fan in the Bay Area. Truly a home of excellence!

How do you measure excellence in your business?

Do you have a way to know what your “win-loss” record is?

Do you know where you stack up against the competition?

If you don’t, then you need analytics. The Warriors and the Giants have two of the biggest analytics teams in professional sports. They invest and it pays off.

How about you?

We can show you how to set up your analytics which will translate to a level of excellence you have never know before.

DMAIPH specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership.

Outsourcing For Expertise Is The Way To Go

Increasingly, both large and small companies are engaging with specialized service providers as partners to their business goals. As we see in the visual below, the Philippines is still amidst a boom in this phenomena.

The continued rise in outsourcing is due to a companies’ decisions to focus more on their core strengths. In general, service providers concentrate on one or more specialized activities that the sponsor company doesn’t wish to do or doesn’t have as broad in-house capabilities to perform. We see a lot of this with our current client line-up here in DMAI.

However, in additional to taking on tasks that the sponsor companies view duties for specialty providers, it is also now becoming more of the overall business strategy to integrate both businesses rather than you the service provider as a patch.

It’s actually a long-term business model to truly partner on delivery solutions, and as a result, sponsor companies have built strong relationships with providers upon whom they can rely to contribute to their business goals in a manner that complies with both their quality and vision—yet without the need for redundant supervision.Again, this is a model DMAI has been successful at implementing with U.S. based clients.

Providers like DMAI, must be able to engage in a hunt for  talent in order to guarantee expertise and quality. They need to be able to locate the very best talent in a given region and business function in order to provide their sponsor-clients with the best-in-class service those sponsors are paying for.

This line of thinking, outsourcing for expertise is the way to go for medium sized businesses in the U.S. looking for an outsourcing solution with smaller BPOs in the Philippines.

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Big corporations can outsource entire business lines to big BPOs. Small businesses can outsource specific functions to virtual assistants. But for medium sized companies, looking to find like minded partners, they need to be paired up with service providers who are able to both integrate into the business and find the talent to grow the business.

Analytics Outsourcing – DMAIPH has successful set up Filipino analytics teams for over a dozen U.S. based businesses. Offering both virtual and office based teams that specialize in problem solving using data, new technology and analytics techniques is our strength. Finding and empowering analytics talent is increasingly challenging, but we have it down to a science. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to learn more about how to set up an analytics-centric team in the Philippines.

The Challenge Ahead

How do we get better? That’s what is on my mind every day. Most people get up every day and go to work. They have family obligations to meet so they take a job that helps them meet these obligations. However, most people don’t find job that add much more value to their lives then a pay check.

Sometimes we get lucky and find a good place to work. Where we are valued as not just a worker, but a person. Where we are allowed to have more work/life balance then we might have in other places of employment. This is a special place to be. Its not what 90% of the global workforce face every day.

  • So what happens when we find that awesome company to be a part of? In some cases we are empowered to be innovative and to help be part of the success of the company as keep it moving forward. For people who feel this sense of positive energy, work is actually pretty fun most days.
  • However, in some cases we find that even though the company is good to us and we like working there, we find things start to feel routine. We have challenges every day that are either not fun to fix or when we fix it, no one seems to notice. This eats away at our positive feelings about our company.
  • And then we have a third group of people who for whatever reason are in the wrong place at the wrong time. They have challenges in their lives that prevent them from being at work every day. And often when they are at work they don’t feel very engaged. They have a low sense of satisfaction that makes each day on the job more work than its seems worth.

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So as DMAIPH grows from a company of a half dozen to one of several dozen, how do we keep people trained? How do we make sure we keep as many team members as possible in the first category of engaged and empowered workers?

These is no simple answer. For some more money, for others more responsibility and for others more job variety.  There is no magic solution. It takes a lot of effort from not just the leaders but also from the employees who want to keep enjoying their work and like to work every day for the same company.

The answer of course is analytics. We need to know exactly what they need to stay engaged and to stay with us.

That is what I think about every day. That is THE big challenge ahead. And so should you.

Join us on Feb 21, 2017 in Ortigas to find out what metrics you need to interpret and access the data you have in your business that will tell you exactly what to do to keep attrition low and satisfaction high.

Analytics Leadership – DMAIPH specializes in arming the Data-Driven Leader with the tools and techniques they need to build and empower an analytics centric organization. Analytics leadership requires a mastery of not just analytics skill, but also of nurturing an analytics culture. We have guided thousands of Filipino professionals to become better analytics leaders. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to discuss a uniquely tailored strategy to ensure you are the top of your game when it comes to Analytics Leadership.

One Step Ahead In The Talent War Across Call Centers In Manila

https://www.recruiter.com/i/5-tips-on-cultivating-your-talent-pipeline/

Came across this interesting article on LinkedIn. I’m always curious about that people are saying about how to have success with recruiting, because its perhaps the top challenges in my industry.

Recruiting good call center agents in Manila has got to be one of the hardest requirements to fill anywhere on the globe right now. Awhile back I came up with a formula for what makes up a good call center agent, and not the just the surface skills, but he core competencies. Here is what I see:

  • Conversational English (20%) – Conversations follow rules of etiquette because conversations are social interactions, and therefore depend on social convention.
  • Customer Service (20%) – Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation.
  • Technical Training (20%) – Instruction to help agents use the systems and personal computers on which they are dependent to get their daily work done.
  • Product Knowledge (20%) – An understanding of a good or service that might include having acquired information about its application, function, features, use and support requirements.
  • Work Ethics (20%) – A strong work ethic is vital to a company achieving its goals. An example of someone with work ethic is a person who gets to work on time every day and always works long days to get the job done.

Of these, the hardest to teach is the fifth one, work ethic. So to me 5 ways to look for strong work ethic in a candidate are similar to the ones listed in the LinkedIn article. They are:

  1. Recruiting at events is more the just showing our brand, but our story out there. It’s a crowded field and we are just one, small voice. But it’s a enchanting story that get people excited about working with us.
  2. We too lean on Referrals for a high % of our new hires. There is nothing better than an endorsement for the job from someone doing the job.
  3. Internships/OJT/Trainees let us see how they work and letting them see what its like to work with my team. Great way to make sure it’s a good fit from both ends.
  4. Looking locally at schools and outside the industry places like retail and service jobs to attract new talent to the industry. The industry is full of job hoppers and money chasers, so going for them is not a good option.
  5. Staying in touch by sending newsletters, inviting to trainings, text blasts is important to us. Staying top of mind and keep telling our story.

So there you, go that’s how we are helping companies stay ahead of the game when it comes to the talent war going on in the call center industry in the Philippines right now.

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I am currently working on a book dedicated to helping HR & Recruitment professionals in the Philippines. The book should be ready by early 2017. In the meantime, you can check out my latest work, Putting Your Data to Work, for an overview of how to get started with analytics in your business. Connect with me and I will show you how to get a copy of my fast selling analytics guidebook.

HR & Recruitment Analytics – The recruitment and retention of top talent is the biggest challenge facing just about every organization. DMAIPH is a leading expert in empowering HR & Recruitment teams with analytics techniques to optimize their talent acquisition and management processes. Contact DMAIPH now at analytics@dmaiph.com or connect with me directly to learn how to get more analytics in your HR & Recruitment process so you can rise to the top in the ever quickening demand for top talent.