Navigis: A Malaysian-Based Enterprise Solution Provider with World-Class Innovation

Technology Business Review, 2005

Navigis Sdn Bhd, a member of the Mesiniaga Group, provides management advisory services and the deployment of enterprise systems. The company evolved from a department in Mesiniaga known as the Systems and Infrastructure Management Solutions Department.

Philip Dean Sidebottom, who was previously a consultantand director for this department in Mesiniaga, is the CEO of Navigis Sdn Bhd. Mesiniaga and him are the shareholders of Navigis. He has also been cited as an expert in the field of Infrastructure Management and hasacquired vast experience in this field throughout his career.

Having worked in many parts of the world, Mr. Sidebottom realized that Infrastructure Management is quite a common problem. This is especially true when the organization gets more complex with multi departments.The organization's infrastructure and the array of technology tools it employs to manage them then gets equally complicated. In order to optimize the utilization ofthe infrastructure of the company comprising of humanresources, tangible and intangible assets and the IT systems, an overall view of the organization's objectives and resources is essential. The integration of these components of the organization's entire infrastructure, to optimize the activities of the organization to achieve the highest levels of efficiency is no easy task.

An organization's success depends upon the seamless integration of the various business processes and management of infrastructure - both tangible such as computers and transportation fleets and intangible assetslike intellectual property. Though technology provides the tool to manage the organization, it is an amalgam of people, technology and processes that provides the solution. Albeit being a simple and straightforward idea, far too often these elements in an organization become isolated, disconnected or improperly integrated creating knowledge gaps and bottlenecks that eventually affect the overall efficiency ofthe organization, otherwise known as silos.

The Infrastructure Management advisory service envisioned by Mr. Sidebottom is aimed to provide the decision makers this overall view and at the same time a technology assisted precision tool on how to achieve the objectives of the company by using the entire infrastructure of the organization. Simulating the end result of its solutions using cutting edge Enterprise Modeling technology, makes the decision making process a more mathematical exercise than one based on experience and expedience. The Infrastructure Management service provided by Navigis is not confined to a particular industry alone or types of industry. By partnering with the best management consultants with recognized expertise invarious fields, Navigis is able to provide its services to organizations in any industry.

The vast potential presented by this unique service led tothe formation of Navigis by Mesiniaga Berhad, a public-listed firm and a leader in the IT industry in Malaysia sinceestablishment in 1982. Headquartered at the 9th floor ofthe award winning Mesiniaga Tower, Navigis is propelledby the keen business acumen of some of the technocratswho founded Mesiniaga, the strength and reputation ofMesiniaga and the vision and expertise of its CEO toinnovate the concept of enterprise solutions and expandon its global opportunities.

The main business objective of Navigis is to provide innovative Infrastructure Management.

NAVIGIS offers its expertise in providing innovative Infrastructure Management that combines Asset Management and Service Management. But more than that the company offers a novel way to infuse the people process and technology to the decision making process inbusiness through its innovative Enterprise Modelingsolutions.

NavigisThe description "precision tools" is appropriate for theunique NAVIGIS ENTERPRISE MODELING simulation software and methodology aimed at providing the decision makers transparency into the organization. The approach looks into the current utilization of infrastructure to determinemore optimum levels of productivity.

The advantage offered by Navigis's Enterprise Modeling approach is its ability to valuate investments and the outcome before a costly decision is made. "By simulating 3-D, 360 degree view of the organization, we get to view the entire organization, we can also isolate certain departments and see how this department influences the entire process. For example, before a decision is made to downsize a department or enhance it, we get to see the effect in a simulation, this gives a view of the end result to decision makers enabling more effective decisions to be made, " says Mr. Sidebottom.

Asked how Infrastructure Management varies from Asset Management, Service Management, Business Process Management, ERP and CRM, Mr. Sidebottom replies "These are all components of Infrastructure Management. Infrastructure Management focuses on ensuring that each and every aspect of a company is working smoothly and efficiently together. Further, each of these aspects should be supporting and helping the company to reach its goals. Infrastructure Management is about managing these complexities."

The necessity of Infrastructure Management is not only confined to the boundaries of the organization but goes out to suppliers and partners.

Today, Navigis' core expertise is in the area of Asset Management, Service Management and Enterprise Modeling.

NAVIGIS ASSET MANAGEMENT helps organizations to identify, control, maintain and verify both tangible and intangible infrastructure assets. The innovative method employed by Navigis establishes an accurate baseline of asset inventory and then manages the assets proactively throughout their lifecycle. And by this, providing financial and operational control as well as forecasting when an asset needs modification or replacement.

This complex task is managed by accounting, verifying and correcting asset utilization within the organization, maintaining efficiency by proactively managing the entire lifecycle of each asset from procurement to disposal, Technology proactively managing cost, contracts, warranties and suppliers, providing the process and data linkages for other disciplines such as Service Management and Systems Management and by providing comprehensive insight into the Total Cost of Ownership of the assets.

The benefits far out weigh the effort in terms of investment of time and money. Through proper accounting of the assets' utilization throughout their lifecycle, the organization gets the ability to make sound business decisions based on accurate and timely data. Efficient management of the assets allows more planned spending and thus reduces surplus cost. Accurate information on the assets and its utilization makesthe infrastructure investment more transparent to the board members and shareholders. The productivity of the organization and the various departments can be measured accurately to improve management of assets including TCO, budgets and chargeback. Most importantly, with better management of assets, downtime can be controlled and greater cost efficiency achieved, translating to better service for customers and a competitive edge in the face of a changing and growing market environment.

NAVIGIS SERVICE MANAGEMENT is designed to establishand maintain a strong interface between an organization and its customers. It provides accurate feedback on all customer-service issues giving business intelligence to continuously improve service performance and responsiveness.

Most importantly, this involves the introduction of a Service Management Centre such as a Help Desk or Call Center toact as a central contact point for handling business and customer related issues. The benefits of the Service Management Centre are for both the organization and the customers.

The Navigis Service Management Centre works by establishing a point of contact between the customers and the organization. Through a central service management point, a service related call can be tracked throughout its lifecycle. It also provides an interface for many customer related activities including asset management, change request and maintenance contracts among others. This keeps the customers satisfied, but more than that, brings together the resources of the organization together to bette rserve the customers. The entire infrastructure of the organization is utilized to keep the service level high through Navigis's innovative Service Management.

NAVIGIS ENTERPRISE MODELING is a unique and innovative methodology developed by Navigis to construct a complete transparent visual architecture of an organization that links business processes, organization, IT assets and data stream flow, essentially a working model of the organization.

The approach developed by Navigis is the first of its kind to meet the growing demand for such a decision making tool that organizations need to assess the value of infrastructure investments or varying business processes before making critical decisions.

Navigis Enterprise Modeling analyses and assesses all the variable of Infrastructure Management from business process management, human resources, sales and marketing, service and support, development and production, finances and even vendors. By simulating "what if" scenarios, bottlenecks, inefficiencies and other weaknesses can be identified and the necessary recommendations to address them can be made.

The Navigis Enterprise Modeling works by first building a transparent simulation or model of an organization to get an overall view of it, through simulation. Navigis' approach identifies and isolates processes and structures that can be improved. Looking at the company on a "as is" basis and evaluating "what if" scenarios, it is possible to determine the best course of action for each issue. Identifying the changes necessary for the situation to go from "as is" to "to be", is made simple. The model also evaluates the activity-based-costing for direct and indirect costs for the recommended changes. Based on these simulations, a written audit is provided on how and where the improvements must be made, in line with the organization's business strategy.

The advantage provided by the Navigis Enterprise Modelingis that it enables the organization to discover areas for improvements in terms of streamlining operations, increasing efficiency and minimizing cost. It also provides a clear view on inter and intra departmental functions and interactivity. The simulation also follows the progress of the company for a period of time if current methods of doing business prevail or if the recommended improvements are implemented. Mr. Sidebottom, the CEO says, “Navigis takes decision making to a higher level. We offer transparency and accuracy to the decision making; for executives that is priceless.”

"The decision making process in most organization is basedon the experience of the senior executives supported by some reports, but with Navigis' Enterprise Modeling solution it provides the tool to see the specific results of certain decisions. A case study, we worked with this organization recently which involved an employee that was over skilled for the activities assigned. By reassigning the employee to proper activities, the savings resulted to RM1.6 million a year. By simulating the scenario, the impact of the decisionwas clear to the customer," says Mr. Sidebottom.

Organizational Intelligence is an important aspect in ensuring that an enterprise is operating efficiently. Information must be disseminated efficiently without getting lost in pockets of information. Pockets of information in an enterprise are a result of outdated processes or isolated applications that do not integrate with the total infrastructure of the organization. Navigis remedies this by improving and linking processes and technology in the enterprise. By linking the right people with the right information on time, Navigis' solutions improve the business intelligence of the executives of the organization.

Most organizations have incorporated technology in various business processes, but the mere automation of old processes through digital technology does not really help. It does not mean that the organization is using the best practices most suitable to it or the environment it is operatingin. Navigis provides the expertise in analyzing the processes in the current environment and advising on the most suitable best practices for the organization.

Many corporations invest on information technology but most often they do not see significant improvement. The reason, investment in technology is often under utilized resulting in lesser than desirable returns on investment. Navigis' solutions bring current and relevant best practices to the organization to improve upon the utilization and the return on IT investment.

Navigis' innovative Enterprise Modeling solutions using cutting-edge technology is unique and probably the only one of its kind provided by enterprise solutions providers. Commenting on Navigis' potential in the global market Mr.Sidebottom said, "We want Malaysia to be proud of what we are doing here at Navigis. I have had the luxury of working in the market in the U.S. Asia Pacific and Europe, but what we are doing here is really unique. The services that we offer truly have a global potential."

Partnering with industry leaders for both hardware and software with proven expertise in business process management in specific industries, Navigis' solutions have a global market. The company is optimistic it will expand to markets outside Malaysia and be able to capture a fair share of the US$20 billion enterprise solutions market worldwide.