The Challenge

The Draper Approach

Results Realized

The Challenge

Draper & Associates (D&A) was engaged by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) to develop and implement a re-organization and re-engineering plan to address the findings and recommendations presented in the Management Review conducted by Draper & Associates on behalf of the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget.

The Draper Approach

Given the large scale of this critical initiative, the Draper team realized that a substantial amount of planning effort was required to ensure that the different projects required to address the findings were accomplished in a logical, organized and timely manner. As such, the Draper team developed a detailed Implementation Plan that was presented to the executives and Board of the Commission.

The Plan entailed the development of re-engineering teams which were led and facilitated by Draper consultants. Each team was responsible for researching and analyzing all processes associated with the respective functional area. The teams redesigned the major processes of the Commission, identified resource requirements, developed the required structure to perform the processes and oversaw the implementation of the initiatives developed by the team. The functional areas of the Commission were divided into seven re-engineering teams that included:

• Marketing/Sales: Re-organize the three separate functions of the Commission into a coherent whole with the intention of developing products and services that can be offered and seamlessly maintained from a centralized organization. The team developed a Commission-wide Marketing Department and the structure required to perform the needed marketing functions. Additionally, the team developed and presented a Strategic Marketing Plan to provide the Commission the direction required.

• Financial Aid Operations: Design and implement a new business process that will include applying new technology and methods to supercede existing legacy systems. The team reviewed all core operational processes and oversaw the consolidation of three separate operating units into one functionally aligned business unit. Ensured that all operational processes are designed with a customer focus to ensure the Commission provides a high level of service to its' constituents.

• Customer Relations: Define customer-driven performance metrics so that the Commission can link them to individual functions within the organization and adopt them as their new minimum internal performance measures. The team developed and coordinated a set of standards for implementation Commission-wide that are customer-driven. The team examined and refined Call Center processes to minimize caller transfers and ensure consistent and timely response to information queries.

• Information Technology/Systems: Defined the systems, processes and supporting structure required to deliver a high level of customer service to internal and external customers relative to Information Technology/Systems. The team recommended and implemented major structural changes to the IT/Systems Division based upon the business processes of the Department.

• Corporate Finance: Re-define the overall budget structure and process, to provide more meaningful, accurate and timely information.

• Commission Administration: The team defined all of the functions comprising elements of Commission Administration and defined the processes required to consistently deliver a high level of support services to both internal and external customers. The team also developed project plans for three key initiatives in areas of regulations and directives, training development and administration, and procurement.

• Claims/Collections/Compliance: Analyzed all of the processes required to perform the claims, collections and compliance functions and redesigned the processes to ensure the Commission was performing in an efficient and effective manner. Developed and implemented technology enhancements to reduce the administrative burden associated with these functions. Additionally, consolidated these function from three separate business units into one Department.

Each reengineering team was responsible for providing recommendations for structure, policy or process improvements and the short-term initiatives were implementing during the reengineering phase of the engagement. A final report for each reengineering team was presented that included longer-term initiatives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the functional area of the Commission. For each of these projects, the Draper team developed supporting planning documents and schedules to facilitate their implementation. The Draper consultants provided project management services to the Commission for 14 other major initiatives that were identified during the management review and during the implementation phase of the engagement. Some of the more significant initiatives included:

• HOPE Invoicing System - conceptual planning, initial development, beta testing and state-wide roll out of a new system for the invoicing and disbursement of HOPE funds.

• Application Standardization - leading a team to consolidate the many applications for loans, scholarships and grants into a single, electronic, interactive application process to improve customer service, ensure data integrity, accelerate the transfer of information, centralize eligibility verification and reduce the administrative burden of the process.

• GAcollege411 Implementation - project managing the implementation of a new online service for high school students to assist in the college selection and application process.

• School Visits Coordination - planned and managed the visitation of the new Executive Director of the Commission to all colleges and universities throughout Georgia.

• Management Reporting - developed the structure and the process required to create a consolidated management reporting system for the entire Commission.

• Strategic Planning - facilitated the development of a Commission-wide strategic plan and assisted in the presentation to the Board of Directors.

• New Product Development - performed the financial analysis and facilitated the implementation of new product offerings from the Commission including loan consolidations and a new borrower benefits program.

• IVR - facilitated a team to implement a new IVR phone system to provide a higher level of service to the Commission's customers and improve the efficiency of the Call Center.

• Claims Analysis - conducting a detailed analysis of the claims denied in the Commission and led a team in determining, analyzing and addressing the root causes of bad debt in the organization resulting in a dramatic decrease in the claims denied.

• File Data Maintenance - recommending and assisted in the implementation of a new department in the Commission charged with ensure data integrity across the multitude of systems used throughout the Commission.

Results Realized

Upon substantial completion of the reorganization/reengineering, the Georgia Student Finance Commission had been significantly altered from it's original state. The organization had organization had moved from a silo mentality to a "one company" focus intent upon presenting a united face to the market place, providing products and services incorporating the best features of all the Commission's components. The goal was to empower the Commission to compete effectively in the market place on an on-going basis, which would lead to sustained improvement in financial performance on a sound fiscal basis.

The professional from Draper & Associates allowed the Commission to push forward many significant changes that would have not been viable given the resource constraints of the organization. Additionally, the many of the project management practices adhered to by Draper & Associates have been incorporated into the organization allowing it to continue improve and adapt to change.