Support for SMEs

We work with many small- and medium-sized organisations and understand the challenges that they face in growing and becoming more competitive in challenging market sectors.

We offer our support and expertise to SMEs directly, and through programs funded and supported by Local Enterprise Offices across Ireland.

Lean for SMEs

We have worked extensively in the introduction of Lean principles to small and large organisations, supporting them to:

  • Identify and eliminate waste in processes
  • Become more effective and efficient
  • Reduce costs and increase competitiveness

The Lean for Micro business programme, supported by Ireland’s Local Enterprise Office network, provides participating organisations with access to up to 5.5 days of consultancy support.

We will provide SME owner/managers with the supports, tools and techniques to:

  1. Diagnose current practices and performance
  2. Develop an improvement plan based on Lean principles
  3. Implement measures to track performance against plan.

Digital for SMEs

The DigitalStart programme provides SMEs with support to obtain expert advice on their digital strategy, with a specific focus on utilising technology and data to:

  • Optimise processes
  • Deliver a seamless customer digital experience
  • Create new value and revenue streams for the business

The areas we can help you with are:

  1. Internal Process Optimisation:
    • Reviewing operational processes and systems to identify improvement opportunities;
    • Eliminating waste by introducing easier, faster processes backed up by automation and/or cloud based digital systems;
    • Processes covered can include any or all business functions from sales, finance, marketing, production, logistics and product development.
    • The review will be based on a Lean approach in combination with the adoption of digital technologies;
    • Review of cyber security risks and recommendations to reduce risk.
  2. Enhancing Customer Digital Experience:
    • Review of current products & services & channels and potential to create a high-quality digital experience for customers;
    • A digital review of the customer journey;
    • Review of cyber security risks and recommendations to reduce risk.
  3. Becoming a Data Driven Business:
    • Review of current key performance data that is used to drive the business and identify gaps and improvement opportunities;
    • Enhancing customer experience by aggregating data in all of it forms across the business.
    • Identifying data sources and potential untapped business value of data.
    • Identification of gaps in business or production data and suggesting ways to improve;
    • Identification of security risks and mitigation strategies;
    • Identification of potential new tools e.g., CRM, Business Intelligence, ERP, Robotics.

For further details on how to access Lean and Digital Consultancy supports we will be happy to talk you through the process of applying to your Local Enterprise Office. Please get in touch.