Reporting in a Complex Hierarchical Structure

In large organisations with a multilevel hierarchical structure, there must be a clear division of responsibilities between roles to ensure high efficiency and performance. This is especially true for companies in the food industry, which is heavily regulated. The ever-present demand to comply with increasingly strict food safety, food quality, and security standards as well as to satisfy growing customer expectations puts pressure on all levels of such organisations. Of course, that pressure varies depending on the role and place in the hierarchy, as do the needs it creates. Let's analyse those needs as understanding them is crucial for equipping organisations to respond to these demands and, therefore, for relieving the strain they put on decision-making personnel.

Different organisational roles require different information and tools to complete their tasks. Whether it be an internal or even external technician, a mid-level manager, or a high-level executive, they are likely to rely on information obtained from audit reports for at least some of their responsibilities. Making sure that everyone in the organisation receives precisely those pieces of information they need exactly when they need them presented in a way that suits them and the brand best is a complex challenge. Fortunately, it is a challenge that is easily overcome by adopting a tailored approach to creating and distributing audit reports. 

The Challenges of Customisation

The traditional alternative, however, is even less efficient as reporting isn't a 'one size fits all' kind of process. Distributing a single report throughout the organisation leaves all recipients with the same information, most of which might be unnecessary for their varying roles. This forces them to comb through unimportant details looking for those that matter to them, which is, again, very inefficient. 

Customisation Through Automation

Smart digital solutions that fully and completely seamlessly integrate with the organisation's existing infrastructure enable automation of all the organisation's processes, including building tailored audit reports. Thanks to a high level of integration which includes all pertinent data, delivering personalised information on time and in the desired format to every report recipient goes from a tedious, hardly rewarding task that takes weeks or more to a simple automated action of the system that takes no additional effort on the part of anyone in the organisation.

In short, one single function - automated reporting - enables complete customisation throughout the reporting process, delivers myriad benefits for the organisation, and sets the foundation for new processes which can further elevate the company. Let's review some of the most important advantages of this function.

Keeping up with the Recipients

Customisation begins with knowing the target audience and understanding their unique needs. Only, in this case, it is the system that knows what every recipient needs thanks to the aforementioned integration. The type of report each recipient gets, the level of detail reach report contains, even the language in which it is written - all that data can be integrated with the system based on the organisation's hierarchical structure. Once the audit has been completed, the system automatically and immediately generates and distributes the reports among the predetermined recipients. With that, the company saves an incredible amount of time and manpower that can now be used on many other pressing matters.

• Broad-Spectrum: Some recipients, for example, the auditors themselves, need to receive the full audit report containing all information collected during the audit. While creating an all-encompassing report manually would require too much time and effort, with the help of a smart auditing solution, the auditor can dispatch such a report simply by completing the audit and be sure that it is accurate and completely transparent.

• Technical Content for Defect Resolution: Technicians and other recipients responsible for resolving any detected defects and solving tickets don't need an all-encompassing report. What they do need are as many details as possible relevant to the defect for which they are responsible. For example, if an internal technician is tasked with maintaining coffee machines in a coffee and pastry franchise, the information they will find valuable is the location of any coffee machines that need servicing, their serial number in the organisation's system, the description of the defect, required tools and spare parts, etc. The report they receive accommodates that need. Post-audit, their report is automatically created and sent for every defect detected during the audit, which means they immediately know where to go and what to do. This immensely speeds up defect resolution and significantly shortens any downtime due to unresolved tickets.

• Dynamic Dashboard: Perhaps the best example of automation and customisation together at work, the dynamic dashboard offers invaluable insights into the organisation's performance at all levels. Automatically generated from any number and type of audit reports, it allows each user to access a detailed performance overview relevant to their role in the organisation. So, what exactly does that mean? Put simply, it means that a single dashboard consists of multiple levels that are dynamically tailored to the unique needs of all users with access. For example, a sales manager, branch manager, and general manager all have access to different levels of the same dashboard, and therefore different information. This ensures that every user receives the data they need without being overburdened by details irrelevant to their role. As a result, analytical and decision-making processes at all levels are much more streamlined.