I, Rachael L. Harris, am a Senior Business Strategy & Planning Consultant with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology and Strategic Management.  I received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Loyola University of Chicago and I am the author of “The Executive’s Guide To Strategy & Planning:  Utilizing Information Technology To Gain A Competitive Advantage”.

Prior to becoming an independent consultant, I was a Vice President - Consultant for Bank of America Corporation.  As a resourceful problem-solver, I have consistently resolved crises, streamlined operations, increased productivity, and improved customer satisfaction.  I have been instrumental in determining the strategic business direction of Fortune 1000 companies throughout my career.

I assist business leaders in achieving their goals by performing Strategic Management, Planning, and Training for early stage start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.  I utilize in-depth knowledge of proven business strategies and technological advancements to recommend innovative, custom solutions that eliminate bottlenecks, reduce costs, increase revenue, and provide a competitive advantage to their organization.



PHILOSOPHY

I am dedicated to helping business managers at all levels of the organization recognize the importance of strategic management and information technology as means of improving the business and securing their position in the marketplace.  I enable them to create value for their organization by strategically leveraging technology, people, capital, and processes.

I realize that most businesses fail to achieve their full potential due to inadequate preparation.  The best way to increase your chance for success is by determining the most appropriate means of achieving your goals, before taking action.  This process is defined as planning.  In these tough economic times, every effort should be made to get the most out of your spending and assets.  Proper planning allows you to do that.

Planning is a systematic process that enables business managers to unite around a specific goal, address concerns that interfere with their ability to fulfill the goal, and plot a course of action to achieve the desired result.  To gain optimum value from the planning process, business managers must be able to develop plans that include effective strategies which can realistically be implemented.  To aid in this process, I instruct business managers on ways to avoid the pitfalls of planning, as well as, ways to transition from plan to reality.

My mission is to assist my clients in achieving their strategic business goals by empowering them to more efficiently and effectively manage and use resources; eliminate barriers to success; and proactively pursue business growth and profitability.  I combine extensive research with real-world experience and business acumen to provide superior products, services, and support.  Not only am I driven by a commitment to excellence, integrity, and reliability; my trust-based partnerships are built on honesty, mutual respect, and open communication.

To meet the unique needs of my clients, I perform an in-depth analysis of their business environment and performance.   This allows me to customize products and services to fit them.  Three primary questions that I seek to answer are:

      1.  Whether the company is receiving a satisfactory ROI (return-on-investment) from its spending?

      2.  Whether the company is operating at optimum efficiency and effectiveness?

      3.  Whether the current business environment will be sufficient to meet the company’s needs in the
            future in order to reach its visionary destination?


I am highly proficient at devising strategies and plans to address these critical issues.  I provide the guidance necessary for business leaders to meet the demands and challenges of today’s competitive business arena.  I would like to help you as well.