The School Magazine commenced production in 1916 and has been used in NSW Primary Schools as one of the core literacy development and learning materials for students and teachers since then. The collection of four magazines and teaching guides is provided to about 50% of NSW Public Schools on an annual subscription basis. The full range of publications is also available to non-government schools, interstate schools, parents and students by subscription. In total there are about 1120 subscribers.
The primary objectives of the consulting assignment were to undertake a review of the current business processes supporting the management of the subscriber database, subscription order form completion and lodgment, payment processing and account reconciliation, and to recommend improvements to processes to enhance staff productivity. The review also developed a high-level business requirements specification for the seamless integration of front-office and back-office functions, and identified the preferred process for reconciliation of subscriber orders with payments received.
BSR prepared a report and recommendations covering opportunities for process improvement in all functions, mapping of the current Pricing Structure and reconciliation with the Conditions of Sale. BSR also developed a business requirements and technical specification for the electronic processing of orders, specifically documenting the data required to be shared between internal and external systems used in the recording of subscriptions, the receipt of payments and the reconciliation of transactions within the Department’s debtors system, and the fitness for purpose for the continued use of existing IT products.
The review identified considerable savings in staff time and the opportunity to increase annual revenue. Recommendations are being progressively implemented by the Department.