Projects

Case Study: Streamline workforce and HR operations at Nexim Healthcare Consultants Inc - Ontario, Canada

Context and Challenge:
Nexim Healthcare Consultants Inc is a staffing agency that provides healthcare staff to facilities and homes all over Ontario, Canada. Following a rapid growth of clients and staff mostly influenced by the Covid -19 pandemic, challenges with employee scheduling, time tracking, onboarding, and record management arose. In the beginning of 2023, it became irrefutable that the existing software could not handle the increasing volume demand forcing a much-needed change.

Action Taken:
The company initiated an overhaul of the current system by implementing two interconnected systems: Deputy and BambooHR with me at the forefront of change management. I led in the preparation and support, as well as ensuring all employees successfully adopt changes brought by the new systems and processes.

Results:
With proper communication and stakeholder management, I was able to minimize resistance, boosts engagement, and ensures sustainable transformation. Efficiency of daily workflows was increased by 40% and operational/field staff retention by over 30%. The biggest impact was on schedule tracking which reduced errors by over 60% especially in double booking and shift time errors previously caused by excessive manual entries.

Key Learnings:
The project underscored the importance of thorough system analysis to guide development and highlighted the benefits of applying SOLID and DRY principles for creating adaptable, efficient systems. Effective staff training facilitated a smooth transition to the new system, while continuous improvement efforts based on real-time data and feedback were crucial for optimizing performance and user satisfaction.

Conclusion:
This system transition marked a significant advancement in operational efficiency and responsiveness for Nexim Healthcare Consultants Inc. The project not only enhanced service delivery and customer satisfaction but also improved the agency's financial performance. Additionally, this showcased my capability to lead significant technological transformations and strategic problem-solving in dynamic business environments.

Case Study: Enhancement of the digital Bulk Payment portal to promote accessibility and financial inclusion for underserved communities at Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd (A passion project)

Context and Challenge:
The previous bulk payment system was only disbursing funds to bank accounts but not to TELCO wallets which are more popular and widely used in Kenya; due to low charges and accessibility of TELCO agents where they can deposit and withdraw cash from their mobile wallets. For underserved rural communities with very low daily incomes such as laborers at coffee and tea farms, the costs of accessing bank branches are almost a whole day's wage in time and transportation fees.
However, TELCO companies like Safaricom in particular, have managed to create a widespread agency network known as 'MPESA agents', by partnering with local businesses even as small as local 'corner kiosks'.

Action Taken:
While analyzing and reflecting on the product performance and impact as a product owner in December 2021, I discovered this underserved market and recommended that we leverage the current TELCO Network by modifying our partnership, performing a system integration and plugging into their bulk payment pipeline instead of re-inventing the wheel. This would not only deliver value quickly but also manage costs.

Results:
The enhancement successfully increased mobile bulk payments transactions by over 300% within the first 6 months of implementation and customer base by over 250% within the first year from about 200 to over 500 highlighting a heavily neglected market. This in turn increased the product's revenue by over 200% with the project actually delivering around 10% under budget.
This enhancement also deployed in good time to support disbursement of relief funds from Non-profit organizations to many communities that were gravely affected by the covid 19 pandemic.

Key Learnings:
This project taught me the importance of designing inclusive, user-centric solutions tailored to unique local needs. I gained valuable experience navigating infrastructure challenges and limited resources, which sharpened my problem-solving and adaptability skills. The project strengthened my ability to collaborate across functions and engage stakeholders with empathy and clarity. Ultimately, it reinforced the value of contextual awareness and agile thinking in delivering scalable, sustainable impact.

Conclusion:
This project not only broadened my understanding of the complexities in serving neglected markets but also highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration, and adaptability in overcoming challenges. The experience enhanced my strategic thinking and reinforced the significance of creating solutions that are both scalable and deeply aligned with the needs of underserved communities. Moving forward, I’m equipped with practical insights to drive impactful change in similar projects.

Case Study: Automating and streamlining Digital Loans Reconciliation at Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd.

Context and Challenge:

In November 2017, while working as a new alternative Channels Support Officer I noticed that most client complaints involved incorrect or missing debits and reversal from manual digital loans reconciliation processes. In January 2017, I would be focused solely on the reconciliation process, and I began looking into ways to stream the over 3-hour process that mainly involved manual intervention using Excel worksheets.

Action Taken:

I recommended the creation of an automated where client loan repayments would be uploaded to reconcile against borrowed amounts. The initial step involved engaging with the current reconciliation officer to gather detailed requirements and establish clear objectives. This collaboration was essential for designing the tool, ensuring all pain points were covered. Utilizing a waterfall approach given the simplicity of the deliverable, I led the development of the reconciliation tool, focusing on creating a user-friendly interface that ensured ease of navigation for all users who would interact with it.

Results:

The reconciliation tool reduced the turnaround time from over 3 hours to under 20 minutes while providing an accuracy of over 99%. Customer complaints reduced significantly by over 30% and the trust in digital borrowing grew by over 20% due to increased efficiency in the reconciliation process. The tool reinforced real-time data tracking and exception handling, while also improving reporting transparency and audit readiness. Additionally, the tool unlocked time for me to learn new skills like product and project management, which I later transitioned into and thus reinforcing optimal use of human resources.

Key Learnings:

Automating the loan reconciliation process provided valuable insights into the importance of accuracy, scalability, and efficiency in financial operations. I learned how to identify key data points for automation, collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, and implement rule-based systems that reduced manual effort and human error.

Conclusion:

Automating loan reconciliation not only streamlined financial workflows but also demonstrated the transformative impact of technology in reducing errors, improving efficiency, and enhancing data integrity. This experience reinforced the value of automation in driving operational excellence and informed future approaches to process optimization.