What is a Gap Analysis and Why Should You Get One?

Reading Time : 4min read
Detailed output from a gap report.

Searching for Complete Visibility 

It’s safe to say technology adoption is having a major moment in the retail and commercial petroleum industry as retailers and logistics experts search for ways to streamline their current processes. Large retailers in particular are leading the shift from managed services to SaaS platforms in an effort to automate their processes while still maintaining control over their data.  

Companies that outsource their services or have multiple platforms for each workflow are finding that these platforms don’t speak to each other, leaving their data siloed. Unintegrated data and platforms can create gaps in information and even hide inefficiencies and warning signs. While consolidating multiple solutions onto one platform can give greater data visibility, many managers find themselves wondering what gaps they should be looking for. So what do you do when you don’t know what you don’t know? You conduct a gap analysis.  

Finding Your Blind Spots 

A gap analysis helps companies and department managers identify holes in their processes and establish a plan to solve for those blind spots. By engaging with a partner such as Titan Cloud to conduct a gap analysis, companies get an outside perspective, which helps spot inefficiencies or concerning trends more easily than managers who are closest to the projects. Titan’s Professional Services team has conducted numerous gap analyses for our customers, ranging from release detection to fuel management projects. Partnering with Titan gives our customers confidence in their processes and results, so they know for sure that nothing is slipping through the cracks.  

A Timeline for Success 

When customers come to us with specific projects or problems they need help solving, our Professional Services team immediately begins working with them to gather information and coordinate an action plan. Every customer receives an Account Manager (or two depending on the scope of the project) who will act as your point person throughout the process. We give our customers the flexibility to choose their level of involvement, so they can be as hands-on as they want. Typically, customers begin with weekly calls with their Account Manager, which can taper off to semimonthly or monthly as time progresses.  

The gap analysis itself takes around one month to complete, giving the Professional Services team time to identify issues, determine scope, and create a plan to solve the problem. By the second or third month our customers start seeing their gaps close and improvements in their processes and department.  

For example, one of the U.S.’s leading fleet and logistics companies was experiencing problems with facility inspections but couldn’t identify the root cause of the issues. They came to us looking for answers, so our Professional Services team worked with their third-party vendors to pinpoint the issue, gather missing information, and bring resolution within a few months. Overall, the gap analysis approach is a much faster and easier path to positive results than if customers tried to solve the problems on their own. 

Move Forward with Confidence 

As retailers consolidate their tech platforms and shift towards SaaS solutions, they may miss critical gaps in their processes.

“Many managers do a fantastic job of keeping up with changes, but some things do fall through the cracks. A gap analysis can uncover some things you just didn’t think of,” stated Jon Marinas, Titan’s SVP of Compliance Services. 

That’s why Titan Cloud is proud to offer Professional Services that help our customers find solutions to problems, so they can run more efficient, profitable businesses.

Interested in Getting a Gap Analysis for Your Company? 

Get in touch with your account manager and one of our specialists will reach out to discuss how we can help.

Brent Puzak

VP of Solutions Consulting

Brent brings 25 years' industry experience to Titan Cloud as the Vice President of Solutions Consulting. He led environmental shared services for a global retail chain with over 9,000 locations, moving through numerous leadership positions. Brent's diverse background and knowledge allows him to take a strategic approach to addressing complex industry challenges.

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Man and woman addressing fuel supply chain operations.