Not including an industry-specific solution in the decision-making process (if relevant)
When choosing an free job card management software solution, executives often overlook the fact that “there are a lot of very good small software companies that support specific industries with specialized needs, such as pharmaceutical distribution,” says Canes. And these specialized vendors/solutions “may provide more industry-specific features [and] software customization,” which may be a better fit for your business.
Being dazzled by features
“Features are important, but they aren’t everything,” notes Nathan Brown, CTO of EVS, a provider of warehouse management systems. “Too often, an organization selects the manufacturing software that has the longest features matrix.” Instead, businesses should consider the solution’s “industry success history, customization, flexibility and integration ability,” as well as customer support, in addition to how well the solution addresses the organization’s needs/requirements.
Implementing the system at once (or trying to)
“ERP systems are complex, and it is not possible to determine all the implementation requirements up front, then implement the CRM Software system, train users and go live,” says CEO of cloud ERP platform VersAccounts. “This is the traditional waterfall model of implementation and it does not work. Instead a more agile approach needs to be taken, [where] implementation [is] done in small steps with end-user involvement at every step to determine requirements, test, find gaps and then repeat.”
Ignoring change management
“Change management is an absolute requirement when implementing a new ERP solution,” states Jeff Carr, founder and CEO of Ultra Consultants, an independent research and enterprise solutions consulting firm serving the manufacturing and distribution industries. “The ability to effectively manage change may very well be the most important skill that executives, managers and employees need to master. Business transformations through ERP Software will not take place without effectively managing change across three key organizational areas: people, process and technology.”
“All too often, organizations look only at the IT technology to unify, streamline and simplify business operations,” says global head of enterprise application services at Tata Consultancy Services. “While processes and systems require deep analysis, the people factor needs as much careful consideration and strategic planning as the rest. This is even more critical during a cloud field service management software migration.”
Even cloud-based ERP solutions require change management.
“SaaS solutions bring the promise of configurable business processes and more intuitive user interfaces than prior ngo accounting software offerings,” says Frey. “This often leads organizations to assume that organizational change management and training are less important for SaaS projects.” However, “SaaS solutions place greater burdens on clients to adapt current business processes to the software.
“To avoid rework and ensure that end users thoroughly understand the changes that will occur upon go-live, organizations [should] identify necessary process changes early in the implementation project,” Frey recommends. “Additionally, end-user training must consider not only the transactional aspects of a user’s role but also the changing interaction with other users and with systems not part of the new solution. By delivering [appropriate, timely] training, users are likely to accept the new cold storage software solution system at a faster pace and with greater success.”
Not investing in/supporting the implementation team
“[Properly] structuring the internal implementation team and giving it the [necessary] time and resources it needs to carry out the implementation and associated business transformation is one of the most critical steps of a project,” explains Carr. “A successful team requires the right people, with executive buy-in and decision-making power to get the job done. This often means re-assigning the day-to-day responsibilities [of team members],” but doing so can be the difference between a successful rollout and failure.
Not regularly communicating information (especially across departments)
To avoid this problem, “create a project communication plan for all phases of the project,” suggests Dave Goossens, executive vice president of professional services at ERP vendor. Put together “a small core team [composed of individuals from different departments] that communicates and works well with one another and that has influence in the business areas most affected by the new solution. Then make sure they are [kept] fully up-to-date on project progress at all times” and, in turn, keep all those in affected areas up to date.
Not having a maintenance plan
“Implementing an ERP system takes time, but the work hardly stops once the system is successfully in place,” says Beasley. “Businesses should implement a maintenance strategy to ensure workers are aligned on what needs to be done to maintain and improve the job card software system on a regular basis so it doesn’t become out-dated or obsolete.
“Out-dated ERP systems can put companies at risk for security issues and holes in their business processes,” he explains. “Having a set plan and assigning who in the company is responsible for the project and maintenance at a given time will ensure the ERP system is always running smoothly and is up-to-date with the latest applications.”
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