Project schedules are equally important to ERP initiatives as implementation budgets. Some companies try to back-schedule an ERPNext project by establishing an implementation go-live date and then attempting to schedule interim (and often unrealistic) milestones. This usually results in insufficient attention to details and carelessly completed tasks.
An effective project plan starts with a kick-off meeting and logically progresses to a go-live conclusion. Tasks should be properly resourced and scheduled, in man-day increments, with no task exceeding 15 days. At the end of each task, a meaningful deliverable should be presented for evaluation by the project manager.
The project schedule is the foundation of a successful ERP Software implementation; it should be developed and monitored carefully. The schedule should be updated weekly to reflect real-time activity and progress, and regularly reviewed by both the project manager and senior management.
Training and Education
The last reason for job card software failure that we are going to look at in this article is a double-edged sword: lack of training and education. Many companies confuse – and under-fund – both tasks.
Traditional training, initially provided by the software vendor, is essential to successful hvac service software implementations. For obvious reasons, end users need to have working knowledge of the selected software package to feel confident when performing their jobs.
There are two ways to approach this. One is have the vendor provide all of the training. The alternative is to take a “train the trainer” approach where the vendor trains a few individuals who then train the rest of the staff. The latter approach minimizes the stress on your implementation budget while developing expert users who tend to claim ownership of the process. There are no rules of thumb, however, in time or percentage of implementation budget, to determine how much training is required.
Successful field service management software implementations stress staff training. They provide training sessions regularly throughout the project, with special concentration during the weeks just prior to implementation.
Education is different than training and provides staff with the knowledge of the methodology behind their activities. Members of the management team, master production schedulers, shop foremen or even cost accountants won’t be effective unless they understand the concepts required to do their jobs in an ngo accounting software environment.
You can’t rely on the software vendor to perform the task of educating your workforce. In fact, the education step should really begin prior to package selection. This allows key staff to correctly evaluate your company’s processes as they relate to the software requirements and each vendor’s offerings. For companies who miss this early opportunity, education should be completed prior to the new software configuration.
Make the commitment to educate yourself and your staff on how you need the business to perform and consider outside help if needed. For example, successful manufacturing software education programs have been developed in conjunction with professional organizations such as The Association for Operations Management (APICS) and independent consultants who specialize in operations management education.
Taking Responsibility Leads to Success
Now that we’ve outlined some of the real reasons why ehs software implementations fail (some say up to 50 per cent or more), it’s time to ask: Whose failure is it?
None of the points discussed here are technical issues related to software. An overwhelming number of ERP system failures are caused by lack of attention to the critical management issues discussed above. Even the “right” software will fail under similar circumstances. Blaming or changing your ERP system is simply a way to divert attention from the execution mistakes made as a result of human – rather than technology – error.
To rescue a failing CRM Software project, start by taking corrective action. Before throwing out your current system (or worse, letting it spin into oblivion), evaluate what steps were followed (or not followed) to bring you to your present situation. Use the key points in this article to make sure you understand why the system is failing. And be prepared to do whatever it takes to reverse the current course of action.
There are times when the software is really not appropriate for a particular environment. Even then, the reason for failure is not the software. Rather, it is the lack of due diligence by the company before buying it. While software mismatch does occur, as this article points out, those instances are not as common as business managers believe.
Companies regularly use ERP systems to improve competitive advantages; raise customer service levels; increase productivity and plant utilization; and reduce inventories. With the right implementation strategy, yours can too!
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