This article will serve as a cautionary tale for businesses seeking to roll out ERP software. Why is ERP software so difficult to deploy? What is the one step to take when considering new ERP software?
An ERP takes all sales, operational, and fulfillment tasks from a company and rolls them into one integrated software and shared database. There are so many benefits to ERP implementation, and, under a software as a service model, ERP is now more affordable than ever.
But the trick with these all-encompassing software rollouts is that they’re usually undertaken with large companies. For these firms, ERP implementation includes decommissioning legacy customized platforms that have been and cobbled together.
While a new streamlined ERP like Microsoft Dynamics is more efficient, it requires companies to both learn new software and change their departmental workflows. It can get messy, especially if leadership fails in their efforts to get stakeholder buy-in.
That’s where we can glean some lessons from last year’s CIO article on some of the most famous ERP implementation failures. Here are some examples – and what we learned from past mistakes:
While these are just three examples, how can organizations capitalize on these mistakes?
In our experience, companies should do one thing even beginning the process of choosing an ERP; bring on a trusted advisor to help roadmap implementation. It’s the best tip we can offer, no matter what software you choose. Not only will you benefit from the experience of an ERP implementation consultant, but you’ll also ensure that end users will not grow so frustrated with the new product that they seek workarounds to your recommended workflows.
IES would like to speak with you about becoming your trusted ERP advisor. We can help you avoid ERP implementation failures. Contact us.