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ERP Upgrade vs. ERP Migration: 3 Tips from “The Walking Dead”

ERP Upgrade vs. ERP Migration: 3 Tips from “The Walking Dead”

ERP upgrade tipsLearn 3 ERP Upgrade Tips from Zobmies

As an ERP consultant that helps customers with ERP upgrading, implementations, training and support, it’s easy to see parallels to an ERP upgrade and real or pretend life. If you are like many these days, you’ve discovered the joy of Netflix and binge watching tv shows one after the other. In between servicing my clients and working on ERP upgrades, I've spent the last couple of weeks binge watching “The Walking Dead” and I see several similarities to ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning Software) upgrades. I highly doubt the producers of the show ever thought would be made. I’ll list 3 of them I noticed this week. I hope this is entertaining and useful to you if you watch the “Walking Dead” like me or are considering whether or not to go through another ERP upgrade or invest in purchasing a new ERP system A.K.A. an ERP migration.

ERP Upgrade Tip #1: Your outdated ERP is just like a “Walker”

In the show, the zombies are called “Walkers.” (More about "The Walking Dead" here.) Some characters are so attached to a person they knew while they were alive, they believe they can’t live without them and they keep them even after they've “turned” into a “walker.” This always has disastrous results and usually ends up with the live person being eaten by the zombie they've kept. (Gross, yeah, but I just can’t stop watching.)

ERP Upgrading Lesson?

Once your ERP has turned into a walker, your business won’t stay alive if you continue to cling to it.

ERP Upgrade Tip #2: People want it to be “Like it used to be before the “Walkers”

Granted, nobody likes change even though change is the only constant in our lives.  Different guest stars are forever lamenting for and attempting to get their old lives back. They try to “wait out” the zombie apocalypse with the result often being them being eaten. Yeah, if you guest star on this show, it’s a lot like being a “Red Shirt” on the original Star Trek. (Learn about it here.) The lead character stays alive by adapting to the new environment.

ERP Upgrading Lesson?

Do you think your competition is adapting? Actually, whether they are or not, your company needs to adapt to the latest technology or be eaten, well, figuratively, by your competition.

ERP Upgrade Tip #3: Kill the "walker" silently by stabbing it in the brain; noise attracts more "walkers."

The only sure way to finish off a walker is stabbing or shooting them in the brain.  Even cutting off the head doesn't detour them. You also want to minimize noise, it attracts more walkers. Shooting them is a last resort with stabbing them in the brain a better option, even though a gross one.  (This is usually when I pause the show thinking I should do something more constructive, but then I hit play again.)

ERP Upgrading Lesson?

If your employees are complaining about the outdated software they’re running, it will surely attract more complaints & well, I think you know what gross thing comes next. Better to put the old system out of its (and your) misery.

Who knew that watching this very intense fictional show could be so enlightening? I’m sure the Producers did, or at least hoped. It’s what makes it so addictive to watch it. If only talking to people about their ERP systems was so entertaining but I’m working on it.

Complete Programmed Accounting, Inc. (CPA, Inc.), was founded  in 1992 with the following mission statement: “The ability to take advantage of the power of timely information lies in the successful implementation of complete, appropriately configured and properly installed financial and management computer systems.”

Complete Programmed Accounting is an ERP & CRM Integration Specialist in the central Indiana area with over 20 years of experience supporting SYSPRO ERP, SYSPRO CRM, TRAVERSE ERP, TRAVERSE CRM, Platinum for DOS, and Platinum for Windows, where your support is our service.

Contact Completed Programmed Accounting at: (317) 290-8702.  Email:  sales@cpa-inc.com. The Complete Programmed Accounting Web site is located at:  www.cpa-inc.com

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Another version of this blog was previously posted on November 6, 2014 on CPA, Inc’s BLOG site:  "ERP Upgrading, 3 Similarities To "The Walking Dead"

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