When it comes to the successful implementation of your new ERP software - the importance of having an ERP implementation team can't be overstated. Businesses need to have a dedicated group of employees to guide the process and provide the necessary information to an ERP partner to make an implementation as effective and seamless as possible. Without an implementation team, it's difficult to reach the level of mutual understanding needed to craft an ERP platform that provides a high return on investment and meets the unique needs of a given company.
Because ERP implementation teams are so important to the success of a new ERP system, businesses need to make sure the right mix of staff is involved. Here are a few tips to guide the creation and work of the team:
1) Make the choices as early as possible:
As soon as a company has made the initial decision to seek out potential new systems, an implementation team should already be in the planning stages. There's work to be done by the team in this situation, and delaying it will cause problems down the road. Depending on existing documentation and how current or dated it is, team members will have to start coordinating efforts to get documentation up to date. This is a system-independent requirement needed for any and all ERP implementations.
Business leaders should place the selection of potential team members among the earliest tasks related to the installation of a new ERP system. With some candidates in mind, it's much easier to move forward and actually form the group. Having possible members selected ahead of time also makes it easier if a given staff member can't join the team - there's already a list of backup candidates available.
2) Don't focus too heavily on titles
Implementation teams need to involve employees across the entire company, from accounts payable and receivable to work floor managers and IT staff. When creating a team and determining candidates, it's important for businesses to not give an employee's official title too much credence. Having a more senior member of a department who has less day-to-day contact with the work processes involved isn't a great decision, for example. In this situation, it makes more sense to bring in a lower-level supervisor who works closely with both employees and the current ERP system on a regular basis.
While position has to be given some attention, it's more important for a team to represent a broad swath of the company and be able to understand what is needed out of a new ERP system. As CIO.com pointed out, staff members who are actively engaged with ERP have more of an incentive to make sure everything gets done right.
3) Involve them in educational efforts
As the ERP implementation process goes along, the team will have the most knowledge of both the process to date and the functionality of the new system. For this reason, it's important to have the team participate in training and learning efforts. Having a staff member speak from a position of experience helps the rest of employees connect more fully with the information being presented.
Implementation team members can also help tap and train the employees who are early adopters of a system during the ERP implementation phase. They can then turn those early adopters into super users who become a valuable educational resource for the rest of the staff. The implementation team will also be able to spot problems with adoption and education in their departments early on. From there, they can provide supplemental training and help make sure that a new ERP system is a success.
4) Choose The Right Partner
Of course it is just as important to choose the right ERP solution and provider to guide you through the implementation. It is important to choose a partner who understands your business and is a good cultural fit. If you are looking for a new ERP solution, The TM Group would love to be your partner. We’ve been guiding organizations through ERP implementations for more than 30 years.
The TM Group
Since 1984, The TM Group has been enabling organizations and their people with CRM and ERP solutions. We will work with your management team and the end users to be sure you get the best return on your investment. Call now and get help with your ERP implementation: 888.482.2864
By Ken Jacobsen, Jr