Hiring an outside consultant can be very useful when you are trying to evaluate and select new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.
What follows are some examples what a consultant brings to the table: Documentation of current business processes.
I most cases, companies think that they know their business processes but there are many things that they do not really understand.
A business consultant has the time and vision to force companies to really thinkthis through.
With double digit growth documenting business processes is pretty low on the list.
Benefit - A thorough understanding of current processes, weaknesses and areas where software support is needed.
With small companies, you are not going to be doing modifications to the software.
You must re-engineer your business processes to make the software work effectively.
Experience.
With software companies, you may get some help with the implementation process, but it could be with a guy right out of college.
They may really know the software, but they do not have the "on the floor" manufacturing and distribution experience to marry the manufacturing environment with the ERP package.
Benefit - Better match between business processes and software.
There will many changes to the business processes.
Software implementers are not likely to fully understand and lead these changes.
Understanding data conversion becomes a big deal! It takes someone with IT system background and has the "on the floor" operations experience ( BOM's, Routings, Inventory, etc.
).
Data cleanup and process discipline need to be put in place BEFORE the software implementers come on site.
Benefit - Cleaner & quicker data conversion.
Smoother transition to the new software package.
Process and software discipline in place from day one.
Limited resources.
Many small companies do not have someone that knows how to put an effective project plan together.
With an ERP implementation this is critical! Benefit - Providing all company management with an understanding and vision of an ERP implementation is crucial.
The success of the project will be highly dependent on company leadership.
The sooner all managers have a common understanding and vision of the project the more successful they will be.
Pre-planning.
There are a number of things that need to be done prior to a software implementer coming on site.
Without these things in place prior to software implementation, the longer the implementation takes and the more difficult post implementation becomes.
Benefit - Quicker & smoother implementation.
Fewer post implementation problems.
In fact, the Faster, more effective implementation could well pay a good portion of theconsulting fees!
What follows are some examples what a consultant brings to the table: Documentation of current business processes.
I most cases, companies think that they know their business processes but there are many things that they do not really understand.
A business consultant has the time and vision to force companies to really thinkthis through.
With double digit growth documenting business processes is pretty low on the list.
Benefit - A thorough understanding of current processes, weaknesses and areas where software support is needed.
With small companies, you are not going to be doing modifications to the software.
You must re-engineer your business processes to make the software work effectively.
Experience.
With software companies, you may get some help with the implementation process, but it could be with a guy right out of college.
They may really know the software, but they do not have the "on the floor" manufacturing and distribution experience to marry the manufacturing environment with the ERP package.
Benefit - Better match between business processes and software.
There will many changes to the business processes.
Software implementers are not likely to fully understand and lead these changes.
Understanding data conversion becomes a big deal! It takes someone with IT system background and has the "on the floor" operations experience ( BOM's, Routings, Inventory, etc.
).
Data cleanup and process discipline need to be put in place BEFORE the software implementers come on site.
Benefit - Cleaner & quicker data conversion.
Smoother transition to the new software package.
Process and software discipline in place from day one.
Limited resources.
Many small companies do not have someone that knows how to put an effective project plan together.
With an ERP implementation this is critical! Benefit - Providing all company management with an understanding and vision of an ERP implementation is crucial.
The success of the project will be highly dependent on company leadership.
The sooner all managers have a common understanding and vision of the project the more successful they will be.
Pre-planning.
There are a number of things that need to be done prior to a software implementer coming on site.
Without these things in place prior to software implementation, the longer the implementation takes and the more difficult post implementation becomes.
Benefit - Quicker & smoother implementation.
Fewer post implementation problems.
In fact, the Faster, more effective implementation could well pay a good portion of theconsulting fees!
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