So what are your odds of having an ERP implementation project completed on-time?  According to The Panorama Consulting Group, they aren’t good.  Their 2010 ERP Report found that 57% of ERP implementations take longer than expected.

They attribute this fact to unrealistic expectations for implementation timeframes and failures to account for key project activities during the implementation planning process.  Whatever the reason, based on these numbers, your odds of “Going Live” on a new accounting and business management solution on-time are less than 50-50.

There are ways to improve your chances though (and you don’t even have to learn how to count cards).  By selecting an implementation partner that knows your business needs, has sufficient resources to support the project, and has a track record of beating these national numbers, you can feel more confident that your ERP software implementation will take place when and how you need it to. 

Socius is an ERP solutions partner that is surpassing the national averages.   In the last year, Socius has also seen the percentage of implementations that were completed past their due date drop from 38% down to 31% – both well below the national average!  Those that did run past their due date were quickly wrapped up – 20% within one week of the original “Go Live” date.

Don’t gamble on your ERP implementation – learn what a reasonable implementation timeframe would be for your business by requesting a complimentary Business Requirements Assessment from Socius today! 

In our previous post, “What a Difference a Partner Makes – Part 2,” we provided some bullet points of how engaging an effective software partner can help you get employee buy-in throughout the implementation process and beyond.    We have a perfect example of how one company put these concepts into action. 

Here is the story of how Neundorfer, an Ohio Clean Tech consulting and manufacturing company, worked with Socius to engage their employees from the beginning of the software selection process to ensure a successful implementation. 

Software Selection based on Business Requirements

From the time they reached out to Socius for assistance in selecting a new ERP software solution, Neundorfer was already including employees from across the organization in their decision making process.  Socius’ first step in any engagement with a new client is to perform a business requirements assessment.  Neundorfer made people from every department from finance and operations to sales and marketing available for Socius to ask questions and determine what their needs really were so that they could suggest the solution that would fit their business best.  Neundorfer ultimately decided on an integrated Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution that would fit the needs of everyone in the organization. 

“Socius listened, they understood our process, they asked a lot of powerful and good questions and then they came up with a solution.”
- Mike Neundorfer, CEO at Neundorfer

Request a complimentary Business Strategy Assessment by Socius

Review Business Processes as a Team

Prior to jumping into the implementation project, Neundorfer partnered with Socius to complete a comprehensive business process review (BPR) which allowed Socius to work with the staff to identify current business processes and develop best practices going forward.  This review was another opportunity for individuals across the organization to make sure that their day-to-day activities were supporting the goals of the organization efficiently.  Neundorfer saw immediate benefits from the BPR including reduced meeting times which resulted in significant cost savings for the company.

“By involving our entire team in the process, getting their feedback and buy-in, we were able to streamline many operations.”
- Jean Ockuly, VP of Finance at Neundorfer

Internal Training Shows Corporate Ownership

A standard part of Socius’ implementation methodology that Neundorfer participated in is the training of the user community.  For this training, Socius trained the project leadership team and was on-hand to contribute subject matter expertise, however, the general user training was conducted by the project team.  Having the project team lead this training proves to the staff that the leaders are invested in the project and the success of the ERP implementation.  This training also gave the project team and Socius the opportunity to test their assumptions and refine the new processes to ensure that the solution worked as it was intended for all users, allowing them to see how their needs were being addressed by the solution prior to “Go Live.” 

Use Technology to Demonstrate the Value of the Individual

Neundorfer has a large computer monitor hanging prominently in their facility that displays sales figures, backlog volume, production costs, and other current data.  Socius showed Neundorfer how they could use their new Microsoft Dynamics GP solution to extract that data and stream it live to the monitors so that employees could refer to it and see how their work to boost sales and minimize costs is affecting the organization in real-time.

  “Across every department, our staff understands the value they add to the company and the importance of their positions and the work they do. They look for ways to improve our operations, and that leads to better quality for our customers.”
- Jean Ockuly, VP of Finance at Neundorfer

Ongoing Engagement through Ongoing Education

Neundorfer continues to keep their employees plugged-in and up-to-date on the latest tools and resources for Microsoft Dynamics GP by encouraging them to participate in educational opportunities that Socius and Microsoft offer.  GP users from Neundorfer are consistently on Socius’ monthly webinars where they learn tips and tricks to enhance their use of the product and improve their organizations results.  Additionally, Neundorfer sent representatives from every department to Socius’ annual Aspire conference so that everyone in the organization could benefit from the knowledge that the attendees brought back.  By having people from various roles participating in these learning opportunities, it not only keeps the employees engaged in and using the software, but it also keeps the partner more involved and gives Socius more opportunities to help Neundorfer continue to make the most of their Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP software.

To hear from the Neundorfer staff why they chose Microsoft Dynamics GP and Socius, watch this video!

The Panorama Consulting Group’s study on ERP software solution implementations that we cited previously also revealed that the biggest challenges facing an ERP system implementation team are:

• Lack of employee buy-in (Biggest challenge for 40% of respondents)
• Lack of ERP experience (Biggest challenge for 33% of respondents)

So the question is: How can THE RIGHT ERP partner prevent these problems from happening?

The Right partner will:

• Get your entire team involved in a business requirements assessment and help you select an Ohio ERP software solution that fits your business, not try to force your business into the solution they want you to buy
• Get the whole team involved in a business process review to make sure everyone is working together to accomplish the company goals most efficiently
• Show you how to pull information out of the Ohio ERP solution and share it so that everyone in the organization understands how their role affects the company
• Provide all users training on the new solution
• Provide ongoing opportunities for individuals across your organization to learn about aspects of the Ohio ERP solution based on their role and level of experience

An example of a company doing it right and setting themselves up for success is Socius Ohio Microsoft Dynamics GP and Ohio Microsoft Dynamics CRM client, Neundorfer Inc., who is leveraging some unique tools to keep their employees engaged and gaining some fantastic results. The information they are pulling from their Microsoft Dynamics GP software has not only saved them time and money, but has also helped to increase employee buy-in. Check out their success story for details!

• 93% of ERP system implementations take longer than expected
• 59% of ERP software implementations cost more than budgeted
• Only 13% were “very satisfied” with their solution

Although these stats reflect very poorly on ERP software solutions, they completely ignore a huge factor in selecting and implementing ERP software: The Partner.  Choosing the best partner for the job can mean the difference between success and failure.

Only 38% of Socius’ Ohio ERP system implementations over the past year have taken longer than expected.  20% of those that were overdue were completed within one week of the originally promised date.

At least 40% of Socius clients whose implementation took longer than expected are still “very satisfied” with their Ohio ERP system anyway. They were willing to take a little longer to make it right. In fact, one Ohio Microsoft Dynamics GP client whose implementation took 2 1/2 months longer than planned is projecting a savings of $560,000 in productivity gains annually – more than making up for the time spent on implementation!  Read their story!