Engaging a software consultant for your ERP implementation will help your team avoid some of the biggest headaches that arise when overhauling such an integral part of your technology stack. Enterprise Resource Planning applications are complex systems that compile and handle a lot of data, making migrations a delicate process that require significant oversight and attention to detail. Working with a certified value-added reseller (VAR) that knows your solution, as well as your business needs and pain points, can make all the difference for implementing your software.
Here are the biggest factors to consider when asking if your ERP implementation needs a software consultant to ensure success:
How a Software Consultant Helps Your ERP Implementation and Beyond
The first step is to step back, and look at the big picture – how would an ERP consultant help, now and in the future? If your team lacks or just needs to scale up more of the below, then working with an experienced VAR is vital.
Knowledge
An ERP reseller with consulting services will have different subject matter experts on staff, knowledgeable in everything from navigating the software’s idiosyncrasies to customizing it to handle your unique industry pain points. Factors like new regulations or seasonality may create roadblocks if your team does not know how to adjust the system to compensate, which is why having an expert that knows how to tweak your application and where is invaluable during deployment.
Experience
An experienced software consultant will not only help you avoid the common pitfalls of an ERP implementation, they will also show you ways to truly get the most out of your solution and maneuver past complexities in the architecture. Leveraging knowledge gained from past deployments allows your partner to be proactive about tailoring the solution to fit your needs, as well as limit projects going beyond schedule or overbudget.
Evaluation
A VAR that has experience with previous software implementations will a better eye for the total scope of the project, both for what your business needs, what the ERP can provide and what your employee user base will need to maximize productivity. Taking advantage of the outside view of an expert will let you gain insight into factors your team might not see right away from the inside, combining the external and internal knowledge of both parties to mitigate risk.
Planning
Leveraging the expertise and experience of a certified ERP consultant lets you take advantage of what they do best – consult on what could happen, what needs to happen and what you need to get there. If you lack internal resources or knowledge to handle potential implementation risks or other factors, then having an expert on-demand will allow you to better see what the final outcome could and should be.
Support
Deploying enterprise-level software is a complex task owing to each application being a complex system that handles a lot of critical data and processes, meaning that ERP implementations are often long-term and ongoing projects. There will often remain more work to be done post go-live, for which having a partner on hand to help with ongoing support cases will be beneficial for solving complex problems.
Customization
Customization is almost a standard practice with enterprise-level software as every business has unique processes and pain points that necessitate performing tweaks – or significant modifications – to functionality to get the most out of its implementation. An ERP consulting service will provide more knowledge and resources for managing these alterations, whether it is adjusting workflows or even making changes to code, which often requires a certified developer.
When an ERP Software Implementation Consultant is Required
There are circumstances where having a VAR partner is useful, and then there are other times where working with a consultant is virtually a requirement if you want to ensure your implementation is successful, completed in the right time frame and does not end up costing you twice as much as you budgeted for.
Recovery Project
If your ERP deployment has not met its objectives (or budget), then it is very important to consider engaging a VAR to help spearhead the recovery project to help mitigate the risks, and align processes with your goals. However, this is also a case where having the right partner is critical to ensuring success.
Incomplete Scope
If your team is having a hard time measuring the full scope of the implementation project accurately, or if you find that the scale continues to change as you account for new factors, then leveraging the external insight of a software consultant is the next logical step for capturing the big picture better.
Lack of Experience
If no one on your team has handled an ERP migration before, then you definitely need to find a partner – even if you do have some implementation experience internally, an expert consultant will still help shore up knowledge gaps that could impede the project.
Integration Required
An often overlooked gap when mapping out implementation scope is whether any integrations will be added, which can have a significant impact on functionality post go-live. A knowledgeable software consultant will be able to help you determine which third-party systems play well with your ERP and optimize the back-end connection.
Legacy ERP Migration
There is a wide gap between legacy systems and modern ERP, namely that the latter will always be cloud-based. This requires a paradigm shift for most businesses, along with new training and other consulting services that a VAR can provide.
How to Get the Best ROI on your Software Consulting Partnership
Even if you have chosen a software consultant to work with, you still want to make sure that you get the most out of your partnership both during and after your ERP implementation, and guarantee your ROI on your solution.
Validate Scope Fully
A consulting firm can help your business measure the ideal scope for your project, but ultimately it is on your team to make the final call on what you want. Take the time to sit down with your stakeholders as well as your VAR, and map out everything from your goals to your existing data to get a clear understanding of the big picture.
Appoint an Internal “Champion”
While you should certainly assembly an internal team to oversee the entire implementation project, you should also choose someone from this number to be your point of contact with your ERP consultant. This “champion” will make sure there is visibility going both ways and nothing drops off the radar.
Communicate Frequently
It should go without saying that contact needs to be maintained with your VAR during implementation, but it can become too easy for minor gaps in communication to snowball into bigger issues to resolve down the line. Keep a dialogue going with your ERP consultant around any potential challenges or concerns, and alert them immediately if anything looks out of the ordinary.
Choose SWK Technologies as Your Software Consultant
SWK Technologies has provided technology solutions and consulting services for over 30 years, with thousands of implementations completed successfully for clients in multiple industries, from manufacturing and distribution to professional services. Get in touch with our team today and learn more about our white-glove software implementation services.
Contact SWK here to find out more about our ERP software implementation and consulting services for Sage 100, Sage Intacct, Acumatica and more.