Months ago, you determined to replace your antiquated systems and stand-alone solutions. And now you await the final step of implementing an ERP system.
This decision to implement may have been the result of a realization that your existing system could no longer support your future vision for your company.
At a deeper level, this decision is based on a vision to not just replace a system, but rather to transform your business.
The ERP project team has spent many months planning, then working on the implementation of your selected software.
Hopefully, you’ve taken a break to appreciate the accomplishment and let your team catch their collective breath.
Now the real work begins as you head into the final step of implementing an ERP system.
You’ve built the foundation for your business transformation, now the challenge going forward is to leverage this state-of-the-art software tool to achieve the return required to pay for your efforts to date and take the business to an exponentially higher level.
Creating the environment for this transformation journey is critical.
Creating Guiding Vision
As you begin this transformation journey, take some time to remove your leadership team from their daily challenges and define a guiding vision for your firm.
Do you want to be the low-cost leader in your market or the high value/potentially higher cost competitor? Is flexibility important? How rapidly do you want to grow your business?
Do you want to move into new markets or consolidate within your existing market?
Take the time needed to think this through, as a clearly defined vision will significantly assist all levels of your team as they strive to convert this vision into day-to-day actions.
Taking the last step?
Get moving! Download a roadmap for business process improvement.
Setting Clear, Succinct Goals
Our team of independent ERP consultants advises teams to define the vision with simple, clearly defined goals. Too many companies create annual goals that may be unachievable or confusing.
Think about your corporate goals like a New Year’s Resolution. Research shows that only 8 percent of individuals actually achieve their New Year’s Resolutions. That’s a pretty clear indication that the approach most people use is not working.
Some of you may remember the book by Stephen R. Covey, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” This book stressed that effective individuals can break down their lives into habits (areas of personal activity) that when properly addressed can result in both private and public success.
These concepts can also be applied to organizations. Create a limited number of both internal and external goals. Assure that these goals are clear and succinct, so they can be communicated throughout the organization without losing their meaning.
During the Business Process Improvement phase of your ERP software selection project, you created a listing of all the opportunities the new ERP system would help you to realize. Now is the time to pull it out and translate these opportunities into clearly defined goals.
This is a key final step of implementing an ERP system.
Considering the Final Step of Implementing an ERP System? Learn More
As we’ve noted, these efforts are the real work as you head into the final step of implementing an ERP system.
We’ll address additional steps in an upcoming blog post.
View the ERP case study library to get a first-hand account of successful projects led by our team.
Contact Ultra to consider your strategies.
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