Long-term partnership success
A typical ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementation project will take several months to commission. The time spent discussing and deliberating your quest to replace your legacy systems or upgrade your operational processes onto a more effective ERP product will be followed by considerable time spent exploring your platform options and the associated long-term ERP partnership.
You will no doubt want to guarantee that the benefits of your implementation will both align with your business strategy and make a statement when it comes to the transformative change you’re aiming for. Therefore, you will also be researching the most suitable ERP implementation consultants to partner on this journey from discovery to delivery, consultants that have a sane approach to project management.
So, with the business case for ERP established, ERP product selected and partner appointed, the implementation process can finally get underway. Over the following months it’ll transition from discovery and planning to design and configuration, from development and testing, to final deployment – and then long awaited go-live. Your data will have been migrated and validated, and your teams will have been appropriately prepared and ready to train other users to begin working in the new system. At this stage the project management team should be giving itself a collective pat on the back for a job well done and then it’s on with the new ERP show.
Deployment isn’t the end
Don’t forget that deployment doesn’t signal the end of an implementation project. ERP implementation is a considerable investment, and the seamlessness of what follows will largely be down to the support network you have in place post-go-live. The ongoing business support your internal resources will receive from your ERP implementation partner will be critical to the long-term viability of your ERP deployment.
That support will take various forms, all of which should be covered by the highly skilled and responsive team of ERP specialists at the start of what should prove to be a healthy and enduring relationship. As part of their remit, these specialists should have made a commitment to be there whenever you call on them, irrespective of the form of support you’ll need.
As your ERP transition evolves, you’ll also want the reassurance of tangible day-to-day support from a dedicated contact who you can trust to work alongside you to ensure everyone gets the most from your investment and that you can maximise your ROI.
If your plan is to implement an end-to-end business management solution that will manage your financials, supply chain and your sales and customer service, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central or Dynamics NAV may well be your ERP product of choice. In which case, you’ll be looking for the support of a Microsoft Gold Partner who’ll give you the confidence you’re partnering a highly competent ERP implementation consultant who’ll be in it for the long haul. You’ll also be assured of your partner’s long-lasting commitment to the Microsoft Dynamics platforms and the security of having a multitude of organisations on side that are willing and able to support you for as long as it takes too.
If you want to talk to a very experienced Microsoft ERP platform partner and discover more about the long-lasting support you’ll receive during and after your ERP implementation, contact the TVision team.
