The rule of thumb when choosing ERP software system is to ask the vendor for examples from their portfolios to find what strategies their past clients had. Finding the right program is very important but what is crucial for effective work is the implementation of the software.
The implementation procedure has been described in hundreds of pages online and on printed copies. Understanding each strategy described in hundreds of articles and choosing the best solution can be very difficult for everyone. This is a guide with some simple basic rules to follow. Here there are the most important pieces that will help you choose the best implementation process for your business. That's why this article points out three of the most important ERP implementation strategies.
The Big bang implementation refers to the situation when all users switch to the new system on a scheduled date in a single instance. This can lead to reduced costs and increased productivity. Of course there is a huge need for previous training of the employees who will work with the new systems. Their experience with the old system can be used in the implementation process to customize the new system according to the new needs of the business. There is a huge need for innovation or at least the customization of the solution. Any ERP software system has a limited amount of customization that can be done, thus creating the need for the business to choose another one or to ask for an upgraded version from the actual version that costs more money.
Phased rollout this can be used by companies that don't want to spend a lot of money on training. The changes are scheduled over a period of time thus giving the chance for the users to get acquainted with the new system in small steps. The learning curve can be easier for the employees. They have the chance to learn the right way from the development team. Businesses that choose this strategy can keep the activity running on the old system and slowly migrate to the new one. These series of steps can have positive effects on the activity.
Parallel adoption can be adopted by companies that need both systems running in the same time. They have a small team trained to work on the new system that can help and supervise the implementation of the new ERP system. This team can train all the personnel from that company with very low costs. These way users learn how to use the new system while still using the old one.
There is no standard strategy for all business models. Any company has its way of doing business and choosing just one strategy from those mentioned above can have negative effects on the way they work. During the implementation period these strategies can mingle without the risk of stopping the activities or creating hick ups in the workflow.
