IMPLEMENTERS AND RE-IMPLEMENTERS

This book deals with how to implement ERP at a Class A level.
Further, it applies to both first-time implementers and to reimplementers,
companies whose first implementation resulted in
Class C or D results and who now want to get the full bang for their
buck. For those of you who’ll be re-implementing, be of good cheer:
Many companies now getting Class A results got there via reimplementation.
The steps involved in a re-implementation are virtually
identical to a first-time implementation; the main difference is
18 ERP: M I H
TEAMFLY
that some of the necessary steps may have already been accomplished
satisfactorily.
Many companies today need to re-implement. Some of these are
companies who, as we saw earlier, thought they were implementing
ERP, but actually were only installing enterprise software. Their
motivations were largely software-driven: Y2K compliance, legacy
systems becoming unworkable, multiple hardware platforms supporting
too many operational systems, etc. The problem is that, in
many cases, the new software was installed but not much else
changed.
Many companies’ ERP implementations in the past started out
with the best intentions in the world. Company S, for example,
wanted to re-engineer and improve processes, to improve the way
they managed the business, and to give far better customer service to
an increasingly demanding customer base. During the implementation,
however, they were overwhelmed by the software. Enterprise
software tends to be highly complex, and complexity can make it
very difficult to install. As the implementation project took longer
and longer, and cost more and more, top management became more
and more impatient. The result: a decision to forget about implementing
better business processes and just get the software running.
Thus, Company S has new software but is still running the business
in much the same old way, and thus they need to re-implement.2
If you’re in this category, this book is intended for you every bit as
much as for the company implementing for the first time.