Implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and projects are no easy tasks. With many moving parts and personnel involved in the mix, the process becomes all the more daunting. To help avoid common pitfalls and offer some considerations, Software Advice, a trusted resource and advisory firm for ERP software buyers, recently conducted an analysis of 22 failed implementation projects and looked into the most common reasons for failure in this e-book.
The e-book notes that ERP implementation failure can often be attributed when one or more of the following key goals are not met:
- On-time implementation
- On- or under-budget implementation costs
- Minimal disruption to business operations
- Improved organizational efficiency
- Reduced operating costs
- Increased sales or revenue
One main takeaway from these is that “ERP implementation rarely fails because of the software itself,” as only 18 percent of the failures included in the study were due to buggy software.
To avoid implementation failure, it’s best if the organization take the time to do due diligence and fully research the ERP system, have personnel, particularly consultants completely understand the client’s needs and have a trusted vendor give you a realistic view of the system’s capabilities.
Implementing an ERP solution takes time, so it’s worthwhile to test drive the software and plan ahead for your IT team to prepare for the implementation and additional customizations and decisions that may need to be made at a later date.
Forrest Burnson, Software Advice’s Market Research Associate puts it best: “Regardless of the platform you select, the principles of a proper implementation remain the same: Know what you need and know what you're buying; get buy-in from all of the relevant stakeholders in your organization; make sure to actively involve your IT team in the implementation and listen to their concerns; understand that the software alone will not fix your business's problems—often your business will have to adapt to the software, not the other way around.”
To learn more about how WebSan Solutions can help your ERP implementation process, download our free ERP Whitepaper or take our ERP Assessment.
Click here to download our free ERP whitepaper Click here to take our free ERP Assessment
Linz Tan, Web Marketing Assistant, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence