Today's companies rely on their ERP when launching new campaigns and initiatives. This robust software solution can streamline your operations, help you reduce costs, and grow your business. The most advanced ERP software system can't provide all its benefits if you don't take advantage of its features. 

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) provides the platform to automate, integrate, and digitize business processes. An effective ERP system offers multiple benefits to help with overall business performance and help your organization with its digital transformation.

However, despite all these compelling reasons why organizations select, implement, and operate ERP, the track record is not good. According to a researcher, 40% of all ERP implementations or extensions perform below expectations, and 20% are scrapped as complete failures. Depending on the definition of “failures,” the latter figure could be as high as 50%.

How can you improve your ERP implementation? Here are 3 tips for success.

1. Top-down Involvement Is Key to Success

Implementing an ERP system is more than just an IT project. It is a business-wide strategy to unlock multiple benefits for stakeholders. Its drivers and business objectives are firmly rooted in the business. It has a significant impact on its people, processes, and culture, so it is essential to have the right approach and attitude when embarking on this journey.

To give the implementation the best chance of success, you must have top management support, clear goals, and objectives. Top management—preferably led by the CEO—must remain responsible and accountable for the implementation project. They need to manage the project and accept there will be setbacks, but how they are addressed will determine the outcome.

Change management, communication, and user education will also be important role players. You will need to communicate early, often, and in-depth with your people, or they won't commit to using the system. Training on the system must be mandatory, and users must understand how it works and why it was necessary to implement the ERP. Training should be ongoing as the scale of the implementation and the capabilities of the ERP system grows.

2. Get the Entire Organization on Board with Using ERP

For many executives within an organization, using an ERP system is not a front-of-mind activity. However, using the system is why you embarked on this journey in the first place. Your company's success or failure is determined by how your team embraces the ERP. You can follow strategies to ensure the ERP benefits and strategic objectives are sustained and optimized.

3. Set a Maintenance Strategy for Your ERP

There is a natural tendency for skills and processes to regress. Preventing this requires a deliberate strategy to maintain business benefits and ensure continuous ROI of the system is achieved.

Staying relevant and up to date with the system allows for continuous unlocking of potential. As your business changes, the ERP, and a strategy to ensure both are maintained and aligned, is the best way to provide long-term value.

It is critical to understand that your ERP solution requires ongoing attention, oversight, and support throughout its life cycle. Without the correct level of attention and maintenance, your system won't work effectively. Like with any investment, it is imperative the system keeps adding value to the organization and the business strategy looks to ensure this is being delivered.

Positive Vision Guides Your Team Toward the Right ERP Software System

Positive Vision works to guide your project team to deliver a fit-for-purpose ERP solution, focusing on business outcomes, not technology outputs. This strategy ensures a successful implementation. A continuous improvement roadmap is in place to guide the business in reaping a return on investment of your ERP project for many years to come. 

Contact us for more information or to discuss implementing an ERP in your business today.