| Hiring an outside consultant can be very useful when | | | | takes someone with IT system background and has |
| you are trying to evaluate and select new Enterprise | | | | the "on the floor" operations experience ( BOM's, |
| Resource Planning (ERP) software. What follows are | | | | Routings, Inventory, etc.). Data cleanup and process |
| some examples what a consultant brings to the table: | | | | discipline need to be put in place BEFORE the |
| Documentation of current business processes. I most | | | | software implementers come on site. |
| cases, companies think that they know their business | | | | Benefit - Cleaner & quicker data conversion. |
| processes but there are many things that they do | | | | Smoother transition to the new software package. |
| not really understand. A business consultant has the | | | | Process and software discipline in place from day one. |
| time and vision to force companies to really think this | | | | Limited resources. Many small companies do not have |
| through. With double digit growth documenting | | | | someone that knows how to put an effective |
| business processes is pretty low on the list. | | | | project plan together. With an ERP implementation |
| Benefit - A thorough understanding of current | | | | this is critical! |
| processes, weaknesses and areas where software | | | | Benefit - Providing all company management with an |
| support is needed. With small companies, you are not | | | | understanding and vision of an ERP implementation is |
| going to be doing modifications to the software. You | | | | crucial. The success of the project will be highly |
| must re-engineer your business processes to make | | | | dependent on company leadership. The sooner all |
| the software work effectively. | | | | managers have a common understanding and vision |
| Experience. With software companies, you may get | | | | of the project the more successful they will be. |
| some help with the implementation process, but it | | | | Pre-planning. There are a number of things that need |
| could be with a guy right out of college. They may | | | | to be done prior to a software implementer coming |
| really know the software, but they do not have the | | | | on site. Without these things in place prior to |
| "on the floor" manufacturing and distribution | | | | software implementation, the longer the |
| experience to marry the manufacturing environment | | | | implementation takes and the more difficult post |
| with the ERP package. | | | | implementation becomes. |
| Benefit - Better match between business processes | | | | Benefit - Quicker & smoother implementation. |
| and software. There will many changes to the | | | | Fewer post implementation problems. In fact, the |
| business processes. Software implementers are not | | | | Faster, more effective implementation could well pay |
| likely to fully understand and lead these changes. | | | | a good portion of the consulting fees! |
| Understanding data conversion becomes a big deal! It | | | | |