All of your careful research and decision-making has culminated in the start of the ERP installation process. This is the moment where the true vendor-customer partnership is born and tested. It’s not an exaggeration to say that successful ERP implementation begins with effective project management.
What are the 4 main benefits of a dedicated Project Manager?
Focus on customer needs
A Project Manager is the customer’s partner and first point of contact. From the outset, a successful PM should conduct focused roundtables to discover and discuss a customer’s requirements and expectations for their ERP software. The process involves an intensive evaluation of current operations to identify potential obstacles to implementation. With this information in hand, the PM can then begin prioritizing customer’s needs and developing a workable path to success.
Communicate to control risks
Without management, the implementation timeframe, budget, and scope can easily become derailed by any number of risks arising from unforeseen changes in customer requirements. It’s incumbent upon a PM to stress the importance of communication through the entire process. Only through proactive communication will a team be able to assess and plan for the short and long term impacts and benefits of ERP on a user’s productivity, job satisfaction, and connection to the rest of the organization. Communication is key to building trust and effectively managing expectations.
Delegate responsibilities
While a PM is key to a successful ERP install, even he/she cannot handle everything alone. An effective PM will accurately assess the team and assign objectives and individual deadlines. Delegation in this manner has many benefits:
- It frees up the PM to focus on other crucial tasks
- It presents the opportunity for users to gain new skills
- It provides a stronger buy-in for the team by encouraging individual ownership within the solution
- It fosters teambuilding, engagement, and motivation
Drive the process forward
With the implementation timeframe set, it’s the responsibility of the PM to keep the team on task and on schedule. Complications do pop up from time to time. Insufficient hardware, operational and budgetary shortfalls, or disagreements between team members, each must be thoroughly evaluated and resolved to keep ERP implementation on track. Having an experienced PM at the helm allows for the quick mitigation of issues, a stronger team dynamic, and a sharper focus on achieving ERP project goals.
Customers who choose Distribution One receive a solution backed by 20 years of experience, integrity, and innovation. Each of our project managers have handled successful ERP implementations at dozens of distributors and wholesalers across various industries. We assign a PM to you at the start of the project and remain your partner from initial Discovery through Go-Live and beyond.
By the time you are fully live on ERP-ONE, your team has already built a robust relationship with many members of our knowledgeable staff. You will fully understand how we listen, how we respond, and how we respect your business.
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