If you’ve ever been in the midst of a failed implementation, you know only too well the major headaches such a massive failure can cause. The aftermath often involves long hours at work, routine tasks take much longer than they should, costly errors and frustrated staff.
Unfortunately, failed implementations are entirely too common. No wonder so many organizations are reluctant to take the dive and change systems. What happens when your nightmare comes true and the project goes underwater?
If you’ve recently undergone a failed implementation, take a deep breath. There is hope.
Why did your last implementation fail? Was it due to the partner’s failure to implement properly or lack of organizational support?
Sometimes you need to start over, and sometimes it’s better to fix what you’ve already started. We can discuss which option is better for your organization.
The extreme of course is starting over. If you choose to start over, you will lose a lot of historical data that could have been beneficial to making future financial decisions. However, that loss of data is sometimes the lesser of two evils when the number of issues that need to be fixed is so overwhelmingly high.
Making sure that your staff is part of the decision-making process is key. They will be more willing to change if they have had a chance to voice their concerns and desires along the way.
Keep in mind that most projects will require some internal changes. The way you do things in one system may not work in a new system. It’s important to let your staff know this while assuring them that the new processes will have their best interests — and their input — in mind.
One of the biggest issues partners face is when a client simply refuses to change in any way. This requires the partner to implement a lot of additional customizations to make the new system work like the old system did.
This is particularly dangerous if the customizations are not properly tested.
When possible, it’s best to change internal processes to work the way the system is designed. That said, we certainly do not shy away from necessary customizations — combined with good product management and defined testing to ensure the solution can work with said customization.
To see how we can help you turn around a failed implementation, reach out for a free consultation.
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