While trekking and climbing through the valleys of Himalayas, I was occupied with the thought of implementing ERP software to our new business partner, who is running a medium size business in Austin, Texas. I have outlined the thoughts of implementation process during my expedition to the Himalayas which has worked in the real-time. This article has written to share the insight of our successful software implementation experience to help you learn the key point to make your digital transformation journey easier.

With our years of software implementation experience, we have learned that every business is different regardless of the nature and size of the business industry, and so the requirements of the software differ drastically from business to business.

Let us quickly outline the five crucial stages of software implementation

  1. Planning
  2. Package selection and customization
  3. Cost of ERP and its Subscription
  4. Technology Upgradation
  5. Support and Maintenance
  1. Planning to Implement ERP System

An ERP system can be one of the most expensive investments that your company may have, over the years we have seen large global companies spending tens of millions of dollars into an ERP system including software licensing, hardware, IT infrastructure, implementation costs, and maintenance. However, there is a significant risk of failure if a company approaches the ERP implementation without the adequate prioritization, commitment, and attention to detail required for such a massive undertaking.

Considering the size of the investment and the risk factor, proper planning is imperative to the success of the ERP project. Things you should do before implementing the software.

Organizational readiness: Your team must be ready for the technological changes; over the years of implementation, we have experienced the resistance which has come from the employees as they threaten that the new technology may replace their job. Good leadership and awareness to the employees may help reduce the discontentment which may come from the employee.

Selection of Right Team and Program manager

The right team must be placed in the right positions before you give a green flag to the software implementation. The selection of a project manager (PM) is critical to the success or failure of the initiative since this person is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the ERP operational team. The PM must be able to communicate several important points to the user base, including the objectives and goals of the ERP project; financial, operational, and technical risks associated with the project; time and budget expectations and constraints; and the way the system will change users’ roles. The PM must be able to translate business requirements into IT solutions, so this person must understand both.

2. Package Selection and Customization

You should never rush in the selection of an ERP Package and its associated software. Generally, it takes three to six months to get to the decision stage, although 12 months is not uncommon. The end goal is to pick an ERP system that best meets the company’s requirements out of the hundreds of choices available. The “best” application for a particular company can be based on many factors, including functionality, affordability, user-friendliness, customizability, negotiations, vendors’ technical competencies, and support.   

3. Cost of ERP and its subscription

Unlike the cost of tangible capital assets such as machinery, ERP systems have various cost components that are not readily apparent. It is in the vendor’s best interest to downplay the cost of its solutions; it remains up to the customer to identify and validate a more realistic cost picture. “How much does an ERP system cost?” is not as straightforward a question as some might think. Typically, an ERP system’s price tag depends on the number of end-users and their respective license type, Vendor tier being deployed such as Tier 1 software is typically more costly than Tier 2, while Tier 3 would be the least costly.

Another cost which is associated with ERP systems is the cost of hardware and networking devices as your system needs to run 24*7 to provide your customer an interrupted service. Successful ERP system operation demands solid IT Infrastructure components including servers, storage systems, network components, wiring, cooling system, power, and redundancy measures.

4. Technological and Software Upgradation

New technology such as artificial intelligence is on its verge, of disrupting the conventional business of today. To make sure your ERP technology stays ahead of time your implementation and planning department must find the right technology company which has all you required for your business. At Vmetasoft we ensure that our clients get the advanced technologies to automate their business and reduce their cost of day-to-day operation. Our AI-enabled technology automates your business process including your marketing campaign and enhances the additional security layers of your ERP system for optimal data protection.

5. ERP Support and Maintenance

No system is ever built perfectly, ERP systems are built using sophisticated hardware and electronics system that run the software which requires a highly qualified team to do its maintenance and provide the best support to your business. We deliver the best support to our clients in case they require support such as upgrading their existing system on behalf of their hardware and software installations, and data migration. Unlike other tech vendors, our maintenance contract entitles the customer to receive software corrections, patches, fixes, and installation of new releases. It also covers system updates and enhancements as the business continues to invest in the product and take advantage of new functions and modernizing technologies. The 24/7 access to our support portal, includes the ability to review support notes, view all the installation and configuration documentation, and ask technical and functional questions anytime and from anywhere.

We hope this article has given you an overall insight into the ERP software implementation, if you have further questions, you can contact us directly from our contact page.