Technology drives much of the business world today. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems enable companies to achieve greater levels of efficiency and improve the bottom line. An ERP implementation can also be among the most disruptive and strategically important initiative an organization can undertake, with the potential for loss of productivity and negative operational impacts among the largest risks. Most companies that launch an ERP platform must commit a tremendous amount of internal resources in order to make the project a success. Because there’s so much at stake, these high-impact efforts simply cannot fail.
For businesses considering an ERP deployment, choosing the right project management partner is key to a good outcome. The team at PMAlliance offers exceptional experience in ERP implementations, and their consultants bring with them the skills and experience necessary to drive even complex and time-sensitive system installations from planning through execution. PMAlliance’s project management experts have what it takes to fully and accurately assess risks for each project, to develop timelines that are achievable and that take each organization’s resource availability into consideration, and their methodology allows for controlling ERP projects at each step to avoid delays and operational conflicts. They have the knowledge and tools to help drive the kind of final results that propel companies into the future.
Project management expertise is a critical component of success
The team at PMAlliance knows the type of communication flows and project control strategies needed to return tangible value back to the organization with every initiative. Whether an ERP system is being deployed at one central office or across multiple locations within the enterprise, implementations must be coordinated to ensure resource requirements don’t create conflicts and that workflows are structured to seamlessly integrate the new platform with existing systems. With their targeted technology experience, PMAlliance’s consultants are a valuable asset, bringing with them knowledge of where risks often lurk during ERP implementation projects and the skills to identify and resolve those issues before they hinder progress.
A project management strategy that really works
PMAlliance’s project management methodology has a proven track record of success. Unlike many ERP implementation partners, who provide minimal project management support only as an add-on, the team of experts at PMAlliance are focused on meeting each organization’s technology deployment needs while staying within defined resource and time allocations. They can bring teams together under one common project management strategy to minimize wasted effort and to drive activities along one common a single, integrated schedule. The PMAlliance approach to planning allows the team to establish a plan that is developed correctly—and accurately—the first time. They gather task duration estimates and assign accountability for activities at the individual level. Robust project controls are employed to monitor progress and ensure important milestones stay on track. Throughout the process, streamlined communication protocols facilitate information sharing across diverse stakeholder groups. Using the PMAlliance approach, organizations are able to successfully deliver even complex and highly impactful ERP implementation projects.
Avoid costly delays
There are significant costs and other disruptions associated with delays in an ERP implementation. These initiatives are known for delivering results, and that’s how organizations often measure their success. PMAlliance’s consultants understand how disruptive an ERP system installation can be and the importance of ensuring the deployment is done right the first time. Every day a company is late in migrating to the new platform, or every time an implementation falls behind and must be descoped to stay on track, they’re missing out on the anticipated return on their technology investment. PMAlliance’s rigorous project management methodology ensures that an ERP implementation’s project’s results are not diminished by a slipping timetable or expensive follow-on projects.
Communicate across silos and other barriers
There is no room for failure when it comes to ERP deployments. Challenges arise in part because these projects bring together stakeholder groups—both internal and external—that have little experience working together. PMAlliance’s consultants provide the organization with important communication competencies that help move beyond traditional silos and ensure the right people are involved and informed. From the beginning, task duration estimates and schedules are developed with input from those who will be doing the work, resulting in a more accurate and realistic master plan. The PMAlliance strategy also emphasizes routine reporting of progress and risk mitigation activities to the leadership team, ensuring that everyone has the insight they need to understand how the implementation is going.
Develop a clear path to success
Driving any ERP initiative from planning through completion takes a significant investment of time and money. It’s tempting to shortcut the early phases of the project and move straight to action. But without a clear project charter and an understanding of the critical paths, the organization and its implementation partners risk reaching the end of the project without meeting the original business needs. And if the project goes off track, internal PMs and technology vendors may not have the experience to develop and deploy a plan to remedy these problems before it’s too late. The consultants at PMAlliance have the skills and knowledge to gather the necessary data at the beginning of an ERP project to ensure the team shares the same picture of success and has a path forward that will allow them to accomplish their goals.
