It comes as no surprise that companies function differently based on their size. This is no exception with regard to implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning software system — small, mid, and large sized companies have different needs to be fulfilled for their system to be efficient.
Smaller companies who are usually juggling multiple responsibilities, changing business practices frequently, and have fewer departments, require a custom-tailored ERP system. The same can be said about larger companies who have formalized routines, numerous employees, and struggle with change due to the size of the company. ERP software is not meant to be a one-size-fits-all system.
The best way to tackle these specific problems that your company needs to address is working with a partner on your ERP implementation.
In this blog we’ll take a look at how a partner can help you maximize the value of your ERP software system and how implementation differs regarding the size and specific needs of your company.
What Is The Role Of An ERP Implementation Partner?
Before we dig into how an ERP implementation differs regarding your company size, we need to address the role of a partner.
A partner, also known as a consultant and ERP vendor, is a third party integrator that helps clients’ ERP implementation run smoothly, efficiently, and maximize their ROI. Additionally, partners are often hired to help when companies don’t have the capacity, time, and/or expertise to implement their ERP system internally.
Many companies contact a partner at the beginning of their ERP implementation to ensure they are selecting the right software needed for their specific operations and create a plan for a smooth transition into this new software. On the other hand, partners are often hired to optimize an existing ERP system. Regardless of when the partner is contacted, their primary goal is to make your ERP software work for you.
Company Size And How It Affects Your ERP System Implementation Approach
When it comes time to select your ERP software system, or optimizing your ERP software system, your company size is crucial to a successful implementation. As companies differ in size, age, and industries, ERP systems must be aligned with that particular company to remain efficient. ERP systems are not a one-size-fits-all solution and need to be meticulously tailored for your specific needs.
Let's look at a few examples of how ERP systems and their implementations can differ from a smaller company to a larger company:
Small Companies
Implementing a business management software for smaller companies can be a game-changer when it comes to their day-to-day operations. Moving all of their business processes into a single system saves time, money, and lays the foundation for their company to continue growing. With that being said, taking on such a task alone is quite daunting. Here’s a few reasons why you should consider using a partner for your implementation:
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Help choose the right ERP system
- When contacted early in your search for an ERP system, partners can analyze your business processes to help craft the most efficient system possible for your specific needs. No ERP system is the same and without the proper knowledge of what your business needs, you could start the whole implementation off without the proper foundation for your ERP system to build upon.
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Focus on your operations
- Employees at smaller companies often juggle multiple responsibilities, roles, and workloads that you might not see at a larger company. Having said that, finding the resources and time internally to implement your ERP system can be extremely difficult. With the help of a partner, you can focus on the normal day-to-day responsibilities as a small business and trust that your ERP system will be set up efficiently without taking away any of your employees from their regular jobs.
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Maximize your investment
- If you’re looking to build a house, would you design and plan to build by yourself or work with a home builder? For an investment of that nature, it seems like a pretty easy decision. Why would you treat your ERP system any different? According to Gartner, approximately 75% of ERP implementations are unsuccessful. When implementing your ERP system with a partner, you can put your trust into a team of experts whose only goal is to create a successful ERP system for your company - saving you from costly errors and an incorrect implementation that would need to be addressed down the road.
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Access expertise
- Most importantly, you’re working with a partner for their expertise. These teams have been specializing in ERP software and implementations for decades and provide a service that you can trust. They know what’s best for your specific company size, industry, and budget to craft a system that works for you.
Large Companies
If you’re a larger company, chances are you’ve already discussed, attempted, or currently have an ERP system. However, implementations can become a bit more tedious as large companies are often more disciplined in their business practices and aren’t as flexible as smaller companies. Here’s why you should consider using a partner in your ERP implementation or to optimize your current ERP system:
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Massive amounts of data and information to migrate
- Larger, more mature companies have often been growing for quite some time. These companies don’t just start large and move forward — they have a track record that made them who they are today. With that comes a lot of data, information, and other aspects of their business that must be taken into consideration when implementing an ERP. With the help of a partner, your company and their team of experts can formulate the best process to migrate these huge amounts of information over to a new ERP system without losing key data.
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Customization and change
- Your ERP system in a larger company needs to be customized more-so than a newer company. As stated in the previous point, there is a lot more data and business processes that have grown with the business throughout their tenure. Larger companies and their employees don’t handle change well and a customized ERP system can help the learning process go smoothly.
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Optimization
- For the larger companies who have already implemented ERP systems, there’s a good chance that it might not be optimized to its full potential. Just because an ERP system is running doesn’t always mean that it’s successful — it is one of the myths surrounding ERP implementation that needs to be debunked. A partner can review your system and find areas that can be changed to maximize efficiency, save costs, remove unneeded features, etc. Without the expertise of a partner and their teams, you might not realize what your ERP system could be.
4 Key Takeaways From This Blog
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Working with a partner can help maximize ROI and ensure you don’t have costly errors that lead to an unsuccessful implementation.
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Smaller companies can leverage partners with their initial implementations, setting themselves up for growth with a solid ERP system.
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Larger companies can benefit from working with a partner even after a system is already implemented.
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Partners offer a level of expertise hard to find internally at a company.