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On global implementations
Deploying software without proper alignment – A receipe for failure
Successful global business applications programs are all about teamwork. And what makes a good team? A common goal and equal knowledge are a firm starting point.
Football and ERP-implementations have a lot in common. Success is achieved with a balanced team, where members are on the same page. Not everyone needs to be good at everything. But stakeholders need to have a grip on their processes; only then do they know how to improve and contribute to the final objective. Only then the implementation template will have central and local leadership sponsorship so that implementations do not diverge too much.
The need to know your business processes
Subsidiaries often have different cultures and business maturity levels. In country X, all processes are still a black box for the manager. He knows when a goal is scored, but he does not really know how it happened, nor how to improve the process. The manager in country Y has a view of ball circulation. He and the players know how to play the ball from the goalkeeper to the attackers efficiently. They also already know that they will score more goals in the next match through a different formation and adding better training tools. They know the value of an upcoming business applications implementation and are ready for it.
Lack of equality will result in misunderstanding
By the way, knowing your business processes differs from understanding the new applications. Like in football, players do not need to know exactly how the fitness equipment works, they just need to use it. Therefore, a company does not need to know everything about tooling and technology; the IT partner will add that knowledge. But what happens when a country lacks knowledge of its business processes and does not yet understand the concept of ERP-software or ERP-systems? Managers and employees will not understand why they need to work differently. This results in local resistance and implementation failure. You are much better off starting in a balanced way. For this, we have two tried and tested formulas.
- 1
Organisational readiness assessment
HSO International has a focus on implementing software internationally. We know how to forge one team with one mission from all subsidiaries. How? We always start with an Organisational Readiness Assessment that shows the maturity level of the various subsidiaries. With these data-driven actionable insights, we can get to work. We validate that sponsorship is established at both group and local levels. This ensures that local managers believe in the project, and if they get resistance, they can explain it. In addition, we see precisely whether the level of understanding is there and in which areas training is wise.
- 2
One team that goes around the world
Of course, there should be some leeway if local requirements differ, but they should stay consistent. For this, we have our second tested formula. We have one team that guards the integrity of the template at both strategic and operational levels. Represented at both group and local levels, this team ensures, through physical presence and dialogue, that processes are implemented in a way that strategic goals are met. A solid implementation plan is always part of the ERP-project.
Working together as one
A new ERP requires new processes and behaviours. One of the concepts we use in the Excellerate methodology is the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement) model. This ensures that key stakeholders understand and embrace the importance of change. Sometimes this can be done virtually, and sometimes it must be done on-site. Of course, we also ensure thorough adoption because changing working behaviours is not always easy. With our approach, we remove barriers to a successful ERP-implementation. This integrated approach ensures that the global implementation also succeeds locally. As a result, the whole company works as one team towards that goal.