The benefits of working with an ERP consultant
There are many ERP-solutions on the market and selecting the one that fits your needs is difficult. There are so many technical terms, details, produces, models, and ad-on technologies, that it may be hard to specify and customise, without losing track of the bigger picture. This is where your ERP consultants come in to save the day.
Every business is different, so some might need more of a helping hand than others when it comes to implementing ERP. An ERP consultant will assist your company in a few different ways varying from helping you define your needs to implementation itself. If you consider working with an ERP consultant, here are some benefits along with a few things you need to know.
What does an ERP consultant do?
An ERP consultant’s main goal is to make sure you choose the right solution. Also, that it is developed and implemented correctly within the pre-defined timeframe and budget. As such, an ERP consultant is the road to success and a shoulder to lean on when starting the ERP implementation process.
Some responsibilities of an ERP Consultant are:
- To analyse your company’s existing software
- Implement and support new ERP solutions
- Write design specifications and help select add-ons based on your specific requirements
- Document the ERP configuration
- Assist your team with change management and training
Why do you need an ERP consultant?
Nobody has better knowledge of ERP solutions than the people developing it, hence why a consultant is the person to talk to when wanting to implement ERP, as they know every in and out of the solution from its benefits to possible challenges. An ERP consultant can help identify the strength and weaknesses of an ERP product for your specific case and may provide suggestions for customisations you might not even know of.
- Concrete benefits of working with an ERP consultant
ERP has many benefits for your organisation. However, only when done well, covering all possible facets of improvement for your business processes. Hiring an experienced consultant may help you make perfect sense of something very complex as an ERP project.
- Industry and market insights
If your ERP consultant is specialised in a certain industry, they know all about its challenges. They also can pull knowledge from previous cases and implementation, having the experience you need to succeed. A specialised ERP consultant may provide you with industry insights, survey data and tips and tricks to put into practice.
- Knowledge
Consultants know every detail of your chosen ERP solution, from standard features to ones that are very industry specific. They will pull your team through a software demonstration, so you understand all its benefits and solutions for current issues within your processes, even before working with them. This way, you can make the best decision for your company’s needs.
- Objective partner
A crucial step when considering bringing an ERP solution on board is a business analysis of your organisation and its current processes, it’s inefficiencies and bottlenecks. To do this yourself, may cause a biased view on things, resulting in not getting the full scope of things. When a consultant comes in during this part, it offers a fresh view on your organisation, making sure you get an in-depth and objective analysis. The better this analysis is preformed, along with all it’s possible pain-points in your company, the better your consultant can offer a fitting solution.
- Project management skills
An ERP consultant is more than just a walking library of ERP facts. Think of them as your partners in project management as well. They will create a realistic plan budget- and timewise, and make sure you reach every deadline in time. They are your guarantee for smooth project management. They will keep your project on track, follow a methodology that works based on their experience with other cases and pull you and your team through this intensive project.
- Time- and money savers
By now, it’s no secret that an ERP consultant saves you time and money, in more than one way. They optimise your business in the long run by increasing efficiency and streamlining your processes. But, also during implementation, they increase the productivity among your team, helping them to quickly adapt to the new systems and answer all possible questions, offering a helping hand when needed.
- Training and support after implementation
Even after the project is finalised, you are not on your own. Many consultants never leave their clients in the dark, not during the implementation and not even well after. They make sure your implementation succeeds and offers support for your team to reduce possible delays and stress. They make sure your employees get the right training to work with ERP and even when question rise after the deadline, they will always be there to get you back on track.
The “good” ERP consultant checklist
- Recognises bottlenecks, points them out and comes with a plan to work with them
- Delivers what has been promised, but never over-promises
- Sees limitations and discusses them with you, they never set up for failure
- Knows what they are talking about, they share valuable tips-and tricks
If you are looking to implement an ERP project, it’s best to hire an experienced consultant as the many benefits put serious weight in the scale. Your consultant after all what’s the same as you, an ERP implementation that puts you on track for success and growth in the short and long run.