Debating between an internal implementation and hiring an ERP consultancy? Read this first.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a business process management solution that optimizes a company's processes by providing a system of integrated and centralized applications. It helps manage and automate various business processes, such as accounting, HR, payroll, sales, and inventory management. When implemented correctly, an ERP solution has numerous benefits for a business, including lower operating costs, higher efficiency, and much more. Often organizations looking to implement an ERP solution wonder whether they should hire an external ERP consultancy or leave the project with their internal IT team.
It is helpful to hire an ERP consultant to help sail smoothly through your company's selection, implementation, and adoption of the ERP system. Here, we discuss the benefits of hiring a consulting firm in detail for a sound and well-informed decision regarding a smooth ERP implementation and adoption. So, without further ado, let's glide onto the benefits of hiring an ERP consultant.
Why Hire An ERP Consulting Firm?
Since choosing your first ERP solution or upgrading your current system is an important decision, we have collated the following benefits of hiring an ERP consultant for your business transition project:
Expertise in ERP Implementation
An ERP consultancy has a roster of individuals with detailed knowledge of enterprise technology or management information systems when it comes to implementing ERP solutions. They are experienced in knowing how to formulate strategies and design solutions for different business models. The steps involved in the ERP implementation can be overwhelming for any business to handle independently, even if you have a sizeable internal IT team.
Having an ERP partner means a professional team is available to help you on every step of the ERP implementation. They can apply that experience to adapt or create new processes for your business. In addition, these consultants maintain training, certifications, and expertise in a certain ERP solution, resulting in great proficiency in the software modules' features, limitations, and strategies to customize it.
When compared with internal implementation, working with an ERP consulting group results in greater ROIs and higher KPIs. If you are working with professionals, you get a well-designed solution for ERP implementation and deployment. So, it is a great benefit available with the hiring of experts.
Market Knowledge
ERP consulting firms have years of experience implementing and managing successful projects. One of the significant advantages of having an ERP firm is utilizing their hands-on experience and knowledge to track and meet your business's key performance indicators (KPIs) while working with different industries. Industry-leading ERP consultants are familiar with the solutions, applications, and software alternatives pertaining to the industry requirements and implementation stages. Such teams also provide you with an array of assets, market insights, unique survey information, and comprehensive industry success guides.
Since they are familiar with all the ins and outs of a solution, they help with a lot more than actual implementation. They offer end-to-end project management and consulting services, which allows your business to benefit from customized advice regarding application modules and functionalities, budget limitations, and project performance. Using their clear understanding of the challenges and requirements of your business, they can also present accurate proposals for the ERP system providers.
Risk Management
There are always some risks linked to implementing enterprise resource planning software. Many businesses worry about their ERP project going over schedule, over budget, or not producing the desired ROI. Hiring an established ERP consultant helps you identify potential problems and prevent them before they develop to protect your business against downtime and financial setbacks. The ERP expert team designs the most appropriate model for your business requirements. Their constant monitoring of the project progress will assist you in identifying significant risks in the process to avoid achieving unexpected or undesired results. An external ERP consultant understands the worth of your investment and strives to set safety parameters to mitigate risks associated with project management.
Independent Analysis of the Company
ERP consulting firms boast experience in handling different business models. They conduct a company analysis to identify the best solution for your business. While your business goes through a digital transformation, your ERP partner will provide a detailed analysis of your company for further improvements. They also help eliminate risks by analyzing the company's internal processes and identifying the inefficiencies and bottlenecks.
For a company going through changes, having people from outside will help the executives and managers identify problems they may not have seen earlier. A group of consultants will start an exhaustive discovery process, asking questions regarding metrics and safety. Such a discovery process helps companies map out processes, so there is a clear understanding of what a new solution should do to resolve issues.
Specialized Project Management
Working on a project includes identifying the needs, estimating your resources correctly, considering timelines, and defining major deliverables. You and your team must be able to secure a management plan and funding while making sure the provider you work with is familiar with your objectives. The ERP consulting partner understands your need to optimize project management.
The firm boasts a team of professionals familiar with all aspects of project management, from gathering requirements to training and support. They create a detailed implementation timeline and checklist of project deliverables. Their plan involves defining when your executive team should join the discussion, and staff can expect to begin getting acquainted with the new ERP solution. Your team also gets the opportunity to build their skills under the guidance of ERP consultants. They help improve the efficiency and productivity of the team and prevent ERP project failures.
Ongoing ERP Training, Change Management, and Support
For efficient ERP training and onboarding, it is ideal to have a group of professionals working with the company. Typically, the training is executed over a few months, but your ERP consultants can proceed to help you manage challenges that come up after the digital transition. Having no change management may cause key drops in worker productiveness and spirit. Since ERP consulting firms understand all the details of your business, they can help your staff with what they want, reducing workflow delays and group tension.
Takeaway
A successful ERP implementation will generate ROI and have numerous other benefits for your business. While internal implementations can seem enticing due to the saved costs, keep in mind that your internal team may not have the experience or the bandwidth to take on such a project. An ERP partner can help guide you through every stage of your ERP implementation to help you get the most out of your solution.
Kwixand Solutions Can Help
As a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner and ERP consultants, Kwixand Solutions guides businesses across North America through the entire ERP journey. For us, successful digital transformation is much more than just implementing a solution, it's about helping businesses achieve their goals and maximize their ROI. We work with you to transform your business processes so you can provide the best experience for your customers! To learn how we can help you, book a consultation with our team today.