CASE STUDY: RECOVERY OF A FAILED ERP PROGRAM
A nationally renowned charitable giving organization suffered from a stalled ERP implementation. The goals of the implementation were to modernize, standardize and simplify financial operations processes.
Background
A nationally renowned charitable giving organization suffered from a stalled ERP implementation. The goals of the implementation were to modernize, standardize and simplify financial operations processes.
When the ERP’s implementation partner failed to meet the client’s requirements and expectations, it caused a series of disruptions to the company's operating rhythm.
Amplify was engaged to evaluate, recommend, and implement course correcting actions to quickly bring the program back into a positive position within the organization.
Challenges
The major challenges the company faced were:
Lack of proper planning
The original implementation partner implemented the ERP system
without a proper plan and incomplete requirements leading to complex configurations and unnecessary customizations.
Inefficient workflows
The workflows were not properly defined and did not align with the company's business processes, leading to inefficiencies and delays.
Change management
Many employees were not engaged from the inception of the work and as a result they became detractors and resistant to change. Additionally, the staff was not adequately trained to use the new system, causing a high error rate and a negative perception of the platform.
Solution
Amplify was tasked with resetting and recovering the failing program. With a short runway for delivery and little temperament for delays, we were able to successfully achieve several quick wins. We built a strategic improvement roadmap by evaluating and activating on the following key drivers:
Current State Assessment
Amplify audited the overall program
and existing defects to identify and prioritize the critical areas that required improvements. We evaluated people, process, technology, and data elements, identified root causes and began the planning process to remediate these issues.
Implement Portfolio Driven Work Approach
An immediate finding was the lack of structure and rigor in delivering the work to resolve system defects and incidents.
Amplify instituted a priority driven portfolio and resource management approach to structuring and managing the work required to get the program back on track. This allowed the team to not only focus on the most critical items but also aided in resource allocation and budget management in the remediation of issues.
Change management
We implemented a change management program to address the resistance to the platform and process changes within the organization. The program focused on communication, education, and training to help employees understand the benefits of the new system and processes.
Result
Through Amplifies approach and program leadership the client was able to recognize and achieve the following:
Improved efficiency: The controlled and pragmatic approach helped the client to optimize the usage of the platform, streamline and improve their processes, increase their internal customer service levels and provide greater financial transparency to the enterprise.
Modernization of Process: The increase in efficiency improved the overall accounting lifecycle for the organization and put them more in line with industry standards and practices.
Continual Improvement Mindset: The introduction of a structured portfolio and change management methodology provided the catalyst for increased staff performance and a blueprint for successful program activation in the future.
Conclusion
The recovery of stalled or failing strategic programs is a challenging task for any organization. Often, it is difficult for internal resources to “see the forest, through the trees” which is where an external subject matter expert is critical. Amplify was able to recommend and implement a fit-for-purpose and pragmatic solution for the client which resulted in getting a high investment program back on the right track and put the organization on the road to realizing the ROI that they originally had hoped for.
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