You may not want to hear this…. But as a customer you are often the least practiced link in the chain of success of software implementation. Preparing for a new MIS software requires time and focus, but insufficient preparation will cost you even more time and money further on in the project. So how do you prepare?
A successful MIS implementation basically needs three ingredients: a proven MIS software solution, a skilled implementation partner, and a great customer (that’s you). Simply put. But when it comes to your own part of the project, there is a big difference in the degree of practice and experience. The software already has thousands of users, and the implementation partner has completed numerous projects before. But as a customer, how prepared are you for project success?
Often the customer is the least practiced link in the chain of success. And therefore, you are also the most critical link. Don’t just take my word for it – according to statistics the majority of companies are implementing new MIS/ERP software every 8 to 10 years. And over 90 percent of all people responsible for selecting, contracting, and implementing at the customer side do this once or at most twice in their lives.
Dedication, motivation, time – and resources
You can buy print industry software. That is the easy part. And you can buy implementation services. No problem either. But succeeding with a digital transformation of your print company is not for sale. This requires more than a vision. It requires dedication, energy, motivation, and discipline. And last but not least it requires time from your side. I will stress this point because it is important: It. takes. T-I-M-E.
To be prepared for success you must start by doing some homework and look carefully at your desired business objectives, processes, and your company culture. Make sure you have buy-in from your organization. Does your Board and management team understand what it takes to achieve project success, and are they willing to set aside resources for the implementation? Make sure you have an entire team ready for this. A one-man band is not enough, so do not leave the entire project to just one person. He or she cannot succeed with both implementing and learning and may burn out during the project – and you don’t want a project with immense business impact depending on one person.
We know from experience that daily work tends to be superior to implementing new software, which is perfectly understandable but may cause delays. Therefore, it is vital that everyone involved understands the ‘why’ of the project. Why are you doing it? What is the overall purpose and goal of implementing a new MIS?
You must also understand what activities you can expect from your implementation partner and what your team’s own tasks are. What do you need to deliver at each phase of the implementation? A well-structured project plan should be outlined and agreed to before kick-off, so that you can prepare yourself and your team thoroughly to perform these tasks.
A standard solution for minimized implementation time
PrintVis is a standard system with a deep vertical focus on the print industry and always focusing on repeatable implementations. We are continuously working on minimizing implementation time, so our customers will have a smoother and faster go-live.
If you would like to try it out yourself, you can start a free trial or if you prefer to see a demo you can book a demo here.
Let us know if you have questions about implementation or would like to connect with a PrintVis Partner – contact us now.