1. Change is a key component in growth.
How many of us are where we are
today without having had to change over time.
Did we all start out from college knowing how to do what we are
doing? Looking back on life we can see
the decisions that got us here, but from back then could you have predicted
this path?
Likewise companies need to
evolve and change. That goes for both
the company creating the ERP software as well as those implementing the
solution. I have heard many times that “we
are happy with our solution”, “our business has not changed”, “our customers
are happy”.
Technology changes and the way
organizations utilize new technology also changes. I remember my old boss saying that he did not
want to purchase a fax machine. Could
not understand the fuss, did not want the expense, where was he going to put it
in the office, let alone the second phone line.
Perhaps only two weeks after plugging the machine in, he was praising
the new technology, what this meant for the business productivity. We could take information any time and batch
process it instead of interactively.
A whole new world opened that
day. The same is true for companies
today that are embracing new technologies.
Not just change for the sake of change, but for the productivity and return
the technology offers. Not all change is
good, but companies that embrace change potential and are looking for new ways
to do the same old task in new and better ways tend to find themselves ahead of
the competition.
2.
Personalized
experience.
We all want to feel special and
we want that feeling to last past the point where the check clears. Are we hearing genuine sincerity and concern
for our company or are we hearing lip service?
Does the sales person see my challenges and have concern for the people I
employ, because their jobs are on the line if this system does not work. Am I just blanks filled in on a template or
did the person take the time to interview me and figure out what my needs are?
Are our futures mutually vested? Does their success depend on my success? You care
about your customers, does the ERP provider care about you? How do they show it? Can you meet with their president? What programs do they have that are focused on
my company leveraging the new technology?
How do I learn to utilize the solution the best possible way, the way I work
with my customers?
3.
People
make the difference.
People do not care until they
know you care about them. Why do you pay
a few cents more for products or services when there is something cheaper across
the street? Treat customers how you
would like to be treated.
Do the people you work with have
passion for what they do or do they just punch a time clock. Do they have a vested interest in your
success?
I do not remember the exact details,
but the essence of this story illustrates the point. A major auto manufacturer had a quality
control problem. This problem was
directly related to morale. If a supervisor
stood over top of a line worker, they performed adequately. If the supervisor went away over a period of
time the line workers productivity and quality dropped. When the auto manufacturer empowered all
workers with the ability to stop the entire production line, because they saw an
issue related to quality, the quality returned.
The workers felt that they were important and provided a valuable asset
to the company.
Talent alone is not enough. Good software alone is not enough. People use the software to build and grow their
business. I would much rather work with
someone who cared about me and my business as much as I do as with the smartest
person alive.
How well does your solution provider listen to your
needs? Do they have time for phone calls
after the sale is done? Are they there when
you need them? Is your success important
to them? Do they take pride in your
accomplishments?
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