We all have at least one contact in our circle who regularly talks to us about the implementation of SAP in their company. " What a pain ! », “We’ve been at this for 3 years. », “A real gas factory” are the litanies which go hand in hand with this acronym which stands for Systems, Applications and Products for data processing and which is one of the best known ERP (Enterprise Resource Planer).
One wonders if this Germanic tool is well suited to French companies as the number of failed projects is significant.
SAP, a structuring tool for the company
The purpose of SAP or an ERP in general is to centralize the company's information in a single place so that all stakeholders in the company can find what they need. In the absence of such a tool, each department develops its own analysis tools, often reporting in Excel spreadsheets. The company's overall information is fragmented, disparate and inaccessible to everyone.
The centralization of information in an ERP allows rapid provision of the right information to the right department and at the right time. Ideally, after 3 to 5 years of implementation and for a more or less controlled cost… at the beginning.
In the age of digitalization, a long-term project which seems a painful but necessary step for the survival of any company.
ERP can do everything…but does it do it well?
Of course, the advantage in addition to centralizing information is that the ERP has all the functionalities that services need along the value chain.
From the supply and stocking of raw materials to the delivery of finished products, everything inevitably goes through this behemoth which knows how to do everything guaranteed on (numerous) invoices: delivery note, quote, commercial offers, database. Simplification for the IT department which only has one contact and one tool to manage and maintain. Much less sexy for users who often lose the flexibility and relevance of business tools adapted to diverse and varied and sometimes even antagonistic needs. Indeed, an estimator needs speed while a BE needs precision.
SAP, a long road paved with pitfalls and frustration
Throughout this implementation process, some initial goodwill is lost along the way. The frustration resulting from the loss of autonomy of some rubs shoulders with the outright rejection of others who throw in the towel. The IT department and management, if it is still invested, ultimately put in place peripheral tools which will not be used because they are poorly understood or poorly adapted.
Multilayer and interoperability
Just as the most efficient insulating system for a building is multi-layered, the most relevant information system for a company is made up of expert bricks which each respond to a specific need. In this case, we speak of a “ best of breed system ” which allows the use of the tools best suited to each function rather than an approximate centralized system.
The valley of despair leaves indelible marks.
We are often consulted on ERP projects or deal with prospects who are looking for the information system martingale: the expert system which adapts to the company in one click and preferably in SAAS mode (The result operational of CEGID has increased by 11.6% since their transition to SAAS. Who benefits from SAAS?)
Disillusioned by the implementation of limited and unsuitable quote functionalities, some companies are finally turning to our business tools.
Does the digitalization of my business necessarily have to go through this valley of despair?
Why start with the functional quote brick?
Rather than going through the northern phase, we offer another path that is easier to walk and more pleasant.
Indeed, the implementation of Quickdevis , a pre-sales solution limited to the functionalities of price studies and generation of commercial offers, can represent a successful first phase in the digitalization of your business.
Impacting only the technical-commercial services (commerce, ADV, and design office), it is the first step towards the establishment of a structuring information system. In a few months maximum, the time savings of the order of 50% on the creation of quotes and the significant improvement in customer service should allow your technical sales representatives to be more efficient on a daily basis and to then follow you on larger IT projects.
Instead of going from failure to rejection, we suggest going through success to encourage adoption.
Would you like to try?
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