Being Innovative with SAP Implementation

  • 24 March 2015
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Every single team member of a company focuses heavily on the success of SAP implementation. They will keep a checklist ready and work hard to stay on track to achieve all the tasks mentioned. All efforts made to follow the required guidelines to the t and move strategically to achieve success.

However, according to SAP Business One Partners there is another category of people who approach SAP implementation in quite a different way. They get innovative and take risks which sometimes pay off and how! Stepping out of the usual take a lot of courage but what is business without a little risk taking. Let us see how some companies are defying the obvious, taking some risks and are re-defining the rules of SAP implementation to a certain extent.

Bringing the Innovative Element

Being innovative refers to the different, new methods and techniques as applied by various companies. With respect to SAP implementation, it is when companies try out new methods of implementation without really knowing the how the final results would fare. Some try with modifying the timelines, trying out newer ways to approach various stages of implementation or even experimenting with the type of add-ons that they select. For example a manufacturing industry will choose SAP Business One Add On for Manufacturing but along with that they can experiment with having add-ons that are not specific for them but might help them in a particular way.

Having an innovative approach opens new doors and experiences. It would be like walking for the first time. You might stumble a couple of times but it would work out for you eventually. And if nothing seems to work out, well, you can always find help in the form of the old implementation methods. Go back to basics and apply the traditional rules.

These are some innovations that some companies have employed and it has worked out well for them.

–          Exploring the creative strategies and alternative implementation terrains

Companies either choose to follow a phased deployment or they go for a big bang approach when they go for SAP implementation. However, some companies design creative strategies on how they can proceed with their implementation. Some examples include them deploying much more agile techniques rather than opting for the traditional waterfall methods. When one deploys agile methods, they can realize their functionalities quickly and make necessary changes if required. Since tradition has always advised companies to adopt standardized approaches, any change would seem scary. But taking unexpected routes will deliver unexpected results, and in this case it is positive most of the times. Take a different approach when it comes to how you want to implement.

–          They do not stay rigid with their budget and timeline aspect during implementation

This might sound like a really ridiculous idea considering how there is a strong emphasis on never leaving an eye from the budget or timeline. However, SAP Business One Partners believe that at times it would prove to be beneficial if you take a different route. Usually, any company would stick to their project plan and try to stay within their budgets and finish all the tasks within the assigned timelines, but a few innovative companies realize that they don’t consider many things during the planning and budgeting phase. They embrace flexibility and make changes if necessary and even if it clashes with their original plans. This might alter their budget or even extend their timelines, but they go ahead. Being flexible allows them to achieve a higher effectiveness factor than what was actually planned.

–          Focus on post-implementation benefits

Implementing SAP should not be a result of a forced change. The fact that your existing systems have become outdated and the entire market is using SAP should not be the driving force behind SAP implementation. Innovative teams focus primarily on having a business-focused results post the implementation. The driving force should be what you can achieve post implementation. The benefits of using various applications such as SAP Business One Add On for Manufacturing should be considered before implementation. Even if your systems are not outdated, focus on achieving measurable benefits in the long run. These benefits should tangible as well.

Try to adopt various innovative methods which you feel would be the best for your company and enjoy favorable results.

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    Nidhi Batra

    About the author

    Nidhi Batra is a marketing and brand communication professional with 10 years of experience working in the dynamic B2B marketing environment. She strategizes, writes, reviews a variety of content for demand generation and sales support activities. Having a Master’s in English from Delhi University, she knows how to navigate her readers on insightful journeys with her SAP published blogs and thought leadership content.