Epicor Help For Your Organization
According to a recent survey, 50% of businesses using Epicor ERP feel that their system is operating at no better than adequate or basic capacity (1). In addition, 50% of respondents in the survey also revealed that making their system easier to use was one of their primary objectives. This may seem a bit surprising considering that most organizations don’t go through the arduous process of implementing enterprise software with the idea that it will serve only basic functions. However, these findings are the very real reality that many businesses find themselves in after implementation; needing Epicor help.
Supplementing Epicor implementation, training, or business process modeling with outside Epicor help may be able enhance both the ease of use of your system, and improve it’s functionality. We often hear that companies are struggling with elements of their implementation, or Epicor system that should work seamlessly, yet for some reason they don’t. This is all too common with sophisticated, data-driven systems; however it doesn’t have to be. Knowing when to work on something internally, and when to go out of shop is paramount to having an ERP system that works the way it was originally intended.
Businesses shouldn’t struggle with parts of their system that should function without errors or custom processes out-of-the-box. There are most often experts in your industry that have specific knowledge of your system and how it should work, and how to make it work properly within your business. Partnering with these experts to assist with proper implementation, training, and process modeling can ensure that you don’t have to live with a system covered in band-aids and duct tape. Knowing when to leverage this help is essential.
Today we are going to discuss what areas of Epicor use we typically see the largest number of issues with and what you can do to mitigate those risks.
Epicor Implementation or Upgrade Assistance
Sometimes it helps to be a big fish in a small pond. If your business is unique, and who’s isn’t, it’s always worth considering how much specialized attention you would like to receive during an implementation or system upgrade. Consultants offer direct, focused attention that businesses often need during critical implementations, during major issues, or simply in their processes development.
We have seen a lot of business undertake an implementation with an undermanned team or department only to turn to outsiders for help halfway through. A universal truth in all of these instances is that greater planning and forethought on the front end could have prevented sunk costs and lost time.
For mid-sized businesses, upgrading or re-implementing an ERP can appear to be too ambiguous and costly for partner assistance. But truth be told, in our 17+ years of experience we’ve found that businesses that can’t afford major issues or cost overruns are the ones that need a partners help most.
Direct attention and dedicated individuals with industry understanding can make these ambiguous processes more clear, and help mitigate the risk in these initiatives. If your business is on a tight budget, and in need of dedicated help, it may be critical for your organization to engage a partner with experience.
The Benefits of Tough Love
Does the phrase, “you don’t know what you don’t know” ring true for many of your Epicor adventures? If so, you may benefit from outside opinions around options and current practices. We’ve seen that many organizations struggle mightily with their Epicor system simply because their training and use practices are subpar.
Partnering with a consulting firm for Epicor help empowers the client to be candid with their current business model and share expectations of its future one. A partner is typically agile and flexible enough to bend to a client’s needs, and can offer careful insight to risks and challenges that may otherwise go unnoticed. Additionally, a partner can often offer careful process insights that may otherwise be ignored. These things may seem small, but the truth is they could be saving hours of time and thousands of dollars.
Partners commonly put experts on-site manning the project—from start to finish and beyond. This can be another valuable asset for businesses that feel intimidated by a large software implementation. We’ve seen this kind of hands on assistance really benefit organizations that have under-manned implementation teams or IT departments that have a full plate otherwise; specifically those that may be doing an implementation for the first time.
Hedging Against Risk
How many times have you heard that a pinch of prevention is worth a pound of the cure? This could not hold more true; as it relates to Epicor help during implementation or software upgrades. You can go online and read the stories for yourself. All implementations are not successful, and failures can prove immensely costly.
We find that a standard out-of-the-box Epicor implementation is becoming more and more rare. Most businesses want a system that works the way that they do. Investing in partner that can continuously help your business model your system for your organization is becoming a best practice for businesses that are using their ERP’s to an extremely effective level.
The best way to mitigate risk in an implementation is to invest in implementing the system using proven processes and industry best practices the first time around. Furthermore, it’s essential that training and continuous improvement be a part of any new upgrade or implementation plan. This mitigates risk in the present as well as the future.
What to Ultimately Consider
- How deep do you want to go? A software solutions partner focuses on scouring the waters to address all nuances plaguing the organization. An expert partner empowers users to describe their current operations, needs and wants; resulting in a custom software solution deployment based on mentions of that user’s experience. The process naturally incumbents senior managers to step aboard. An expert partner often works as the direct line to top-management.
- Is who you work with important to you? A remote team may visit a client several times throughout the life of the project. This is how the continuity—continuous flow—of information is maintained. How important is it to your organization to have a dedicated team for this type of work? Is there value to your organization in having outside experts understand your business as well as you do?
- How complex are your business processes? To ensure each stakeholder has their say in the matter, an expert partner should design use-case catalogs to capture business and project functionality. This is key component for successful Epicor help. Each piece can be tracked and tested throughout the life of the project. A catalog ensures every piece of functionality is discussed with the partner—upgraded or new—WORKS. This is forefront of what a good expert partner should do–period.
If you’re currently struggling with Epicor help, we’d strongly suggest you consider what your core issues are and if a partner could help. There’s a good chance you can overcome any challenge the software presents; however the longer you live with it the greater the processes that support improper function grow. We suggest you reach out for help before things create major risks inside the organization.
What We Feel We Do Well
At Datix, expert Epicor best practices are ingrained in our DNA. We’ve transformed dozens of businesses across a variety of industries. What makes our firm more effective? It’s our ability to understand and grow businesses from the inside out; starting with the software that supports everyday practices. Partnering with Datix gives clients unbiased information in their selection of an affordable, best practices solution to meet their business goals. Our dedicated resources provide continuity and retained knowledge of your company’s issues, needs, and difficulties.
Are you a company seeking to upgrade or re-implement Epicor ERP? Do you know your options, or what it will cost?
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(1): Epicor Software. ERP and Mobile, Social, and Cloud – New Global Research. 2014. https://www.epicor.com/Company/Pages/whats-next.aspx