Presented By T. J. Crayne

PanelistsWayne Stillwagon, Executive VP, Miller’s Supplies At Work

Steve Gordon, President, Independence Business Supply

Robert Wist, President, Wist Office Products

SYSTEM SWITCH – BEST PRACTICES

New System Analogies

• A new system installation is like – a 9 month root canal– open heart surgery while the patient is still alive . . .

And working– Changing the engine in a car – while going 90 MPH –

and changing the shocks and tires

Should I switch systems?

Picking a vendor

Implementation best practices

TOPICS

Should I Switch Systems?

• Planning– Requirements gathering– Internal audit of all processes and policies– Evaluation team composed of stakeholders– Evaluate hiring outside experienced neutral consultant

Should I Switch Systems?

• Driving forces of change– Obsolete system– Sunset– Missing functionality– Validate and due diligence

• Does current system already address concerns?

Picking a Vendor

• Properly vet vendors– Don’t look for a new system operating like the old system– Request references– Find your own references– Does the vendor understand your business channel

Picking a Vendor

• Legacy versus new technology• Tenure – reputation• Capitalized• Dependencies on other technology and vendors• Cloud enabled

Picking a Vendor

• Feature set– New system CANNOT contain all functionality of legacy

• Track usage and review the list of most used functionality– Understand current functionality – audit and document– Understand proposed functionality

• Automation, manual steps, faster, efficiency– Understand and evaluate output – reporting and capabilities

• What are customer touch points?

Implementation Best Practices - Setup

• Resources– Estimating time and resources– Have the right people on the job

• Stakeholders in all decision making processes• People actively engaged have an investment in success

Implementation Best Practices - Setup

• Priority Setting– Reduce multi-tasking– Date sensitivity– Critical paths– Rigorous issue resolution process

Implementation Best Practices - Setup

• Invest in Training and Change Management– Training and communication is key– Everyone hates change– Must flow from executive team– Training and testing insure comfort of key players– Otherwise you have an expensive version of Excel

Implementation Best Practices - Setup

• Don’t take the kitchen sink approach– New system CANNOT duplicate functionality of legacy system– Understand new system capabilities and strengths

• Embrace the strengths and leverage– Understand your system strategy– Focus on optimizing value of new system

Implementation Best Practices

• Management must be involved from the beginning– Change management– Over communication– Build a team of equity partners

Implementation Best Practices

• Detailed project plans– Plan the work, work the plan– Must be dynamic– Detailed responsibility - accountability

Implementation Best Practices

• Function focused project teams– Weekly meetings with measurable goals– Log and track

• Minutes• Decisions made• Decisions to be made• Obstacles• Problems• Risks

Implementation Best Practices

• Demand accountability– At all levels – not just the team

• Training is the most crucial factor• Test, then test again, then test once more

Implementation Best Practices

• Recognize and celebrate major milestones– Troops need recognition– Helps in the communication process– Recognize the over-achievers– Increase visibility of the project to the company

Implementation Best Practices

• Communicate – then communicate again and again– Internal and external– Small stuff matters– Identify touch points and where there is risk– Give employees as much information as possible about the new

system in order to better service your customers

Implementation Best Practices

• Maintenance strategy moving forward– Identify and allocate resource needs– Don’t become obsolete– Commit future resources to keep up-to-date– Avoid another implementation!

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?