Enterprise resource planning implementation is a costly project that tends to face serious challenges. Thus, it is essential to perform the success assessment at the post-implementation stage of an ERP project to evaluate how much the system has succeeded in achieving its predetermined objectives.

Post-implementation assistance is what occurs when the switch is activated. It is often the most underestimated tasks of the implementation project. Appropriate resource concentrations, rapid response times and effort coordination are important success factors.

Here’s why you should always consider some type of post-implementation support.

 Expertise

• It pays to have a consultant that understands the full life cycle of the implementation process and is well-versed in your organization’s business processes.

 Post Implementation Review

• Performing a Gap Analysis to review the system to ensure the original goals of the project were met is always a beneficial exercise. If there are gaps, your support partner will help you figure out how to address these gaps.

 Improve Processes and Optimization

• A consultant can help identify areas within your systems which may need further development, address issues and improve your processes to get a higher return on investment.

 Solve Complex Issues

• An outside perspective helps immensely with detecting and recognizing that there is a problem, identifying the nature of the problem, and defining the problem. After that, your support partner will take time for observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and developing a clear picture of the problem to provide a solution, and will help you execute that solution.

 Cross-Training

• Further system training and coaching will help Admins and Users to self-support and troubleshoot the system.

Translating business needs into technical requirements

• With any implementation there are usually “parking lot” or phase two items to implement. These items may have not been in the original scope of the project or were deemed not essential for the phase one go-live, but they are still important and should not be deprioritized. With ongoing support, you can review these items, gather new requirements and be ready to implement these phase 2 items such as rolling out additional modules.

 Documentation

• Documentation is vitally important to have in order before, during, and after your implementation. Comprehensive documentation helps to tell the narrative for decisions made, and how yourself or the client responded to different situations. In this same manner, it is important to record information that can help support the proper plan and the reasoning for such services.