5 ERP Implementation Obstacles And How To Overcome Them

By Jenna Guy, ECi Software Solutions

Choosing and implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is a major investment for any organization. It’s a complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive process that involves many stakeholders and moving parts. For these reasons, many organizations struggle to successfully adopt an ERP solution.

While ERP provides countless benefits like greater efficiency, reduced costs, and improved collaboration, there are common mistakes that can set your ERP project up for failure from day one. The best way to ensure your ERP implementation goes as smoothly as possible is to do your due diligence. Here are five pitfalls to be on the lookout for and how to avoid them:

1. Lack of consistent executive support.

The problem: Senior leadership signs off on a new ERP and walks away.

The solution: Moving to an ERP requires more than a signature on a contract. To successfully implement an ERP and promote adoption, senior leaders need to become evangelists and embrace the change. Executive buy-in is essential to getting an ERP project off the ground, but their support is necessary on an ongoing basis. They should support the project by helping set the overall goals of the project and align these with business objectives. As ERP champions, they should also enable employees with the resources and ERP training they need to succeed.