A few days ago I was with Laura, one of my colleagues, in a pre-sales meeting for Odoo Accounting with a client in the distribution sector. Just as we opened the tool to start the demo, the client stopped us in our tracks and said…
Before we see the software, why don’t you tell me who you are and what track record you have in successful projects?
Oops, you’ve got a point – I said.
Sometimes we get so focused on getting straight to the point, on explaining Odoo’s functionality, on how it will save us time and optimize our workflow, that we lose sight of essentials such as introducing ourselves.
So we pulled up Binovo’s company presentation, went over some of the values that best define us and, to finish, gave them several recent projects we had successfully implemented as examples.
And at that point, the client said…
OK, but walk me through the process. How do you manage a project like this?
And added…
Bear in mind that changing ERP is a sensitive investment for us, not only financially, but because of the impact it will have across the organization. Before we “get married” to a new provider, we want to be sure the collaboration will be productive.
Don’t worry, there’s no need to hold a wedding – I said, laughing.
Odoo is open-source software, so you hold “the keys” to your project. If its functionality suits you, but tomorrow you decide you don’t like us and don’t want to keep working with us, all you’ll need to worry about is choosing a new provider to continue supporting you.
But to put your mind at ease, I’m going to explain how we approach the 3 key phases in implementing an ERP, whether it’s Odoo or any other, because understanding them and carrying them out properly is essential before we can talk about success.
And then I explained to him the same thing I’m about to share with you now…
Key phases in implementing an ERP
Of course, I didn’t go into detail, and I won’t now either, as it would take many articles to break down the 3 key phases in implementing an ERP.
But don’t worry, I will write them, and in them I’ll tell you about the little tricks we use at each stage, why we use them, why they work, and even the mistakes that have taught us lessons and helped us refine our model.
For now, let’s focus on understanding what these key phases in implementing an ERP are, why they matter and how we approach them so that, as I told the client, when the project is finished, all that’s left is to toast with champagne.
So what are the 3 key phases in implementing an ERP? Consulting, Development and Implementation.
Key phases in implementing an ERP: Consulting and analysis
In my opinion, it’s even the most important of the three, and I’ll explain why…
Software companies, and technology companies in general, often make the mistake of focusing all our attention and effort on the tools or applications we develop.
Just like we did in the accounting demo with the client…
We lose sight of the fact that software, besides being functional, must serve the people who will use it, and not the other way around. Otherwise, not only does it fail to save time, it can create chaos in the organization by forcing users to change the way they work.
How do we achieve this?
By dedicating a good share of our hours to “putting ourselves in the client’s shoes” and speaking their language: planning the project and its objectives, understanding the specifics of their business, their operational workflows and the resources they have available, why they do things one way or another, how Odoo does it and how to adapt it to their way of working so that, as I said before, the tool serves them.
But be careful, and I’ll write about this another day: a Consultant’s job in this phase isn’t limited to absorbing the client’s processes and collecting data. They must be qualified to examine those processes and tell the client what they’re doing wrong and how to do it right.
Fearlessly and with authority, the kind of authority that comes from knowledge and experience.
Getting through this stage without mistakes will be decisive for the future of the project. Carrying over shortcomings because we didn’t give it the attention it deserves, or weren’t clear with the client, will leave us with a legacy that will penalize us until the very end.
Key phases in implementing an ERP: Installation and development
Once the previous stage is complete, we install Odoo and get it running. But do you remember that I mentioned earlier the importance of putting technology at the service of people?
Let me give you an example…
Odoo’s standard version is pretty great, powerful and highly functional, and in many cases it’s enough to meet the client’s requirements. But sometimes, because Odoo isn’t perfect and other times because we need to modify or adapt certain processes, we need to have the capacity and expertise to do so.
The most common mistake here, almost always due to a lack of resources or inexperience in Odoo development, is trying to convince the client and force the standard version on them, thinking they’ll eventually get used to it and there won’t be any problems.
But there will be problems, oh yes there will. There always are, and they will haunt us throughout the entire professional relationship, because the client doesn’t have what they need; they have what we’ve been able to offer them, and those are two different things.
At Binovo, and here I’m going to puff out my chest, we have Bittor, Eneko, Ali, Luis, Ugaitz, Imanol, Guillermo… An outstanding department specialized in developing Odoo or, in other words, in putting the tool at the service of the client.
Key phases in implementing an ERP: Rollout and change management
The last one, but not the least important, because once again people take center stage. Whether the tool gets used, whether they complain or are over the moon, whether they save time and have better control of their tasks or go crazy with the change of ERP and start writing your epitaph, all depends on those same people.
Why? Because usually we deploy the ERP, spend a few hours training the staff, and that’s it.
And fine, we may have fulfilled our task, but that isn’t necessarily enough.
There will always be people resistant to changing ERP whom you’ll have to deal with, because they will make things very difficult and can wipe out any hint of success.
You’ll come across staff who can’t spare time from their working day to train on the ERP, and you either manage them or they fall behind and the project stalls.
And not everyone finds it equally easy to adapt to change and stay productive.
These are just three examples, quite common ones, by the way, and since my backpack is full of experiences, I’ll gradually tell you about the alternatives we use to come out on top of these and other challenges. In the end, they’re what allow us to enjoy great references, happy clients and successful projects that we later use as examples to win new accounts.
I’ll tell you about the client’s decision later…
As for all this, the client liked what we explained, our methodology and the way we approach each of the 3 key phases in implementing an ERP.
Then we carried on with the Odoo Accounting demo, and it seems this part convinced them too.
We’ll see whether they sign and hire us (I think they will ;-)), I’ll let you know.
Until then, I’ll say goodbye until next Monday. Don’t forget, at 12:00 you have a date with Kis’s blog.