Strategic ERP Consulting

In a recent meeting of college and university CIOs, the following question was posed.

Do you consider your ERP system to be a strategic or tactical decision.

Over 75% responded that the decision was clearly strategic. However when asked to enumerate the stategic advantages generated from these systems, the responses sounded more tactical than strategic.

Among the most heard responses were:

All of our data is now in the same place.
It makes offices understand that they are sharing information.
It brought the non-computer users out of the woodwork.

In the end, the consensus was that the ERP system was primarily a replacement for prior systems including Student Information, Finance, Human Resources and Financial Aid. The same functions were being performed, only now the process was different. We think this is tactical rather than strategic.

In the few cases where stategic advantages were enumerated, the common characteristic was that it took about 5 years to reach a point where the campus could turn its attention from tactical to strategic issues.

This does not have to be the case. Pre-ERP strategic analysis changes the focus of your ERP implementation. Compared to the costly installation consulting, strategic ERP consulting helps you identify clear targets for an earlier return on your ERP transformation.

Our services help you focus and prioritize your goals. During your implementation, you can constantly track your progress against a strategic plan to make sure you are spending your financial and people resources toward achieving strategic rather than tactical outcomes. You are able to focus on the achieving a your strategic focus rather than simply surviving the implementation.