Client Overview
The client is a rapidly growing designer, manufacturer and marketer of footwear for men, women and children. Based in Niwot, Colorado, the client is known for its all-purpose slip-resistant footwear which is sold in more than 125 countries worldwide.
Business Challenges
The client needed to build a single ERP system, EnterpriseOne 8.10, for its sales, procurement, inventory and finance processes across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Holland and Finland) and APAC (Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand). In effect, the client needed four different rollouts, each one delivered in succession of the other.
The scope included end-to-end implementation and roll-out with integration of localization requirements specific to each location. Deliverables also involved the entire gamut of data conversions related to go-live, and technical development work related to forms, reports and security set-ups.
Overall, the new system needed to supplement the client’s rapidly growing business, while helping achieve global supply chain synergies and reduced time to market.
SYSTIME’s Solution
SYSTIME charted out a detailed project plan for the entire implementation cycle, through stages of solution review, gap identification, solution modeling and configuration, unit testing, CRP (conference room pilot), integrated CRP, end-user training, go-live, post go-live support and stabilization up to first month closure.
For each successive rollout, SYSTIME incrementally leveraged the knowledge base of consultants who have gone through the client implementation cycle and solution in the subsequent rollout. This helped the consultants to ensure deliverables in aggressive timelines and enabled offshore-ability of a few components such as technical work related to data conversions, reports and forms.
Throughout all the rollouts, SYSTIME consistently partnered with the IT leaders at the client’s end and collaborated with various stakeholders in the client’s IT and business teams.
Key challenges and how SYSTIME mitigated them
Key implementation challenges |
How SYSTIME mitigated them |
Coordination between virtual teams comprising various stakeholders such as client’s global IT team, client’s regional IT team, client’s business users, implementation team (onsite and offshore members, localization vendors), across different time zones. |
SYSTIME identified a project stakeholder (owner) at each location of activity and scheduled forums (typically conference calls / weekly reporting) for issue discussion and resolution amongst various stakeholders. Additionally, SYSTIME established and employed escalation mechanisms. |
Managing third party contractors. |
SYSTIME set clear objectives and expectations about deliverables from third party contractors and detailed out tasks for them. SYSTIME also conducted rigorous and frequent monitoring sessions of actual work done vs. expected delivery. |
Absence of change management processes and state of flux in the client’s IT organization. |
SYSTIME proactively reached out and got the buy in of activity owners within the software development and implementation life cycle. Wherever possible, SYSTIME took the lead in setting up and defining processes that impact delivery. |
Language issues at the implementation level in terms of communication with business super user and end user. |
SYSTIME mitigated this by using local contractors, who were conversant in the local language. This is especially successful in Mexico and Japan. |
Knowledge issues related to localization and forms printing software. |
SYSTIME identified areas for knowledge gaining and took special steps to drive them. |
Abhishek heads the global delivery of the Business Process Management (BPM) - Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) practice at Infosys. He has more than 16 years of experience in the IT industry. He has worked extensively with leading companies in the U.S., Europe and Australia. He has expertise in product development having worked with niche product Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) during the entire lifecycle of product development.
Business Benefits
SYSTIME’s solution enabled the client to achieve its overall business goals and resulted in the following business benefits:
- End-to-end transformation of a country processes into a standardized and harmonized ERP process
- Progressive refinements in implementation methodology across rollouts
- Aggressive timelines being met with progressive cost savings in successive roll outs (the key enabler to this being the retention of consultants and their knowledge across rollouts)
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