One of the keys to a successful ERP implementation is to have buy-in from management and the users alike. However achieving buy-in isn’t as easy as going around asking people if they would like a new ERP solution. In some organizations, you have to really work to get people on board for such a time-consuming, costly project. If you take the right steps, and have help from your team, buy-in shouldn’t be an issue and you will be well on your way to kicking off your ERP implementation.
Work your way down from the top
Let’s assume you have your immediate supervisor’s support, this helps you plan the project and take care of other necessities but how much influence is your boss going to be able to project on other managers and employees? If you have support from the C level though, buy-in will come much easier. Management and your fellow employees will be more likely to listen. Having senior management on your side will help steer the vision down the right path and help highlight the benefits your company stands to gain from your new ERP application.
Highlight the key features
It’s surprising to see how many features and tools in a company’s ERP solution go unused because they weren’t promoted effectively. Often times, we rely on training to highlight key features of the ERP solution however doing so earlier not only helps your co-workers become aware of them, but it can also help you gain buy-in from those who may be on the fence. When presenting your new ERP solution, be sure to showcase the most important, beneficial features to get people excited about how a change in software can help them.
Communicate changes
Change management is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome when achieving buy-in from your organization. People like to do things the same way they have been, so when you start talking about something new it is expected that there will be some pushback. Yet if you define which processes are going to change as a result of your ERP implementation, and how they will change, you reduce any problems that come from surprising people. If you can communicate to them how these changes will affect them for the better, then you remove one of the biggest impediments.
Managing expectations across a large-scale organization is a difficult task to undertake, and getting people to support the changes you are proposing is even harder. Help can be found with others who have experience with what it takes to get buy-in across the board. They understand that buy-in from executives helps your project obtain budget and resources necessary to be successful and the buy-in from the end-users is what helps seal the project’s success.
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