All great businesses are built on one key element: strategy. Whether that is seeing an underserved market sector and building to satisfy these consumers through boutique services, or developing mass production to serve more universal needs, good organizations start with a crystal-clear model that empowers and guides them toward success.

However, creating a good business strategy requires robust technology that allows for cutting-edge results and strong advice from industry experts. Utilizing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software like JD Edwards satisfies the first element, as it enables business leaders to manage all facets of their business through one platform. 

The second element, industry expertise, comes from JD Edwards consulting firms such as getgsi.com, as they provide critical instruction and guidance when working to implement this powerful business optimization software. 

Consultants Ease the Difficulty of ERP Implementation

While JD Edwards can vastly improve your processes due to its next-level integration, real-time data flow, and streamlined workflow, any Enterprise Resource Planning project is complicated and difficult. Approximately 25% of all ERP implementations are late or canceled, while another 55% fail to meet stakeholder expectations, leading to serious frustrations amongst staff and consumers alike. 

Part of the reason for this is that implementations require both knowledge of the software and of change management. Both of these may be absent in smaller organizations, which do not have dedicated staff available for implementations and may not have strong first-hand knowledge of JD Edwards: a must when trying to explain its purpose while also setting it up. By working with a consulting team, you will have access to both of these resources, reducing the difficulty of keeping a project on track. 

Optimize Your Change Management by Leveraging Expert Advice

Change management is difficult for any organization, and its difficulty only increases when more stakeholders are involved. Many managers feel like they’re herding cats when they try to get everyone on the same page about what the software is going to do, when everything needs to be ready, and how to train end users on their roles. There may be resistance from certain sectors that are satisfied with the status quo, while some users may struggle to understand how their workflow is going to change as a result of the difference.

Expert JD Edwards consultants have overseen numerous implementations: they’ve seen what can scuttle an implementation, whether that is a lack of ground support or failure to address specific concerns that users may have. They will be able to clearly and succinctly explain the purpose of the ERP and tailor their approach to different audiences, such as Human Resources and Customer Service, ensuring that everyone understands the role that they play in the changeover.

Most importantly, they can foresee challenges that may arise as a result of your specific organization’s setup and work to address them before they ever become a problem, which is a key element of ensuring that all goes off without a hitch. 

Align Your Technology With Business Goals by Working With Experienced Professionals

JD Edwards is an expansive platform; with its different modules, it can be set up to exactly match the specifications of nearly any company. Additionally, it provides third-party integration with more specialized software that certain business sectors may need so that all data is available on one platform, regardless of whether that information comes from the JD Edwards modules or not.

Given the many ways that this ERP can be configured, some business leaders may become overwhelmed with the options and fail to consider exactly what their business needs; conversely, they may choose to implement too many modules at once, believing bigger is better.

A good consulting company will perform a thorough assessment of your business goals and needs in order to identify exactly what should be implemented, as well as which are the most mission-critical. Most implementations happen in stages so as to avoid disrupting workflows, and a consultant will know which ones are best implemented first based on what is most essential. They will also be able to assess what your system is currently missing so that these can be added on in the order that makes the most sense, further enhancing the utility of your ERP. 

The smooth, logical progression from choosing modules to completing the implementation will be greatly eased by having expert advice on what your business most needs. These professionals can ward you away from adding more modules than you need, suggest ones that you may have not considered important, and arrange the implementation in a way that reduces stress for your staff. 

Conclusion

JD Edwards is a tool used by some of the most productive and successful businesses in a world, but this does not mean it is easy to implement. Regardless of your company’s size or industry, it’s crucial that you take the time to get your ERP set up right, and a consulting firm that specializes in these implementations is an essential partner in this process. By collaborating with a JD Edwards consultant, you’ll be able to avoid the most common implementation pitfalls, saving time and money – while also preventing excess stress.