Why software implementations fail
December 3rd, 2007Why software implementations fail…
Over the years, we’ve all heard the horror stories and the statistics of enterprise business software implementation failures. Most studies indicate that 50% or more of new enterprise software implementations are rated as either “complete failures” or “unsatisfactory.” Many of these situations have been well documented and much of the blame has been directed at the vendor and the product…and rightly so.
But the real issue, for companies starting a new implementation process, is – how do you avoid falling into the “failure” category?
Much has been written about best practices and the proper steps to follow in a new enterprise implementation. In discussing successful implementations, you’ve probably read about some combination of these recommendations:
* Determine and document your internal process before you select your software product
* Establish your ROI metrics
* Get complete management “buy-in” across your organization
* Form cross-functional teams
* Implement a conference room pilot
* Avoid “scope creep”
* Don’t short-cut on training for your users
These suggestions are just a few of the many recommended steps as you begin to implement your new enterprise software.
Unfortunately, while there is much discussion about choosing the right software product and the steps in the process of implementing the software – what about the process of selecting the right vendor or reseller?
In my opinion, if a company wants to ensure their new enterprise implementation is a success – the most important thing they can do is select the right partner to make sure their implementation goes according to plan.
But is there enough emphasis and effort put into selecting the right vendor or reseller compared to the effort put into selecting the right software product?
How much do companies rate the importance of partnering with the right vendor/reseller versus selecting the right product?
What criteria do companies look for when selecting a vendor or reseller? What are the best practices for selecting the right vendor or reseller?
In my next post we’ll talk about some of the things you should consider as you select not only the right software product, but also the right vendor or reseller to help you stay out of the “failure” category.
Let me know what you think…
