DECEMBER - JANUARYCIOAPPLICATIONSEUROPE.COM9Through the simple inclusion and change of onus of demo ownership to the client team, rather than a vendor, several areas of value are created and embedded into the business long term which otherwise is traditionally harder to achieveThe demo phase aids in process optimization by allowing observation of how the ERP system integrates with existing processes. This enables necessary adjustments to optimise workflows and improve efficiency. Moreover, it reveals customisations needed to better align the system with the specific needs of the current system landscape of the organisation, which of course will differ from project to project.Ensuring regulatory compliance and maintaining quality assurance are critical in certain industries. The demo phase helps ensure that the ERP system meets all industry regulations and standards, preventing regulatory issues later. It also allows for monitoring the system's impact on product quality, helping to maintain high standards and avoid quality-related problems post-implementation. These are typically areas that can be easily overlooked when considering only process and efficiency gains from the technology when often the audibility and regulatory reporting of what happens within the system are important success criteria.All of the above areas represent real tangible benefits to the project and should be captured and utilised effectively as they create massive value and insight which otherwise may not come to light. These benefits are naturally generated through the process of a Pilot, however, there is a further vein to unlock which is rarely incorporated into the process and that is a client-led demo.Client-led demos can be used to dramatically upskill and expedite knowledge transfer to the project team. By emphasising and including these important sessions in the lifecycle and plan, we can unlock even more benefits for the project and beyond. There will be a greater engagement by Workstream Leads through the design phase resulting in a stronger design of the solution, and knowledge is driven into the project team at an earlier point, meaning the client team can spot design flaws and issues more efficiently. Instead of trained super users, the project team becomes true system experts and accepts greater accountability for the solution as they are aware they will own a pilot demonstration post-design phase. During the process of familiarisation with system processes, the team also benefits the project passively through initial testing of the solution and generation of test scripts and scenarios which dramatically improves preparation of these phases later in the project. Through the simple inclusion and change of onus of demo ownership to the client team, rather than a vendor, several areas of value are created and embedded into the business long term which otherwise is traditionally harder to achieve.By leveraging the benefits described by traditional Vendor demos and Client-side demos, a program manager can significantly enhance the chances of a smooth and successful ERP system implementation, leading to improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and better overall performance.
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