User Review
( votes)Selecting an ERP vendor usually is about cost and specific functionality. One area often overlooked when considering the right ERP provider for your business is the impact this ERP vendor will have on ERP user training.
Rolling out a new ERP solution for a business is a project. Everyone knows this. However, after an ERP system is implemented, much of the real work begins: the ERP user training and change management that comes along with installing a new system. The chosen ERP provider can play a big role in helping or harming ERP adoption best practices.
ERP User Training: The ERP Vendor Matters
An ERP provider matters both because of the solution it offers and how easy it makes ERP user training. The best technology in the world doesn’t help if Sally in payroll won’t uhttps://erpsoftwareblog.com/cloud/2024/10/why-consider-implementing-a-modernized-erp-solution/se it.
There are several ERP user training factors to consider when selecting the right ERP provider for your business.
1. Does the ERP vendor make it easy to tailor the solution to the business?
Among ERP adoption best practices, one of the most important is helping employees understand why the new system supports the business and makes their lives easier. Central for this is the ability to tailor the solution for the business by turning off unneeded features and functionality so the various ERP applications clearly address the needs and processes of the business directly.
When employees see that the ERP solution addresses the needs of their specific job function, adoption, and ERP user training get a lot easier. Read ‘Why Consider Implementing a Modern ERP Solution.’
2. Does the ERP vendor allow meaningful user customization?
Not every employee works the same way or needs the same functionality from the ERP solution. A good ERP provider will recognize this and enable each user to customize their interaction with the ERP solution so it more closely matches the employee’s actual needs and tasks within the system.
This includes setting up custom reports and dashboards, altering the applications that are visible to a given user, and the ability to personalize the system for a given employee.
3. Does the ERP vendor enable guided system usage?
ERP user training after implementation isn’t the end of the story. Training on a new system and remembering the right way to use it are two different things. So one of the ERP adoption best practices is configuring the system to guide users automatically toward correct usage.
This guided system usage can take the form of enforced process management as well as in-application assistants and user interface design that naturally suggests correct usage of the system even if an employee forgets his or her training.
4. Does the ERP vendor standardize application interfaces and make them easy to use?
ERP solutions consist of many applications, many of which have developed over time and been rolled into the core product. Some might not even be developed by the ERP provider directly. Is there a standard user interface design across all applications within the ERP solution, and is the user interface clear and easy to use?
ERP is the definition of business software, which is not known for elegant user interfaces. But this is no excuse in the age of consumer-focused business software, and a good ERP vendor will unify the look and feel of the various applications within the suite and make this interface relatively intuitive for employees using the system.
5. Does this right ERP vendor offer plenty of training and support?
Change management and ERP user training ultimately rests with the business itself, but the training materials and onboarding support offered by an ERP provider can frequently make or break a new ERP adoption.
The right ERP vendor will support not only the product but also the onboarding and ERP user training needed to get employees up to speed. During the selection process, make sure to ask about and review the training resources that an ERP vendor will provide. Inadequate or poorly designed ERP user training materials can hint at deeper problems that exist under the surface.
6. Is the ERP vendor part of a larger solution ecosystem?
The strongest ERP vendors have built and nurtured a robust community of third-party support partners and training resources that can be used for ERP user training and support during and after implementation.
When employees need answers, a robust third-party solution ecosystem helps employees remember what they’ve learned and more easily get community support. A strong third-party support ecosystem also enables a business to more easily hire ongoing support or employee training post-launch.
ERP Vendor and Adoption Best Practices Matter
Employees need to use ERP every day. Without good user training grounded in ERP adoption best practices, the utility of ERP is greatly reduced. Ensuring adequate training and adoption starts with selecting the right ERP vendor. For more on what to look for when selecting an ERP provider, or guidance on ERP adoption best practices, call one of our experienced ERP consultants at (801) 642-0123 or writing us at info@nbs-us.com.
The post Why Selecting the Right ERP Provider Helps with User Training & Adoption Best Practices appeared first on ERP Cloud Blog.
