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Over the past 18 years, Tom Francen has help clients succeed in all aspects of their Lawson Software system. If you are a Lawson Software client starting an implementation, or an existing client contemplating an upgrade, key decisions can make or break your project. Here are a few pitfall items:
1. Realistic Expectations. As good as Lawson Software's sales presentation is (and it is good!), implementing Lawson Software is difficult. Do not under estimate the enormity of work involved. Implementations are long, difficult processes that tax your entire organization. Conversely, do not over estimate what the software (once implemented) will do for your company. ROI's are greatly exaggerated, often for the purpose of sales ... be realistic and level-headed with regards to your Lawson Software investment.
2. Client Side Staffing. Your company will need to devote both technical and functional resources to ensure the success of the project. The quickest way to kill any project, is to not properly staff it! The people you devote to the implementation/upgrade need to be major players / heavy hitters within your organization. Remember, this is the system that you'll be moving towards. The people you put in place to make key decisions will ultimately determine the long-term success of your Lawson Software system.
3. Supplemental Staffing. ERP's these days are large ... very large, and complex ... very complex. My experience has taught me the old adage is true, "you don't even know enough to know what you don't know". Even the most technical and functionally sound clients require some level assistance. In choosing your help, remember, people implement projects, not consulting names. Clients often realize this after spending millions of dollars because they chose a big 5 name to assist with the implementation. Interview each and every person, regardless of the consulting name. If need be, hire outside resources to interview your outside prospects! Money spent up front will save repay itself many times over the course of the project. Here are a couple other items you may wish to consider:
- Pay extra to keep the GREAT consultants. Once you find a great consultant, keep him/her. Money spent up front will pay itself over many times in the future!
- Don't let the consulting company roll off good people ... retain them!
- Knowledge transfer between your employees and the consultants onsite.
4. Hardware Funding. Don't skimp on the hardware. Disk space is cheap. Hardware is cheap. Time is expensive.
5. Platform Choice. Lawson on the AS400 is a viable option for those clients who wish to stay in the middle of the pack (as Lawson slowly develops its applications for the AS400, yet is committed to its longevity). Lawson on Windows/NT is a viable option for only smaller clients. I define smaller clients as those who have no more than 30 simultaneously connected users, and run a payroll of not more than 2,000 employee's, and run an AP cycle of not more than 1,000 checks. Too many Lawson on Windows/NT clients are left with a "reboot" option to resolve problems/issues. Most clients should choose unix. Unix is highly scalable and reliable. The Lawson Environment on Unix has proven itself over time. Other factors that can influence your platform decision:
- Cost of Operating System
- Costs of Relational Database
- Current staff technical skillset and knowledge
6. Change Your Business Practices. Although Lawson Software is highly scalable, it can't (and doesn't) meet the needs of all clients. If you are a client who has tons of money to spend, or lots of resources to devote, skip this section and proceed to pitfall item #7. For the rest of us, it is highly advised to change your business practices to meet the requirements of your newly purchased Lawson Software. Minimizing the number of customizations will pay large dividends during the course of the implementation, as well as allow your company to take a more seamless approach to future upgrades. Changing your business practices should always be a first consideration! Standard answers such as "well that's the way we've always done it" are not acceptable ... retool and streamline your business practices where ever and when ever possible.
7. Consolidate your systems. Undoubtably, you have many systems running on different machines, all attempting to service the needs of your company. Where ever possible, consolidate. The fewer physical servers you have, the less administrative costs you'll bear ... this translates to bottom-line dollars saved.
8. Benchmarkings. Don't Go-Live on your Lawson Software system to then find out our system isn't tuned for our end user base or we don't have enough Lawson environment licenses, or our IOS configuration can't handle 3,000 simultaneously connected users. Benchmarking is the least talked about, most misunderstood aspect of a Lawson implementation. Understanding your current end-user base, your needs to process payroll cycles, your requirements to close AP and GL, and the critical timeframe required to print checks ... these are all aspects of benchmarking and need to be performed before Go-Live, not during it!
9. Training. Each Lawson Software client will embark on two levels of training: Lawson Training for your Power Users, Technical People, and Mission Critical People; and in-house training for your regular employee base. The Power Users need to understand they will ultimately be disseminating information to, and training the end users ... hence, it is imperative that the Power Users pay attention and ask questions during their formal Lawson classes! Power Users need to have a thorough understanding of the application. As a side note, if your Lawson training/class was inadequate or sub-par, contact your Lawson CSM and demand service credits, or credit towards another class.
10. Big Bang Go-Live. Clients who are properly staffed, and who have thoroughly tested, will have no problem executing a massive cut-over (e.g. Big Bang approach). Weaning users over from the old software to Lawson has never been an easy, as most end-users will wait until the last moment (and some past the last moment) before having to learn the new application. Big Bang implementations are often the most intrusive type of implementation ... but can be the most cost effective Go-Live method.
11. Minimize Bureaucracy. For decisions that are required higher up in your company's organization, create a resolution path whereby answers for mission critical decisions can be ascertained in short periods of time (e.g. hours/days instead of weeks/months).
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