When choosing a technology partner to lead the implementation of a new retail management system, doing your research pays off. Balancing your concerns against the capabilities available to you can streamline the decision-making process and take the worry out of doing business better.
Flexible Environment
Expectation: Implementation can only be done on-site, or only remotely.
Reality: You have choices. Some businesses need the hands-on support of an onsite implementation team. Other retailers, perhaps with multiple locations as well, want fully remote guidance during deployment of an implementation. Finding a partner with the flexibility to help provide both options gives you the support you need to mitigate risk and drive value at every stage of your project.
Collaborative Process
Expectation: Employees won’t be involved in planning for the implementation, and won’t know what to expect.
Reality: The most effective pre-implementation meetings include the opportunity to collaborate, capture ideas, and facilitate creative thinking. A strong technology partner will lead productive meetings with all key players, from the top leadership on down, highlighting a clear methodology for project management and transparent communication. After implementation, customers should immediately feel the benefit of the new solution.
Improved Efficiency
Expectation: Implementation will take up large blocks of time, and cost more than originally planned.
Reality: When done right, a successful implementation should have a strong framework in place to help ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. With its ability to streamline operations and boost sales, a strong retail management system should increase, rather than hamper, the efficiency of day-to-day retail business.
Ongoing Support
Expectation: Implementation support will end once the contract is signed and the go-live is ready.
Reality: Implementation should be viewed as a process rather than an end-goal. The technology partner you choose should help provide the tools and processes necessary to validate that all systems are ready to go. Your implementation should include support through at least your first month-end, to help everything run seamlessly.
Lasting Partnerships
Expectation: Employees seeking additional knowledge or training will have to fend for themselves, or cobble together information from multiple sources.
Reality: Ongoing education should be a vital part of any strong implementation process. Your implementation partner should offer training to meet the needs of your business, designed to work within the space available and the level of technology awareness of your employees. For companies undergoing significant structural and management shifts along with the implementation, a change management program can be a vital complement to the day-to-day training.
Epicor for Retail
At Epicor, we encourage our customers to reach their goals and objectives with us at every step of the process, as we share our knowledge developed over decades of successful implementation. Working together, we supply the tools and guidance that will help empower your staff, achieve your desired outcomes, and accelerate your retail business.
Discover the benefits of the right retail solutions.
