Are you sure that your ERP is in safe hands?

From the above topic, I do not intend to argue whether the "Bad Men" like terrorists, scamsters etc. are using the technology to make their job easier and faster and how should we prevent that to happen. This post is to talk about the normal "Good People" who wants to use the technology but have very less idea about the real capabilities and limitations of it. If we just copy a large organization in selecting an ERP or a SCM product for our organization thinking that it must be a good product and that is the reason they have got this deployed, then there is a high probability that we will fall flat on our face while implementing as lot of requirements of our business are not met with the product. These is not a hypothetical case and for different reasons enterprises often end up selecting the wrong product for their operations and instead of getting benefitted from it, they get worse off and start blaming the product. The golden rule in this case,

as we all know, is to map your key requirements against the product capabilities and take a couple of references from similar industries before going for the product.

Another key issue that brought up the topic in my mind is the right profile of people that are in-charge of your technological transformation initiative. It is becoming the 3rd biggest reason (after wrong product and low involvement from senior management) for ERP project failures as people, who were managing the show, were not the right mix of people and stress was given on only a few portions of the deployment and thus bringing the failure to the whole exercise. Instead of giving an example, I would like to share a joke with you all that “kind of” communicates the message:

A Letter from Blonde to Bill

Subject: Problems with my new computer

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,

We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request you to check this
2. One doubt is whether any 're-scooter' is available in system? I find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home
3. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this 'find' button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem
4. My child learnt 'Microsoft Word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft Sentence', so when you will provide that?
5. I bought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one icon which shows 'My Computer': when you will provide the remaining items?
6. It is surprising that windows say 'MY Pictures' but there is not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in that
7. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use the PC at home only
8. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past Documents'?
9. You provided 'My Network Places'. For God sake please do not provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my husband know where I go after my office hours.

Regards,

Blonde

Last one to Mr. Bill Gates: Sir, how is it that your name is Gates but you are selling WINDOWS?