Insights by Nitor

Imagine your organization is a few weeks away from launching a major change and being asked, "Are we ready?" If the answer isn’t a confident “Yes,” this three-word question can send a project team into a panic, distracting from important final tasks and causing Go-Live to be at risk. One way to avoid this scenario is by incorporating change readiness assessments into your change management strategy.

Congratulations! Your company has made the decision to streamline and simplify the way they do business by investing in a source-to-pay (S2P) software solution.

Now, how do you get your suppliers to adopt the idea of transacting electronically? This S2P implementation impacts more than just your company; if your suppliers are not onboard with this change, it could create a strain on your relationships and negatively impact the bottom line.

You secured the budget, obtained leadership endorsement, purchased your procurement software, and are ready to implement. Then it hits you – there is no way we can do this on our own! If that sounds like you…you are not alone. In fact, the vast majority of companies preparing to implement procurement automation software have correctly realized they need the help of an experienced, certified software implementation partner.

The journey is full of challenges, some you may not know exist. Software providers do the best they can during the sales cycle to prepare you, but the reality is, there is just too much to know. It can feel overwhelming to look at an 8 – 18 month project plan with more than six workstreams. Planning your team’s resource utilization, understanding how each workstream ties into the others and connecting dependencies – HELP!

It’s time to reach out for help and find an implementation partner. Here are some ideas of what to look for when selecting a partner.

Pack your bags! We’re traveling abroad! A global change initiative is a monumental and transformative undertaking for organizations with cross border trajectories. There may be layovers, several modes of transportation, or even a change in carrier before we arrive at our final destination. Upon arrival, we need to determine where to spend our time to get the best return on investment, which souvenirs to pick up, and which to leave behind to successfully clear customs.

BUCKLE UP! Change rarely goes as planned, but with proper planning and strategies in place, it can be a far smoother ride.

How many times have we approached Change Management white knuckled with fear of the twists and turns that lie ahead? Think about the last time you were in a theme park - Did you ride the biggest roller coaster in the park? If you did, at what point did you wonder about the safety belt?  Change Management is much like that safety belt.