As independent consultants we are often called in to recover broken projects or broken promises. Despite everyone’s best endeavours we often see the “devil” appear as disappointment when an organisation calls us because their ERP or Business System implementation has reached an impasse, not delivered the anticipated benefits or has fallen short of their expectations.
One of the reasons this can happen is that they haven’t spent enough time on documenting the required “detail” of their needs in the early stages of their planning.
It is absolutely imperative for organisations to be very clear about defining their business requirements and developing the level of documentation that is specific enough to ensure that the scope and activities of the project are clear and well understood by all stakeholders.
Many people feel that because they have had one or more conversations with a vendor, that this will convey their requirements in enough detail for the vendor to present an accurate proposal. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
“The key lesson here is that if it isn’t written down, then it isn’t real and nor will it be in scope.”
If you are experiencing disappointment with your current vendor or your solution, then we recommend that you take immediate steps to find out the current “real” status of your situation. The earlier you do this, the earlier you will be able to assess any remedial action that may be required. Ideally, this should be done well before you consider any legal action.
CMC suggests you engage an independent consultant to conduct a brief a Situation Analysis and to produce a Position Paper to enable the organisation to understand remedial options available.
Ensure you select a consultant who specialises in your specific industry sector and has deep expertise in and knowledge of business system implementation project success factors. The review should focus on determining any remediation activities, potential liabilities and include a pragmatic action plan.
Once you have clarity on the “real” status of your project, you will then have the information you need to progress with remediation.
CMC has many years’ experience with successful project implementations and has also been engaged as an expert witness at both the NSW and QLD Supreme Courts. In our opinion, a collaborative approach based on honesty and respect is always the best outcome for all parties.
If you have any questions or would like to have a confidential discussion before proceeding to litigation, please give us a call.
