A measured approach to moving your ERP system to the cloud will help align technological change with business goals, says Tim Eclair-Heath, Global VP of Success Engineering at Unit4.
Evaluating whether to move core business applications to cloud is no small task. CIOs do not recommend such a path lightly, because they understand how integral these functions are to the smooth operation of an organisation. However, the merits of remaining on-premises and continuing to run legacy systems are becoming harder to justify, because of the level of resources they require to maintain what are complex and highly customised systems. The hesitation to move comes from wanting to minimise disruption. So how do CIOs and business leaders ensure a smooth transition?
We know about cloud offering advantages such as business adaptability, innovation, collaboration, productivity, scalability, flexible pricing, and support for various devices and remote access. But even with so many positive aspects tantalisingly within reach, change is always scary and especially so for mid-sized organisations that are moving the very systems on which their operations depend. Lack of resources, absent internal knowledge or experience and any volatility within or outside the business can make matters tougher. The good news? There is a way to move to the cloud and reap benefits without a sense of being rushed.
People, processes and technology
One way to frame this is to consider the familiar concept of success being based on a combination of technology, people, and processes. The hard parts of this trifecta tend to be the latter two Ps, so a phased approach that is carefully planned makes sense. This will ensure challenges are identified early and people and process changes can be communicated and supported by the new system.
Be clear on what you’re trying to achieve through transformation and let that be your lens to take action. It might be faster time-to-market on new programmes, cost saving or support for new products or go-to-market offers. Whatever that goal is though, don’t be tempted into perpetuating the status quo. The new platform will be infinitely adaptable if you make sure that it aligns with the goals of the business. So, from the beginning, document and communicate the ‘why’ of the change programme: what the business is trying to achieve, the reasons for that strategy and how cloud will help you to successfully meet goals.
Throughout the process, lean on your technology partner. One common challenge is to remove boutique customisations that limit scope for manoeuvre. It’s highly unlikely that you have an obstacle your partner hasn’t seen before and can’t be worked around. Standardising processes will yield maximum flexibility and your ability to handle whatever business opportunities and challenges you face today, and unknown ones in the future.
Assess, migrate, iterate
The three-step programme for success in moving your applications to the cloud is Assess, Migrate and Iterate – and your partner should bring experience and guidance through each of these.
A cloud-readiness assessment will help to clarify the challenges to be overcome. User discontent, management fear of budget creep, uncertainty over speed of change and effects of change: all of these will be highly familiar to a partner. Good partners will have worked with companies in your situation or vertical market and understand how to address what appear unique or exceptional challenges.
Assess your internal capabilities to support the move, using experience from previous projects but also use partners for assistance where you have a vacuum. It’s essential to educate your team so they can be effective through the change period and on day one of the post-deployment phase. A phased migration based on thorough assessment will also mean that issues are detected early, downtime risks are minimised and data security and compliance are built into the change programme.
Migration should be an iterative process based on learnings made as you go along, training staff and readying them for change and then testing and validating the system. The ‘Iterate’ phase is based on celebrating successes and building a culture of continuous improvement where more and more people can identify smarter ways forward.
Moving your core business software to the cloud can be a daunting experience but working closely with partners, sharing concerns and asking them for help is a smart move that’s a win-win for both buyers and sellers. Customer success is a massive aspect of the cloud movement, so vendors want to share in making your project a positive experience.
‘Big Bang’ changes that were often the norm in the pre-cloud era will lead to people feeling overloaded and focus and belief can be undermined. So, take a phased approach, be guided by your partner in the best way to achieve your goals and be best prepared for success.
