One Fitness Expert Says “You Only Have to Train Once a Week”! How Does That Translate to Your ERP System?

While driving home from the gym after my fifth Zumba class this week, I heard a radio advertisement claiming “You only need to train once a week if you do it right”!  I had to know what they ‘really’ meant since the big push, even for elementary school kids is ’60 minutes a day’!  After reading further on their website, I realize that they focus on STRENGTH training once a week.  They insist that your normal life could be filled with your cardio or “Twisting, Lifting and Bending” that your body needs to perform activities like handling your groceries.  But if you come to their facility, they will specifically choreograph efficiency training for you. Their motto is “Instead of trying to figure out how much exercise we can tolerate, we should be trying to figure out how little we require.”

 So how does all this even slightly relate to my ERP system?  Well, when you first implement a new ERP system most companies assimilate the processes within their old system, and bring over those actions to the new system.  This ensures that they haven’t taken a step backwards in the ability to process their daily records.  Usually the focus is making sure they can produce their financials, subsidiary module reporting, and any ‘paperwork’ their customers or vendors might need.  But then any adequate consultant will insist that you improve your processing, and plan for streamlining your activities.  So, surely you will find that ‘automating’ tasks or entering shortcut keys will be discussed and covered within the initial implementation.

 But then time goes by, and like our bodies which change, your company may evolve a bit, customers may change, business may increase, and you need to refine your methods.  So, we suggest re-analyzing your activities and undergoing additional ‘training’, whether it is thru a Consultant Review of your processes, logging into educational webcasts, joining Customer User Group meetings, and/or attending your Vendor’s Annual Conference.

 Many Gold-Certified Microsoft Partners, like Collins Computing, truly offer their customers all of the benefits mentioned above for a very reasonable investment.  But if your partner (or proposed partner) does not provide opportunities for you to find out how to optimize your system, update your “Best Practices”, review user “Tips”, learn about new enhancements, or allow you to network with other “like” customers – it may be time to look elsewhere for your consulting and support.

 So, check in with your ‘trainer’ every so often – they can encourage you to “figure out how little effort is required to run efficiently and effectively”!

Count on Collins, Count on Success!  By Abra Gilman, Senior Consultant, Collins Computing, Inc. – Gold Certified Microsoft Dynamics Partner