There are thousands of articles available online explaining the do’s and don’ts of ERP implementation. From choosing the best software for your company to making sure you train employees correctly, any ideas that can help your ERP implementation become a success are available at your fingertips. What many of those articles fail to address is the most important step in ERP implementation: what to do once you’ve gone live.
The go-live portion of ERP implementation is one of the most crucial tipping points of having a successful ERP system. This is where your employee’s use of the software can either make or break your investment. To ensure that your go-live portion of the project is successful, you need to identify a “super user”.
Your super user is the one that employees can go to when issues arise. If every person who had a question turned to IT, the department would become inundated with requests. Here’s how to identify, train and use your super user to their fullest potential.
Identifying the Super User
Whether your business decides to have a group of super users or one single super user, they should be someone in the office that has a strong knowledge of software and computer use. Often times, this is the employee that co-workers already turn to when they are having small issues with a computer program or technology. You wouldn’t put someone behind the wheel who doesn’t already know how to drive. Even though this person may not be familiar with the ERP software yet, they’ll catch on the quickest.
Training the Super User
When training the super user, it’s important to have them sitting in on group training sessions as well as giving them one-on-one training. The one-on-one time will make them proficient in the ERP software, while the group training session will give them insight into common questions they might face from co-workers post-implementation. If you choose to go with a group of super users, have them each specialize in one area of the software. This way they can hone in on their skill and share more knowledge with co-workers.
Give Them Time
Taking in a whole new ERP software can be time consuming, let alone becoming an expert in it. Make sure that you are training the super user well before the rest of the group, giving them extra time to become proficient. If possible, take some extra tasks off their plate so they can focus their energy on getting to know the new software.
Document their Knowledge
Have your super user jot down their thoughts or record their learning process for future use. Unfortunately, this super user may not be around forever, so having their knowledge on the program accessible will help when future problems arise. Further, you can use this documented knowledge on the ERP software for onboarding future employees.
Make the Super User Known
What good is a super user if no one know who they are? Be sure to let employees know who they should turn to when a problem arises. It is also important to explain what problems are reserved for the super user and which should be directed to IT. This way, the super user’s time isn’t wasted trying to fix problems they couldn’t know the answer to.
Identifying, training and using a super user to their highest potential ensures that your ERP implementation success continues past the go-live portion of the project. Having the super user keeps your IT department from feeling overwhelmed, as well as your employees from lagging behind. It is crucial, though, that your super user is rewarded for their hard work, because being a super user isn’t in their job title.
There is no one-size-fits-all and you have to do some research to find the best ERP solution for you. Read more here.
