About this time of the year, people start making their new year’s resolutions. We all know that local gyms will get more crowded, grocery stores will go through more fruits and veggies and people will want to “spend less and save more” – especially after the holidays. However, the business world has their own set of resolutions. With the new year comes new budgets and typically a new focus. Everyone wants to “do better” in every coming new year, but how do you know if you truly will?
The key is: plan for it.
Have you already started with your strategy plan? Post-holiday blues are real. It is hard to get refocused after the end of the year festivities. This can make starting a new project in January difficult. Do some preliminary research on ERP vendors (download our 2017 Top 10 ERP Systems Rankings Report to see how clients have ranked their vendors of choice) to find out what ones could potentially suit your organization’s needs.
Have any leftover funds from 2016? Near the end of the year, some organizations get very picky (with reason!) about what they spend their money on. Every bit counts! However, check to see if there is any money left over to allocate to your IT and operations budget—check if your fiscal year coincides with the calendar year. Also, keep in mind that you should invest in activities that will increase your odds of success so that you don’t waste money on software that doesn’t fit your business needs. Independent ERP consultants can look at your business from an outside perspective to see where you can use some help. They can recommend the right software or help with organizational change management to see if your employees are ready for a new ERP system.
Speaking of organizational change management… It is important to know that it is NEVER TOO EARLY to start organizational change management. It is a necessary in any organization—whether you decide to deep dive into an ERP implementation or not. No matter what technology you have, your employees have to run it. If they don’t get it—or don’t like it for that matter—what is the point in having it? By investing in organizational change management, your employees will get the proper training and understanding of your business and will help make it run MUCH smoother.
With the new year right around the corner, it is important to start thinking about what your professional focus will be. Make it a healthy 2017 in all of your endeavors, personal and professional alike.
