Revamping Business Through Enterprise System Transformation

Enterprise System Transformation touches on various topics, from strategy to practical implementation approaches. Is your company going through a major enterprise systems project? Are you considering one? Your organization is likely looking for help with selecting the right system technologies, defining the scope and scale of the project, and then exactly how to configure the chosen technology for optimal success. 

There is a general feeling of uncertainty among IT stakeholders, and many people within the company are ready to go but unsure how to get started or what to start with. This confusion would drive an organization toward investing time in management reports and analysis in a typical IT environment. 

All That Enterprise System Transformation Can Do

1. Improve business agility and flexibility.
2. Enterprise System Transformation delivers outsized value to the enterprise.
3. Enable you to work more efficiently and effectively with other information technology (IT) organizations, including operations, finance, HR, etc.
4. Ensure that all employees have access to relevant information and can execute the right decision at the right time based on accurate information about what is happening within their work area.
5. Create a single, real-time view of all enterprise activities from the end-users perspective.
6. Monitor critical changes in business operations and determine appropriate response actions based on immediate needs.
7. Deliver new flexibility and responsiveness to meet changing customer, supplier, and employee expectations globally, even in complex operational environments.
8. Support operational efficiency and strategic initiatives for growth or product innovation across your enterprise.
9. Helps your business remain competitive and poised for success in an ever-changing global economy.
10. Create a modern and effective enterprise system architecture that provides the foundation for a strong IT service delivery ecosystem with new effectiveness, agility, and responsiveness levels.

Having an Enterprise System Transformation Program In Place

There are many terms used to describe transformation programs now. The goal of all transformation is to bring about a drastic change that changes everything about the organization. That requires a great deal of determination, commitment, and dedication to the project, which is why most transformation projects fail. The positive impact of Enterprise System Transformation can be seen across the entire organization in three areas:

1. Change in the cultural aspect: a new way of thinking and doing things, training employees on using new system tools and technologies;
2. Change in data: shifting from traditional data warehouse or data mart to enterprise data warehouse, shared services, etc.;
3. Change in business process: implementing new policies, service offerings, and technology-related processes.

Enterprise System Transformation– The Journey Begins

The journey begins with defining what is to be transformed, which requires more than simply choosing a new system. A set of pragmatic criteria drives enterprise systems’ transformational projects. They include the following:

1. The project must address a strategic business need prioritized as a high-priority item. It must align with the business strategy and address an immediate, tangible business objective;
2. Transformation projects must represent a significant investment in terms of cost, time, and resources;
3. The project must bring about a drastic change that results in real benefits for the enterprise;
4. The project must be supported by top management.
5. The transformation project should yield returns on the investment.
6. The project must be targeted at an entire unit or a segment of the enterprise (such as HR, Finance, Procurement, and IT), but not necessarily an individual business unit;
7. Transformation projects have to address long-term transformation goals as well as short-term tactical objectives;
8. The Enterprise System Transformation project must not be based on a static architecture but will require new components and technology.

Importance of Having a Digital Strategy

1. Create a vision for the digital capabilities and culture of the future enterprise, which together form the core of the organization’s digital strategy.
2. Enhance the customer experience in areas where customers expect it, including speed and accuracy.
3. Ensure continuous improvement in key performance indicators, including return on assets (ROA), returns on investment (ROI), and net profit to assets (NPA).
4. Digital Strategy creates an enterprise-wide mindset recognizing that every part of every business must be digitally enabled.
5. Enable the organization to be agile and responsive, so it can react quickly whenever there is an opportunity to generate new revenue or reduce costs.
6. Create superior customer experiences, beginning with the digital channels and moving to the physical channels.
7. Develop a networked digital infrastructure that provides agility, resilience, security, and customer openness.

Conclusion:

Enterprise System Transformation is more than just a new technology. It is a fundamental change in the way that information systems and the digital infrastructure of an organization work together, transforming the role of IT in delivering value to customers and employees. It is about creating an enterprise-wide culture and a smart digital infrastructure that enables business agility and responsiveness.