The post-implementation era presents a second chance--an opportunity to diagnose and address process management and other nontechnical issues missed the first time around. In this phase, companies work to get the results originally planned but not yet achieved: They implement new functionality upgrades and drive continuous improvement.
Through our work with clients, we see that SCM implementations repeatedly encounter a set of common problems (see Exhibit 1). In helping companies address these areas, we derived seven "lessons learned" or imperatives for successful implementation. These imperatives transcend conventional IT project scope because they address management as well as technical issues. They apply to virtually any supply chain-related system or application, whether it is a monolithic, fully integrated system, or a so-called best-of-breed approach.
Each of these imperatives can have a substantial impact on the value realized from SCM systems investments not only during planning and deployment but also after the tools are established. Companies can use these imperatives to maximize their supply chain performance going forward. Let's look at each imperative in turn.