Everybody who has ever had to move to a new system for their business knows that it can be difficult. So much so that an estimated 50% of ERP implementations don't succeed, and only 18% small to medium businesses have moved to an integrated management software because the system is too complex or cost prohibitive. Odoo has an incredible 95% success rate of implementing projects successfully which is a mind blowing comparison to other ERP providers. So how can Odoo, more specifically Hibou, help make an implementation affordable and as simple as possible?
Fabien Pinckaers gave a talk at the 2021 Odoo Experience highlighting some of Odoo's methodology when it comes to launching projects, and I'll sprinkle in a couple things we do as an Odoo Partner to help our clients achieve their launch goals
The first thing to keep in mind for a successful launch is to stay on time and on budget. Hibou uses SSB, Scope/Schedule/Budget, to deliver what our clients need to be a success. We determine the size of the job and who it will involve, a timeline to keep things on track, and how much it will cost to get us there. These simple things go a long way to keep a client happy.
So how does an implementation work with Hibou? We start with a gap analysis. We look at the systems and workflows currently used and find the Odoo equivalents or even better, the ways that Odoo can improve the process. We offer expert determinations of the wants versus the needs and focus on the needs first. If we worked on every request before launch, it would delay the timeline and inflate the budget, which isn't good for anybody. The prize to keep our eyes on is getting those needs filled before the launch date. After that, then we can start working on those "nice-to-haves" and tailor things as needed.
We manage expectations. We don't over promise and then under deliver, we do just the opposite. We make sure a client understands why decisions are made which in turn helps them align with the methodology. We create momentum and keep everyone up-to-date on progress made. We do testing before presenting it to the client so we know things work as expected. We make sure our contact team for the client knows their business, their workflows, and can make decisions for the success of the project. As for our project managers, the first thing needed is a working knowledge of the product that is Odoo. It isn't luck or happenstance that our project managers have an Odoo Functional Certification. If we do not have the answer needed, one of our teammates does and our collaborative internal structure lends itself well to finding solutions.
Our project managers are problem solvers and Odoo Experts. Why do people come to us? Because we know how and why things should be done within Odoo. Give us a desired outcome, and we can deliver a workflow to meet your goal that is efficient and effective. We focus on stock functionality, what we can achieve with existing capabilities out of the box. Luckily, we have some brilliant minds at work on our development team and are only limited by budget and the number of hours in a day.
We also push training early. Getting a client to understand why something works the way it does goes a long way to getting them on board with using the system as a whole. Getting workflow processes to the key users on the client side before launch reduces the stress that can come when hiccups occur if the project is already live. Preparation, not reaction.
Those are just a few of the ways that Hibou works to make Odoo implementations for our clients a success. Interested in becoming a success story? Send us an email or schedule a meeting with us so we can discuss your unique business needs.