ERP Pedigree
AX Software has origins within ERP that extend back to the late 90’s, a time when most consultants originated from the user base and for ourselves that is pretty much true of today as it was back then. This means that our consultants were once ‘real users’ with real life experience of commerce within a business environment.
It’s an important differentiator particularly when you look at some of the larger consultancy firms now deploying Microsoft Dynamics D365.with some consultants coming pretty much straight from higher education. Polished presentation skills have their place but experience counts for so much in the complex world of business systems implementation.
We know we can converse at the same level as our customers, understand business benefits having managed businesses ourselves and as so much happens in ‘sprints’ these days have that higher level of oversight which helps avoid reworking connected activities (often a failing of a sprint approach to everything).
Our background with different ERP technologies, implemented in a diverse range of industries and sectors, brings a level of experience and expertise that can only come with time, it is an important consideration when selecting an ERP implementation partner.
Rather than a consultant learning on the job, with AX Software its as it should be with our consultants imparting their knowledge of D365 and business process to your employees.
Supporting Microsoft Partners
Our consultancy activities are not just restricted to supporting our own clients, other Microsoft Partner companies offering D365 F&O recognise the unique blend of skills and experiences we have and have entrusted AX Software to provide services that range from straightforward consultancy to managing entire projects on their behalf.
It is rare to find a Microsoft Dynamics consultancy with unlimited resources and there are some subject areas where experienced consultants are a bit of a rarity, Dynamics Manufacturing and HR are two that spring to mind. This often results in blended projects teams which work well with experienced consultants in the mix.
AX Software have an established, trusted history of providing the MS Partners with such resource and continue to welcome the opportunity to work within the Microsoft Partner channel.
Supporting End Users
A lot of the resource constraint issues seen in the Dynamics world today are as a direct result of continued sales success, great for Microsoft and the continued advancement of D365 as a product but not always so great for the end user.
Dynamics is being sold to ever larger organisations which in terms of consultancy resources can be very hungry beasts. In times of high demand there are frequently not enough consultants with the right level of experience to go around and this can impact Dynamics traditional mid-size customer base, particularly those involved in manufacturing and distribution.
Consultants working in the SME sector need to be versatile, still highly knowledgeable but not necessarily be one shot subject specialists. This sort of capability only comes with experience and this is where AX Software can help by bringing in knowledge in depth to a project.
If the partner company is not willing to bring in more expensive external personnel, they may end up using the client as a training ground for their junior consultants, clients can suffer as a result.
We have frequently heard end users say that a project started off well but then a team change altered things for the worse, in times of resource constraint its often a tactic to play the A team only to replace them with the B team. If things begin to slip the A team may make a temporary appearance but this sort of see-sawing can be a frustration.
AX Software only employ seasoned D365 consultants so if you are struggling with an implementation and noting the above, consider taking back ownership of your Dynamics project and bringing in the right kind of support to enable a successful delivery.
Projects Under Stress
Projects going off track give out warning signs, prompt remedial action will help resolve the situation but spotting theses red flags can be a challenge if you don’t know what to look for – after all your business is not software implementation.
An out of control project will see rapidly increasing costs, one notably example we witnessed saw significant turn over in consultants. At first it was not deemed an issue but when meetings started to get repeated, work approached differently, rework and even the cost of vetting new starters were all taken into account, it transpired that consultancy costs had risen by 50%+ against the original budget.
Where clients see a project going off course they can take matters into their own hands, contracting directly with third parties such as Axsoftware to either manage the project, provide the appropriate resource or advise on next steps.
The beauty of Dynamics is that there is choice in the market, if someone or some company is not performing you can take control and bring in the appropriate resource to tackle the requirement.
Call or email us to see what we might be able to do for you.
High Turnover
Timeline slippage
‘A team’ Parachuted In
Experience
