I want to tell you a story

I was recruited to connect a single customer and when I looked at the solution being presented I stood back and said "this will not work".

If I was to deliver the solutions at hand had to be replaced with a solution that would work.

This meant building the solution from the ground up.

I did not have a tool to support the connectivity and data mapping.

I did not have a solution that would process the data in and out of the ERP system.

With all of this in mind off we set to:

1) Find an EDI Managed Service Provider

2) Develop the ERP functionality to support the inbound and outbound files

3) Understand all of the business requirements

4) Set up a process to capture, document and support all of this activity

Developing at pace

What would you say that after six weeks:

1) I had defined the requirements

2) I had documented the basic principals

3) I had set up a process to support this activity

4) I had a process to import and export data into the ERP system

5) We had selected an EDI Managed Service Provider

6) I had documented the requirements to support our first few proposed customers

7) I had connected the first of the customers

How was this possible?

I have been working in this environment since 1997, I understood the documentation, I understood what the EDI Managed Service Provider required, I understood the process that needed to be implemented as I had worked with a large number of the customers previously.

As they say knowledge is power.

Strategy

When developing the overall solution I considered the route to market, these being:

1) Wholesale

2) Drop Ship Vendor

3) Market Place websites

4) Direct Selling via the internet

The solution meant that once the process had been tested roll out was simple as the process had been proven. All that needed to be tested was the data by transaction by customer.

By developing an holistic and comprehensive process there were no system issues or blockers.

Do you want to know more then please contact me.