Posted by Liz Alflen on Thu, Jul 29, 2010 @ 02:33 PM
One unfortunate morning a few years ago, I got an early call at home from my boss informing me that my 1st floor office had been broken into and my computer was stolen. It so happened that I had left my laptop on my desk, hooked to an external monitor, a VOIP phone and a printer. When the burglar alarm/noise-intrusion sensor went off, scaring the intruders into a more heightened sense of urgency, they made a quick grab for my laptop, but ended up dragging along the monitor, the phone and the printer. Pieces of my printer (the paper tray, paper, little broken plastic pieces) were strewn across the parking lot. By the time the police arrived on the scene, the intruders were long gone, miscellaneous plastic parts left behind, and they were likely on the highway headed out of town.
Not surprisingly, I panicked at this news. What about all my information? My reports? My data? What would I do? How painful would this be?
The local police made note of all the pertinent information but offered little hope for recovery. Our IT department made available an alternate computer for my use while ordering me a new one; I received the usual talking-to about backing-up my data. When I finally got back to work, I quickly found that I wasn’t in too much trouble.
I still had access to our EnterpriseIQ ERP system! They couldn’t take that away from me. I can access the system from anywhere, log in, run a report, review documents, respond to workflows - from anywhere.
Until that day, I hadn’t realized that the bulk of any day’s work was not dependent on my personal computer, my stored information or my reports. Most of any day’s work could be completed by accessing information in EnterpriseIQ, views or reports.
For my purposes related to both Administration and HR, areas I access on any given day include:
And on and on. It was almost disappointing. My data isn’t even really special (although my particular role is); I’m replaceable by someone else (or perhaps multiple individuals) who is (are) trained in the system, can access the same information, and plan equivalent courses of action. One of the tremendous values in having a comprehensive ERP system is in the ease with which I can fulfill my responsibilities, independent of specific hardware or location, as well as the ease with which a “backup” could do the same.
I still try to remember to back-up the data on my personal computer, but I’m confident that most of the information I need at work will be available to me when I need it. It’s nice to NOT worry about something!
Posted by Tina Jolicoeur on Mon, Jul 26, 2010 @ 03:01 PM
Sustainable manufacturing, recycling, repurposing, reducing your global footprint, going green. All of these phrases have become more and more widely used in the last 20-30 years. At first they were just phrases; ideas that were maybe a little 'out there' but now increasingly manufacturing companies are implementing business processes and philosophies to bring the phrases to reality. And why? It turns out sustainable manufacturing is profitable.
'Sustainable manufacturing' includes the manufacturing of 'sustainable' products and the sustainable manufacturing of all products. It's the environmental responsibility of manufacturing companies to begin to keep this phrase in mind. It caught my attention because the idea is not only should we manufacture sustainable products, but the way we manufacture them should leave a small footprint. I like the idea of only using the resources you need and reusing them if possible.
I'm excited to see the Department of Commerce (1) and the United Nations (2) taking an interest in sustainability. Their buy-in will help promote the ideals of sustainability. However, I know there are a lot of manufacturers who implemented grass roots sustainable manufacturing business processes a long time ago because they knew eventually they would be more profitable. And profitability is still the bottom line.
A 2008 sustainable manufacturing study by Atos Origin reported, 'These companies have set up initiatives to apply business intelligence to operational data that reveals areas where raw materials can be saved and energy conserved, which delivers immediate business impact through lower costs while, at the same time, reducing the company's environmental impact.' By doing the 'green' thing, they are also more profitable than before.
There have recently been two examples of sustainable manufacturing in the media with regard to products. The first one was a dog toy that just went on the market. It's a virtually indestructible ball made completely of scrap material. The other product was a salad spinner (generally made of regrind) that's also used in third world countries to identify anemia. I know, you are feeling the love with these products; they fulfill needs, they are sustainable, repurposed and bring profitability to the companies who manufacture them along with an environmental pat on the back!
When I read about those two products it was easy to come up with an example for the manufacturing side of the sustainability initiative; a new product recently released to beta customers by IQMS. It's RealTime Process Monitoring and it gathers machine performance and process data in real time. Users define which performance and measurement parameters to capture for each item or project. When limits are met or exceeded users can quickly identify necessary adjustments to the machine or device allowing for maximum efficiency while utilizing the least amount of resources, for example water and heat, and still manufacture a quality product.
Companies can begin to implement sustainable manufacturing with the goal of profitability and not just due to the pressure they receive to be 'environmentally correct'. It's a mindset that takes very little time to acquire and the benefits will be long lasting.
I'm proud to be part of IQMS who is a part of the chain in sustainable manufacturing. As a company they are very involved in the 'green' initiative. IQMS recycles many of the resources it uses. From recycling just about everything, to hosting an electronics recycling event, to reusing obsolete CD's and DVD's on a parade float. It didn't take long for IQMS to realize going 'green' doesn't take a lot of effort, just a change of habits and how we view and reuse resources.
Footnotes:
1.“Sustainable manufacturing is defined as the creation of manufactured products that use processes that are non-polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, and are economically sound and safe for employees, communities, and consumers.”
2. Sustainable manufacturing “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Posted by Daniele Fresca on Wed, Jul 21, 2010 @ 07:32 AM
While I am not a huge fan of the reality dating show, "The Bachelor" I can admit to watching a couple episodes now and again. Recently, former couples from the show were in the news and I got to thinking how the show parallels the ERP selection process. Some aspects are strikingly similar while others are more interpretive. For those who have never seen the show, perhaps you will understand the premise through this comparison.
Round One: The Many Suitors!
On the show, the first round begins with our bachelor or bachelorette meeting several "candidates". It consists of a single-night welcoming party after which a slew of prospective suitors are sent away - roseless. First impressions count for a lot in this round.
This is similar to how one begins the selection process of an ERPvendor. A company may post a notification on one of the many online forums, may utilize a consultant to help in the search, possibly will seek the assistance from colleagues, or simply do research themselves. In any event, the manufacturing company will have several candidates for the vetting process. While this first round in ERP selection will most likely take place in more than a single night, odds are that first impressions are still a big factor here and those ERP companies that don't show or handle themselves well will not get a rose...oops I mean an invitation to move forward.
Round Two: The Narrowing Down of Suitors
On the show the next several (as in many!) weeks involve meeting with suitors individually as well as in groups on dates. These dates are often fantastical and overwhelming - stuff that doesn't typically occur in a normal dating process - helicopters, celebrity-chef dinners, trips to Paris...all situations to enhance the experience and drama. Week after week, more suitors are sent home.
In comparison, this portion of the ERP selection process also slims down the vendors vying for the company's attention. While the discussions and possible online demonstrations (dates) may not be as fantastical, ERP vendors are often still willing to do much to impress the potential client. As well they should. It is here you get a little more time with the vendor, get to hear what makes them different and how they can be the best potential partner for your company. You now pare the list down even further.
Round Three: The Final Group
For TV, the final group represents the usually four suitors - the best of the best. It is now game time for these potential mates! They show the bachelor/bachelorette their home town, how they live, how they truly are....basically they put all the cards on the table. Their actions and words have equal importance and make or break the decision to move ahead in the game.
This is most closely tied to the onsite demonstration phase in ERP selection. Your final group of chosen vendors comes to your facility and spends all day going through the system - hopefully with much of your data. This is where the rubber meets the road. Can all the hype leading up to this point be fully realized in the face-to-face, one-one-one meeting? It is possible that not everyone moves ahead.
Round Four: Meet The Family (aka Meet The References)
Yes, just as it sounds, this is where our bachelor or bachelorette takes the final two suitors home to meet the family. This is crucial because as we all know: family can be vocal and help to shape decisions.
In the ERP process, this is where you will dilingently call and possibly visit the reference customers of the final ERP companies hoping to win you over. Will the family of customers offer praise, food for thought, or both? Just like on the TV show, what the references say can swing a vote to one side or another.
Round Five: Selection Time!
On the show this last step traditionally ends in a marriage proposal. Well, in all honesty, it rarely ends in a proposal that will last much long after the final TV episode airs but for those romantics out there, hope is alive.
In reality, the ERP selection process will end here too (admittedly, with several more aspects throughout such as RFIs, etc...). If you have gone through the steps, listened intently, and chosen wisely than you are likely to see a proposal as well. Hopefully, your choice ends better and with more success than that of "The Bachelor" series. I know many of our customers have been our "partner" for more than the average rate of our competition so I am a firm believer that hope is still alive.
Posted by John Asi on Fri, Jul 16, 2010 @ 02:31 PM
Over the last couple of weeks, the lives of all of my family took a diversion from the normal routine of work, raising kids, paying bills, etc. We found ourselves in a daily struggle trying to come to grips with the possibility of losing someone very important to the family. My father, because of some serious heart related issues, had been taken to the hospital for observation and it was later determined that extensive surgery would be needed in order to correct his heart function.
The ordeal that followed was very difficult for my Mom, brother, and I. Dad went into the O.R. at 4:00pm on June 24th and was released to ICU at about 9:30pm that night, but due to complications was rushed back to O.R. and did not come back to ICU until 2:00am on the 25th. Those 10 hours in the waiting room were probably the longest 10 hours I had ever experienced in my life. Needless to say I did quite a bit of thinking about big picture things. You know, the things that each person faces when something potentially life changing has happened that makes the daily routine of life look trivial. By the time we were allowed into the ICU, not exactly sure about what to expect in terms of the prognosis, I was deep into an internal debate regarding my relevance in the grand scheme of life.
While sitting in the ICU watching all of the technology at work, I started to see familiar names. Names such as Cardinal Health, Hill-Rom, Tyco/Kendall, and Welsh Allyn. These were familiar to me because the EDI team at IQMS had built EDI mappings for these companies over the years. Unfortunately, up until then, these companies were just names that really did not mean much to me beyond the fact that they were a trading partner that needed to be setup and mapped. That was when something I try to share with all the employees I work with hit me: Look at the job you do from the perspective of whom and what it affects. Who does your job benefit besides yourself? How does it make their lives better?
We get so busy on the job trying to figure out the small details, the 0s and 1s, that we lose focus on the big picture of what we are doing. Being under the constant crunch to produce answers and results can, over time, bring frustration and a lack of appreciation for what we are a part of. What a wakeup call for me. While I certainly appreciate the position I have with IQMS, I would find myself moving from one issue to another without necessarily considering the big picture. Now I was looking directly at the picture and it made sense. Here was the single most important man to me being supported by equipment that exists because of the time and energy of many people. And I had never once prior to this taken the time to consider that the end result of the EDI mapping we create on a daily basis might be a part of a piece of equipment that was helping save someone's life. My Dad's life. I would like to think that it is possible that some of the material used in the equipment I saw in the hospital and more specifically in Dad's ICU was there because of an EDI transaction that came from one of our EDI customers.
While I cannot say that is Dad completely is out of the woods, he is at least back home under the watchful care of his family and is responding well. What I can say is that I have a very different perspective on how I view my job. I am thankful for all of our customers and the innovation that they bring to their respective industries. I am thankful for the hard work that the doctors and nurses did to help Dad. I am thankful for working at a company like IQMS that is relevant in its community and beyond and for the support I received while going through the last couple of weeks. I am thankful for my family and their support through this. Lastly I am thankful that I still have the opportunity to talk and learn from my Dad.
Posted by Shannon Holloway on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 @ 12:37 PM
There is an ocean of theories out there swimming around the topic of adult learning. Most are centered on the idea that adults learn differently because they come equipped with life experiences that children do not have. Where sometimes pre-conceived ideas and theories can make learning new things more difficult, if used correctly, real life experience can immensely enhance and accelerate the learning process. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
When training ERP software users, you don't often find yourself in a room full of children. Therefore, it's not important, in my situation, to understand the differences. What is important is knowing what works and what doesn't work when teaching adults; and during my career I have made plenty of observations on just this topic. Of course, everyone learns a little differently than the guy next to them. From a trainer's standpoint, this is why it is important to incorporate several different learning styles into a class. At IQMS, we ensure that class participants have the opportunity to hear, see, read, and do whenever possible. We also believe in repetition. Whether it be internal students going through our extensive employee 90-day training program or customers attending one of our training classes, the more times and the more ways we can present a topic, the more likely they are to retain the information. We also try to make use of the student's life experience and life situation whenever possible. When preparing to teach an implementation class for new customers, our trainers spend time learning about each customer's business; which allows the trainer to relate the class topics to processes the student is already familiar with. Many of our training classes are taught using the customer's data, which greatly accelerates learning because students are dealing with the part numbers they already know or the chart of accounts that they work with every day.
When attending a class of any kind, there are also several things the student can do to ensure maximum knowledge retention. First, do some research. Ask questions of the organization providing the training. Will the class be hands-on? Will you have the opportunity to "do" what you are being taught or only observe? Ask if there is any pre-class reading or labs you can do now, to better prepare for the class.
Second, prepare ahead of time. Review the class agenda and any pre-requisites as soon as possible before the class. This will ensure that your expectations and the class content are in line (so reviewing it in your hotel room the morning of the class is going to be too late). Do some reading and get hands-on experience before you head to class. When it comes to software training, at least get in to the system and move around, become familiar with basic navigation.
During class, give learning your undivided attention. Make use of all the tools available in the classroom, including the trainer. Ask questions! Even if you think that you are the only one with the question, ask it anyway. When a topic seems easy and you feel like you understand completely, fight the urge to skip the lab or pass over the exercise. You won't know that you have it, until you try to do it yourself; and what a better time to find out than when you have the trainer there to help.
We have a funny saying around here that is, "Training is over, now the learning begins!". While you may have gained a mass amount of knowledge in class, the true test of learning comes when you start to apply that knowledge. The key to applying what you learned in class, is to do it quickly. The more you do while the knowledge is fresh in your mind, the greater the benefit of class will be to you and your organization.
Posted by Diane Ramaglia on Tue, Jul 06, 2010 @ 07:10 AM
There is one thing that I am aware of when a consultant comes on-site to assist with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Implementation, they ask "why" a lot.
I was a customer not so long ago and our project team would get a little frustrated when the consultant kept asking them why we did things a certain way. Now that I am a manager of a Professional Services Group and I have been a consultant for an ERP vendor for the past 6 years, I know why they ask why. They want to understand the reason why you may be doing something a certain way when utilizing your current system and why you might want to do it the same way in a new ERP system. Sometimes it takes your consultant asking "why" five times before they know the "real" reason is discovered of why you may be doing something a specific way.
Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII) systems have been around for a long time and a lot of companies have been utilizing the same system for twenty plus years. Older systems definitely have limitations compared to the newer systems available. Older systems often can't be upgraded because of all the numerous changes they had customized way back in the stone ages (kidding of course!). Knowing this, we realize that older MRP systems had limitations that forced users to do things a certain way.
Here are some common answers that consultants get when it comes to asking "Why":
- We have always done it that way. It works for us so why change it.
- I wasn't around when they implemented this system so I have no idea why they've been doing it that way.
- That's the way I was shown so I don't question why we are doing it that way.
- The best one is: Because I want to do it that way!
An ERP consultant is not your enemy; they are there to assist you with best business practices on maximizing the ERP system. They are asking questions to better understand your processes/procedures that will allow them to help you utilize your "new" system. They are not to questioning you just to question you; they want to better understand how they can help you. We understand that you may have done it that way for the past 20 years but things have changed and ERP systems have come a long way in the past 20 - 30 years that you no longer have to process data the same way.
Here is an example of a specific process that a customer had requested recently: They wanted to be able to put a note in a location to explain why they did not want to ship a specific lot of product and they wanted this note to follow through the system. After asking why they needed this note, the main reason was because they did not want to be able to ship this product. Solution, instead of changing the program at a potential thousand dollar cost to the customer, we discussed with them adding an attribute that would simply not allow them to ship this lot. Not being able to ship a lot is much easier to address than changing all the programs that were affected by any inventory transaction within the system.
So think about this and do yourself a favor the next time you are asked to answer the "why" questions because you just might be pleasantly surprised by the results!