This case study explores the transformative journey of a large, membership-based services organization operating across multiple business lines. The organization provides a mix of customer-facing services and subscription-based offerings that require high availability, strong customer engagement, and operational reliability. Facing growing complexity across its enterprise systems, the organization engaged in a comprehensive initiative to modernize its ERP, CRM and HCM ecosystems. The objectives were to evaluate the existing systems, define a strategic vision to enhance the customer and member experience, and analyze modernization options.
The Client’s implementation was characterized by decentralized, disparate systems, which led to inefficiencies and hindered strategic execution. The lack of integrated financial information and manual CRM processes impacted decision-making and customer engagement. Suboptimal deployment of HR systems further contributed to a lack of integrated and reliable data. In response to these challenges, the Client recognized the need for a cohesive system and pursued improvements in service delivery and customer engagement.
The transformation began with a current state assessment, which identified process pain points and informed the strategic roadmap. One unexpected discovery during the assessment was how much time staff spent manually reconciling customer data across disconnected systems. Manual workarounds not only slowed down operations, but also masked deeper systemic inefficiencies. Addressing these inefficiencies created capacity for innovation and higher-value work. The future-state involved adopting SaaS-based modern ERP, CRM and HCM platforms, which enabled the organization to standardize core business processes and provided greater operational insight. The resulting organizational shift not only aligned business units, but also enabled the organization to elevate customer service levels.
During the early phases of the project, the Client came to a key realization – extensive customization was not necessary. Adopting built-in best practices sped up implementation and reduced long-term maintenance burdens, allowing teams to focus on value-add activities instead of managing technical sprawl. Through platform modernization and the adoption of technology-enabled best practices, the Client was able to align core business processes that were previously disjointed. This organizational transformation provided the Client with more insight into daily operations, and therefore the ability to align business units, resulting in greater levels of customer service.
To address the unique needs of this service-driven organization, Avasant conducted a thorough analysis of the Client’s current operational landscape to gain a deeper understanding of their processes and areas of concern. A comprehensive assessment of the current state was performed to evaluate the functionality of the existing environment, system integrations, and inter-departmental communications. This assessment identified significant gaps in the ERP, CRM, and HR environments. Issues included challenges with general ledger integration across business units, which impacted the restructuring of the GL and the implementation of new processes overlapping with business unit applications. Additionally, there was a need for a centralized cash application to streamline accounts receivable and cash application across business units. The system’s lack of integration with line-of-business systems limited the ability to provide a comprehensive 360-degree view of each member or customer across all business lines. Additionally, the inconsistent application of standard HR policies, processes, and systems across business units created challenges. The objectives were further compromised by a lack of trust in data accuracy, extensive manual data preparation and transfer tasks, and deficiencies in data timeliness, granularity, and common financial, customer, and HR data attributes across business units. At that point, it became clear that building confidence in data quality would be a foundational goal of the initiative. Following the comprehensive assessment of the current state, a scenario analysis was done to assess various transformation options, focusing on new platform integrations and capabilities. This analysis aimed to determine the most suitable approach that would align with the organization’s vision for a centralized and efficient operational framework, facilitating a seamless transition and optimized sourcing for the envisioned future model.
After conducting a thorough current state assessment and exploring potential scenarios, the Avasant team developed a comprehensive execution roadmap to achieve the Client’s goals of centralization and modernization. This strategic roadmap was created to ensure a smooth transition and effective system implementation. The team identified software tailored to the Client’s specific needs, focusing on scalability, industry-specific factors, and unique requirements. Platform requirements were precisely defined to align with the organization’s vision, emphasizing robust functionality, scalability, and industry-specific features essential for a successful transformation. This meticulous process ensured that the chosen software would not only meet the Client’s immediate needs but also position them at the forefront of industry standards. Implementation partners were then selected based on their proven industry experience and success with Clients of similar size. These partners were chosen for their sector-specific expertise, strong functional and technical capabilities, competitive pricing with contractual flexibility, and their ability to deliver customer value through proprietary consulting and advisory methods. The chosen implementation partners were well-equipped to support the organization’s needs, facilitating a smooth and successful system implementation.
Throughout the engagement, the focus was on aligning with industry best-practices to select platforms and partners that would enhance service delivery, increase Client engagement, and drive the organization towards its centralization objectives. By doing so, the Client was positioned to streamline their processes, effectively respond to the evolving demands of the digital age, and maintain a robust position in the market.
Despite meticulous preparation, the company faced challenges during its modernization journey. Employee resistance to the new centralized model emerged as a significant obstacle, which was addressed through comprehensive change management initiatives that included education, communication, and support systems to ease the transition. These challenges underscored the importance of strong change management and clear communication as critical success factors for effective transformation. Technical challenges also arose when integrating longstanding systems with the new centralized infrastructure, leading to data transfer issues that required innovative solutions and specialized expertise to ensure seamless system operations.
The benefits of the modernization initiative were substantial. The move to a modern infrastructure enabled real-time data access, improved decision-making processes, and enhanced customer services. It also facilitated uniformity in processes, leading to increased operational efficiency and financial effectiveness. Moreover, the initiative equipped the company to adeptly navigate the digital landscape, unlocking new avenues for creativity and growth, and ensuring a sustained competitive advantage in a dynamic market. This modernization effort wasn’t just about solving current pain points – it also laid the foundation for scalability and adaptability, enabling the organization to pivot quickly as market needs evolve. If your organization is struggling with manual workarounds, redundant data entry, or inconsistent customer views across departments, this case demonstrates the tangible benefits of platform modernization. This transformation also highlights that leveraging industry best practices and focusing on critical success factors are not just buzzwords – they are essential drivers of sustainable change. Embracing these principles helped ensure the long-term success of the modernization effort.
By Angela Jarzabek, Consultant
Avasant’s research and other publications are based on information from the best available sources and Avasant’s independent assessment and analysis at the time of publication. Avasant takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any error/omission or the accuracy of information contained in its research publications. Avasant does not endorse any provider, product or service described in its RadarView™ publications or any other research publications that it makes available to its users, and does not advise users to select only those providers recognized in these publications. Avasant disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. None of the graphics, descriptions, research, excerpts, samples or any other content provided in the report(s) or any of its research publications may be reprinted, reproduced, redistributed or used for any external commercial purpose without prior permission from Avasant, LLC. All rights are reserved by Avasant, LLC.
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