Sapped council staff offered SAP counselling Harrassed Somerset County Council staff are to benefit from "support sessions" designed to help them face the trauma of a SAP implementation which has so far seen the software not quite providing local government operatives with "the visibility to pinpoint inefficiencies", the "capabilities to transform them into competitive …
Actually I think the project has provided "the visibility to pinpoint inefficiencies." Unfortunately, the number one inefficiency they've found is the SAP. Eliminating that project would improve govt efficiency by 78%. It would also boost morale, provide untold health benefits by reducing stress, and probably make the birds sing too.
I thought the coal face workers were our primary audience for systems, therefore making the focus of the design ease of use, speed and simplicity? Seems not!
Someone once asked me what SAP gave over and above the previous system. I said "the users have to enter twice as much data, with four times as many keypresses, so a manager can generate a nice report once a month with 2 mouse clicks!".
Look,
Its easy to blame SAP for being the cause. Its not really that simple.
The more flexible the software, the more difficult it is to implement with less than fully trained individuals. By fully trained, not only do they have to know the software and its configuration but also the business problem that they are trying to solve.
It would be more realistic in blaming IBM for not properly staffing the project as well as level setting the expectations of the end customer.
In addition, any switching to a new system means that the operators have to be retrained. Not always the easiest thing to do....
I remember DEC/Compaq migrating to SAP to replace all their bespoke in house systems so that presumably they could get rid of all those expensive database developers. In the end SAP required so much support that they had to keep all those expensive database developers as SAP consultants.
Bearing in mind that one of their in house database systems evolved into alta-vista the in house developers were not too shabby. SAP on the other hand...
What do you mean I need to enter transaction code 'MM083'?
Hello IS? I've just launched SAP and I think the Graphics have fallen off my GUI.
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SAP failures are the logical outcome of managers obsession with control. Don't try to over-centralize command, and SAP will work. Of course, if you aren't an OCD case, you won't perceive any need for SAP in the first place. I can't really complain about SAP though, it kept my older brother in a job for years, up until his employer went under. Posting as anonymous coward as I hope he'll find work again before I have to take him in. Roll on the SAP deployments, say I!
...but true.
My brother-in-law was introduced to their new SAP system in his branch of a very large power tool manufacturer.
Him and various other staff looked on in amazement as the system scrolled up before them - it was in the wrong language! They're in Sweden and the system works in English only. This was true for the system across most of Europe - English was the only option.
I know the Swede's are generally pretty good with English - but surely a warehouse shelf stacker shouldn't need to be bi-lingual!
And the shame is that the system cost millions - if they didn't even get the multi-language side right for a Europe wide system then it makes you wonder what else they got wrong.
We are implementing SAP. So far:
The project is over a year behind schedule and falling further behind every day.
The cost is more than double what was originally stated (and still climbing)
We were told that we would have 5 consultants - we have had over 40
They would manage the system - they don't, they send meaningless instructions to people that have had no training and expect us to fix things.
They would supply all required training material - however, none of it actually tells you how to do a given task it's just high level management buzzwords
Several of the key modules still don't work at all - CRM, links to email, document storage etc.
They spent 5 months creating the relevant output documents (invoice etc) and most are not correct yet.
They had a separate team for an overseas site - the project has been abandoned as the cost was over €120,000 and they hadn't actually achieved anything.
I could go on, but won't as I just get so angry. In the time that it has taken, I could have written an in house application for a fraction of the cost.
@Dick
The reason they keep signing new customers, is that they target the senior managers and feed them BS - as they don't understand technology, and generally don't understand correct project methodology, they lap up the utter crap that the SAP sales people feed them.
Anon as I rather like my job
I think any company that creates jobs for contractors and consultants who can charge between £500-£1500 a day should be applauded for their efforts.
And to be fair, if the Somerset Council are paying these prices, and still getting crap delivered, then whose fault is it? The consultancy who rake in the money for minimum effort and cost, or the customer who doesn't really understand what they are implementing?
Consistent coverage like this makes me wonder why any business uses SAP. I understand that 5,000 person companies have no other option really but for the 50-1,000 person business to buy SAP is really comical. For some sales guy to sell an SAP system to a 500 person business is almost criminal. Its an archaic, expensive, hard to use system no matter what some SAP executive or sales person says.
Rob
In most of these cases, the management have blindly blundered on accepting ridiculous claims, whilst denying good adverse advice.
In doing so they have demonstrated that they are not up to the job and should be dismissed for incompetence forthwith.
In Dorset from a highly personalised efficient system before the management changed, we still have this change to SAP fiasco to come.
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