Manhattan Associates’ products-once implemented, become the central nervous system of your business-critical supply chain. If the human central nervous system fails, paralysis is inevitable. Similarly, if the product implementation from Manhattan Associates is not done right, it can paralyze the bottom line and competitive advantage.
Investing in Manhattan Associates products is one of the brightest and most prominent investments you will make to digitize your supply chain. You are betting on the product and hoping the implementation of the product adheres to your business needs with the least disruption to daily operations.
In this high-risk, high-reward situation the return on investment is on top of your mind. Your best bet for favorable ROI? Partnering with an experienced Manhattan Associates Partner.
After working with many clients and DIY’ing their business needs to fit the solution, we have realized they are missing out on their full Manhattan Associates product potential.
Over the years of working in the industry first-hand and listening to our clients, we believe there are six main ways to make your partnership with Manhattan Partner worthy.
1)THEY SPEAK MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES
Think of the implementation partner as your navigator on board. An educated navigator will help you steer ins-outs and nuances of the system as you embark on Manhattan Associates journey.
An experienced Manhattan implementation partner will know the difference between soft allocation and hard allocation, can tell you the benefits of Shipment Planning, recommend strategies around picking and packing based on SKU profiles and velocity. A partner can help design a solution that closely aligns with the base Manhattan solution while ensuring minimal disruption to business processes.
2)THEY PERFECT YOUR PROCESSES
Selecting the tool is only first piece of the puzzle. You need to securely align people, processes and technology to maximize your investment.
The right Manhattan partner not only talks the talk but will also work with your business to bring the best practices to your disposal. An experienced Manhattan Partner will have the knowledge and experience to tie your technology with long term business goals.
With Manhattan products being highly customizable, it is both a blessing and a curse. With the overwhelming power of today’s technology, you need an experienced partner to help you leverage all the functionalities within Manhattan for your business.
3)ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Tailored clothing gives you the best fit throughout, and that’s the same with tailored implementation. Like a good tailor, an implementation partner will take an off-the-shelf product and skillfully nip and tuck at the right places to ensure the solution seamlessly fits your business enterprise.
Best Manhattan implementation practices include seamless integration, flexible workflows and customizable, and scalable processes that are suited to each business. A strategy that works best for a retailer may not work for a distributor. One size doesn’t fit all – in clothing or in technology.
4)CHEFS IN YOUR KITCHEN
We all love that feeling of having a perfectly cooked meal ready on your kitchen table when you come home from a long day at work. Wouldn’t you love that same feeling with your Manhattan implementation? As an enterprise, your focus must always be on running your business; not coordinating and executing an internal implementation.
From gathering requirements to system design, data migration, and change management, a Manhattan partner will do all the hard work “in the kitchen” to serve you a timely, perfectly cooked supply chain system.
5)TRANSLATORS FOR YOUR PEOPLE
You bought an excellent tool but what good it is if no one in your organization uses or understands it?
Change management is the hardest in any business and getting the team to adopt the new tool can be the biggest hurdle to the success of the implementation. However, having a knowledgeable partner for questions and training can mitigate this hurdle. A resourceful Manhattan partner will ramp up your team and train them on how to best use your new supply chain solution. A smart Manhattan partner will not only train the users but encourage them to adapt the tool as per their role.
6)THINK BIG PICTURE
With evolving consumer demands, your supply chain systems need to evolve. You cannot afford to use the makeshift arrangements to support business operations. You need a strategic adviser on your end who is well-versed with your system and who is certified with the latest Manhattan product knowledge, to identify and capitalize opportunities you may not have considered.
Leaders today need to view their Manhattan Associates products like their Most Valuable Player. What do you do with your all-star performer? You grow and nurture them, so they continue to perform at their best. Similarly, reviewing your Manhattan system on a regular cycle and continuing to evolve it over time will ensure the system is working with your business goals. And this is precisely where an experienced Manhattan partner can provide the most value. They will help you analyze the existing landscape and develop a supply chain roadmap to ensure maximum ROI in the coming years.
Ready to talk about Manhattan Associates? Contact us today at info@bricz.com to get our tips.
Contributor: Parth Pethani Supply Chain Principal at Bricz