When users have been using the same system for 5+ years it can be a scary transition when they come into work one day to see a completely new system start to take its place. Suddenly, they are taken out of their comfort zone and put in a position to relearn how to do their jobs and any new processes management decide to add. As consultants, we do our best to ease this intimidating transition and make “Go-Live” as seamless as possible through UAT, training, and continued customization.
I was hired as a consultant fresh out of college with a major in Mathematics. While I learned a lot and cultivated my skills, they all felt useless when I was tasked to start NetSuite training. I had to start my learning journey all over again. A whole new system with a myriad of different functions, processes, and quirks. It felt like an insurmountable task at first, but when broken up but by bit I began to see progress. Nobody can learn an ERP system overnight let alone learn it to the degree to be able to consult on it. It was a humbling experience which allowed me to gain the same perspective into how users feel when seeing NetSuite for the first time.
After five months of rigorous training I was ready to start applying my knowledge to real world implementations. My first task was to facilitate the “Go-Live” process with my other colleagues by handling the lower hanging fruit so they can use their time as effectively as possible.
While onsite, I was stationed in the customer service department and assisted all the sales reps in entering orders and understanding the many customizations that were baked into their solutions. Suddenly everyone in the room is knocked down more than a peg and productivity takes a hit, which doesn’t bode well for people who are usually at the top of their game.
At first, I was a constantly pulled from desk to desk with many of the users showing signs of confusion, unease, and at times displeasure. However, with constant reinforcement and demonstration you could see the confidence and understanding in the room start to flourish. That moment is what consultants long for, users seamlessly using the system that we spent hours and days perfecting with the end goal of making everyone’s day a lot easier.
The first time you must learn something new is always going to be difficult to overcome, but all you have to do is understand just a little bit more the second time and before you know it, you forget that it was ever difficult in the first place.
