I have an attitude problem. I once had a user accuse me of having an attitude problem. I was new to the company and was introducing myself to purchasing. I had already data mined (using MD04 – my favorite SAP Supply Chain monitor) and seen that a user was placing their SAP POs late. During my introduction I told a story about how a senior VP at my previous company would have to explain to multi-million dollar clients why we were late delivering aircraft engines. He then learned how to track who was placing late SAP PO’s and brought them to his office on a Saturday. It’s called accountability. He used the system very well. People think they can game the SAP system and go around it, then they get offended when caught and blame everyone or everything around them. Better to use SAP tools in a disciplined manner instead of thinking you can game the system and not get caught. Data exposes you easily – and I don’t have an attitude problem.
A good SAP system starts at the executive level. A CIO needs to report to the CEO and be a peer to other executives. If a CIO isn’t in control of his own SAP budget and have IT fully report to him (as opposed to Finance), then how is he or she supposed to transform how SAP is used? CEO support or executive sponsorship are pretty buzzwords, but they need to be a reality for the CIO from day one. It isn’t about how to deliver SAP to the business, it’s about how will SAP change your business model. It’s about how will the new CIO share the new SAP vision with his peers on the executive committee? This is where it fails very, very often. The medium-long term executive strategy is not alighted with the medium-long term IT strategy. Then after a few years SAP is conveniently blamed. Use the system properly from the beginning, it’s a game changer. Your competition probably is and you are falling behind very quickly.
Do you have pain points? Make a road map that everyone understands. If you have critical pain points in the business, map them out and make them understandable for all executives. Don’t make them complex and full of fancy words. I am a huge believer of illustrating the reality and interaction of the business and SAP environments. Let go of blaming the system and start a conversation based on facts. Map it out and start a discussion today. Stop pointing fingers.
I see another client this week not using the system as designed. We just analysed how a client is NOT using MD04 as a supply chain monitor. All kinds of messages and a lack of actions. Looks like they are going around the system. Now is the time to open a discussion and show them how to be more efficient, effective and open. They will eventually action their messages and hopefully never blame SAP for their business problems.
Are you using standard LIS SAP reporting or are you creating custom reports and making your data complex?
Are you using MD04 as Supply Chain Monitor and actioning your messages?
Are you identifying dead stock with MC50?
Are you tracking slow moving items with MC46?
Are you using MC$6 to track vendor lead time analyses for on time delivery?
It’s a good time to drive value out of your SAP system instead of blaming it from your lack of vision, lack of training, knowledge, poor documentation, lack of clear business maps or incompetent users.
Terry Vermeylen is hell bent on rapidly transforming your business into a World Class Operation by major transformation or by eliminating one bad habit at a time.
Terry Vermeylen brings 30+ years of experience in SAP and Supply Chain Process improvement. As an SAP professional and Supply Chain Architect he has worked and consulted for some of the world’s largest and most successful manufacturing companies focusing primarily on the Aerospace and Pharmaceutical industries.
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