How Change Management Supports ERP implementation - Cadran Consultancy
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How Change Management Supports ERP implementation

A successful implementation process in 5 steps

Is your organization considering implementing a new ERP system? Before starting, think carefully about how you approach the implementation process, as it can significantly impact your employees. In this blog, you’ll read how Cadran successfully implemented JD Edwards ERP for Interfood.

Interfood is a multinational in the dairy trade with sixteen offices worldwide. Each of these offices operates with different ERP systems. To align workflows globally and remain competitive in the market, Interfood chose to implement a unified ERP system: Oracle’s JD Edwards. For the implementation, Interfood selected Cadran, as we have developed a specific module for commodity traders. The first office to transition to this new system is the office in the Netherlands.

Sanne van Hoeij, Change and HR Advisor at Interfood, shares the step-by-step approach that led to a successful rollout.

Step 1: Assemble a project team

The first step in implementing a new system is to assemble a project team. This team comprises local users and users worldwide from key disciplines (trade, logistics, & finance), guided by international process managers. Key end users from the IT, BI, and reporting departments are also involved. Sanne represents HR in this project and is responsible for change management within Interfood. These team members work closely with consultants from Cadran. The project is named ‘Project Unite’ as it aims to bring all offices together and enable them to work in a unified way.

Step 2: Communicating with all offices

To ensure a smooth process, it’s essential to keep everyone within the organization well-informed. Interfood does this by presenting project updates, organizing system demos, and sharing vlogs about user experiences with the new system.

Step 3: Testing the new system

Before launching a new system, thorough testing is crucial. During this phase, a group of colleagues, newly introduced to the project, runs through various business flows. This phase sparks growing curiosity among all employees, and they begin exploring the new ERP system more frequently.

Step 4: Staff training

After testing, it’s vital to properly train all employees. To this end, eighty training modules were developed. Based on Cadran’s recommendation, a tool was used to record on-screen actions, to which instructional texts were added. The training program is largely self-paced and includes online lessons with videos and process descriptions. Additionally, end users and testers provide training. Within three weeks, all 150 employees are fully prepared to use the system.

Step 5: Full migration to the new system

Following training, a transition period begins, during which all of Interfood’s partners are informed about the new system and its potential impact on them. The system for the Netherlands is launched over a weekend, starting with a farewell toast to the old system on Friday and concluding with a toast to the new system on Tuesday. On Saturday and Sunday, all employees are on-site to ensure that the JD Edwards system is ready for use on Monday.

In the coming months, Cadran and Redfaire International will assist with system optimization. The next step? Rolling out the system worldwide, starting in Poland!

How Interfood incorporates change management into the ERP implemention proces

Download Interfood case study