NL

    Services

    IT implementation from discovery to go-live and beyond

    We carry out IT implementations for organisations that are rolling out a new system or reconfiguring an existing one. Fit-to-standard, with a defined scope and a go-live that holds.

    The problem

    The problem you probably recognise

    The system has been chosen, the contract is signed and the kick-off has taken place. Yet the go-live keeps slipping. There are plenty of meetings, plenty of documents and plenty of good intentions, but still no working process. Every department wants its own exception back in the system, and nobody dares to drop it. That's how scope grows, budget grows, and the deadline disappears from view.

    Meanwhile the operation keeps running on Excel files, loose lists and the knowledge of a handful of people. That works as long as those people are around. Once volume rises or someone leaves, the bill comes due. And when the system finally does go live, the organisation turns out to work around it because it doesn't fit daily practice.

    An IT implementation rarely gets stuck on technology. It gets stuck on decisions that aren't made, on scope that isn't guarded and on adoption that only comes into view after go-live.

    Our role

    What Operion does

    We take on the implementation on the client side: from the first process conversation right through the period after go-live. We configure the system, translate your processes to the standard of the package and guard the line between must-have and nice-to-have. We're not an extra layer on top of the supplier, but the point of contact that keeps supplier, operations and management aligned.

    The starting point is always fit-to-standard. Configure within the standard first, only consider custom work after that. That's not dogma but arithmetic: standard goes live faster, is cheaper to maintain and keeps working after a supplier update. Where an exception is genuinely distinctive for your business, we call it out explicitly and build it deliberately, with a decision behind it.

    Everything we record, we record in one place: scope, decisions, open items, test results and agreements on extra work. We estimate extra work in advance and only carry it out after your approval. That keeps costs under control and means you always know where the project stands.

    Getting started

    Two ways to start

    Not every company needs the same thing. That's why you can start with us in two ways. In the first conversation we work out together which of the two suits you.

    The standard setup

    • •You take the proven setup, the one we've built time and again.
    • •Fixed scope, fixed price and a timeline agreed before we start.
    • •We configure from a template. That's why we know the cost and duration upfront.
    • •You can expand later. More users, a second warehouse or an integration can be added once your business is ready for it. The foundation stays in place.
    • •There is no scoping phase. We take stock of the functionality you will use and estimate any extra work in advance, separate from the fixed price.

    Suits you if your processes are recognisable and you're willing to follow the standard.

    A tailored track

    • •You need more than the standard, or your situation is too specific to estimate upfront.
    • •We start with a short scoping phase. Together we record what is and isn't included, what it costs and when it will be ready.
    • •Only then does the build start, based on what was agreed in that scoping phase.
    • •More guidance, more alignment, more room for exceptions.

    Suits you if you have multiple sites, demanding requirements from your sector, or a process that genuinely differs.

    Not sure yet which of the two fits? That's exactly what an introductory conversation reveals.

    Track

    How the track runs: discovery to go-live and beyond

    1. 01

      Discovery

      A high-level introduction. We discuss your situation, goals and systems and choose the route together. A standard setup, or a full project with a scoping phase.

    2. 02

      Scoping phase

      We map processes, goals, systems and constraints with the people who do the work. This results in a scope, a plan and a decision log.

    3. 03

      Fit-to-standard

      We hold your process up against the standard of the system. What fits, we configure as standard. What doesn't, we challenge before considering custom work. Every deviation gets an owner and a decision.

    4. 04

      Build

      Configuration and authorisations. Transferring your basic master data is included. Data conversion, data from multiple sources and additional integrations are agreed with you in advance. Then functional testing with key users based on real scenarios from your operation, not a demo environment.

    5. 05

      Go-live and beyond

      Support during go-live, practical training tailored to your team and hands-on support on go-live day, followed by four weeks of aftercare with a fixed rhythm. After that we hand over to your own organisation, with documentation that stays useful.

    Support

    After go-live

    Standard support on our work, including custom work, is free of charge. For new functionality or advisory questions, we agree the costs with you in advance.

    Putting a system live is one thing. Working with it every day is another. That is why our involvement does not stop on go-live day.

    • •After go-live, you get four weeks of aftercare.
    • •After that, you can reach us on working days from 08:30 to 17:00.
    • •Within those hours we respond to your question within 24 hours.
    • •Questions run through our ticket system. You get access at go-live, so you can always look back at what was agreed.

    Need wider availability? An additional SLA is available.

    Who it's for

    Who we do this for

    We mainly work with organisations in logistics, wholesale and professional services. Organisations where processes genuinely break down without a proper system and where management is still close to decision-making. That's exactly the situation in which an implementation can move fast, provided the decisions get made.

    Typical situations: a WMS, ERP or CRM being introduced for the first time, an existing system that needs reconfiguring after years of ad hoc changes, or an implementation that has stalled and needs to get back on track. Even if you want to keep running the implementation yourself, we can join in on the parts where it gets tricky: data migration, testing and go-live.

    What you can expect from us: fixed phases, explicit decisions, defined scope and a system that is actually used after delivery. If you first want to know which system suits your organisation, start with our IT selection advice. If a project is already under way and you're missing direction, take a look at project management.

    Questions

    Frequently asked questions

    How long does an implementation take?

    That depends on which of the two routes you choose. With a standard setup, we agree the timeline before we start. With a tailored track, it follows from the scoping phase.

    What if our processes deviate from the standard?

    Then we configure for that. But we look at it together first, since some exceptions turn out to be habit rather than necessity. What remains, we build.

    What does it cost?

    With a standard setup, you hear the price in the first conversation and it's fixed after that. With a tailored track, the price follows from the scoping phase, before any building starts.

    How much time does this take from our own team?

    Most of the time goes into providing your data and reviewing during testing. After all, you know what needs to be right. We tell you upfront, per phase, what we need from you so you can plan for it.

    Where is the work done?

    We do the configuration work from our own working environment in the Netherlands. On-site with you, we run the sessions where it adds value, such as scoping, explanation and training.

    What happens after go-live?

    You can reach us on working days from 08:30 to 17:00, with a response time of 24 hours within those hours. Questions run through our ticketing system.

    Ready for an implementation that holds?

    Tell us about your organisation, your system and your deadline. In a first conversation we'll indicate what's realistic and what the scope should be.