Epicor introduces enhanced signature methodology and expanded portfolio of services capabilities

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Epicor Software Corporation, provider of business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, has announced the launch of the enhanced Epicor Signature Methodology and expanded portfolio of services capabilities to deliver repeatable, faster and cost-effective enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation results to its growing global customer base.

According to Aberdeen Group, even the most perfectly suited ERP solution can fail if an organisation does not manage its implementation effectively. In recognition of this, Aberdeen reports sixty-seven percent (67%) of the Best-in-Class have a staged implementation process where adjustments to the plan are made throughout the process. At the same time, establishing a solid groundwork is essential to project success: "Before an ERP project can begin, an organization must define the ways in which it runs. Processes must be mapped out and integrated into the ERP project plan. Additionally, organizations need to identify the gaps between their new ERP solution and their other technologies, a capability that Best-in-Class organizations are 49% more likely than All Others to have."¹

The Epicor Signature Methodology provides a flexible framework to prepare, plan, design, validate and deploy Epicor ERP solutions to customers worldwide. The new five-stage model is scalable based on project size and complexity. Each stage includes a series of segments that are filled with a set of inputs, tools, techniques and deliverables all building upon one another to provide better project governance, a collaborative implementation and continuous improvement. The methodology contains built-in sign-off processes to better ensure each party is satisfied throughout the project before moving on to the next group of milestones. It also provides industry-specific business process models and tools to accelerate project delivery and reduce customization.

"Utilising a proven methodology grounded in industry best practices is important for a successful ERP implementation," says Dave Yusuf, senior vice president, services for Epicor. "The enhancements we've made to our Signature Methodology have enabled us to deliver consistent and repeatable deployment results, as well as speed up implementation timelines by utilising industry-specific business process models. The new Signature Methodology helps our customers get accelerated time-to-value from their Epicor ERP solutions. At the same time, our seasoned global consulting services team continues to expand and enhance its library of industry best practices to meet the changing needs of our customers and the industries they serve."

Expanded Services Capabilities Enhance Customer Experience

Today, the global Epicor ERP services team and partner ecosystem consists of more than 800 Epicor consultants and 400 certified partners that have deep industry experience, all following one methodology to support Epicor customers with their software implementations. Epicor established a Project Management Office (PMO), expanded its portfolio of Business Consulting Services and rolled out Professional Services Centres of Excellence called "Delivery Centres." Through these "Delivery Centres," Epicor supports complex projects, expanding the role of its global project managers to orchestrate all aspects of a successful implementation.

Another new service customers benefit from is the Epicor Business Process Review, a combination of education, discovery, gap analysis and recommendations based on proven industry best practices. The Epicor Business Process Review is now a standard part of the implementation and a critical project planning component to support customers with process improvement and change management.

The Epicor services team has enabled success for thousands of customer implementations worldwide. Plastics fabricator Excel Plastics is an example of a company reaping the benefits of on-time, on-budget project delivery tailored to take its business to the next level of success. "The Epicor Services team made a real difference in the Excel Plastics implementation of Epicor ERP," says Perry Holm, ERP implementation project manager, Excel Plastics. "Without their project management guidance and consulting expertise we would not have been able to hit the ground running after a successful cutover. Our first three months in the software has been a positive experience, and much of the credit for that goes back to the Epicor Services team."

¹ Aberdeen Group, "Managing ERP Implementation Projects to Deliver Increased ROI," by Nick Castellina, April 2013.