Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
In 2001 Lambert Howarth Group PLC (LHG) undertook a project to select and install an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system across the group.
An initial review of available options led to the selection of three system providers who were invited to present their solutions to a board of representatives from various parts of the Group. At this time I was IT Manager for the group and as such was lead for the project.
Tony had joined Orient Sourcing Services Ltd the same year and represented them on the selection board providing input to both the directors of (OSS) and myself directly. Following selection of the system the software implementation was initiated and the roll out for OSS for which Tony was the chief accountant was started in January 2002.
Tony was identified as a key player in this phase of the project and acted as the primary liaison between the IT team and OSS. He dealt with all members of my team, third party suppliers, senior managers and directors from both OSS and LHG as well as the end users.
Tony was heavily involved in both the specification and implementation of the system including the management of User Acceptance Testing and end user training at OSS. His input helped ensure that the all OSS business processes were catered for by the proposed solution but was also open minded enough to accept some system improvements that the functionality of the new system made possible.
The project cost was targeted at £250,000 and was scheduled to take 6 months for OSS. I am pleased to say that we achieved both targets. Tony’s assistance was invaluable in achieving these goals not least due his ability to see issues that arose from all sides, LHG, OSS, IT and end user.
He worked well with all those involved, at all levels and, in my opinion, enabled us to end the project with all concerned confident in the benefits of the system and in the staff of OSS and their ability to utilise the system.
R Webb
IT Manager