How To Implement E-Business Solutions Successfully

Pitfalls of E-business solutions installation process

A large distribution company has decided to use a new online supply chain management solution. The people ? those who were supposed to use the system ? were quite skeptic about the ability of the system, as they did not have enough knowledge and had very little or no training in using a similar system. As a result, it took over a year for the company to bring the solution to its full operation. Productivity suffered severely. The final implementation cost came out to be several times more than initial budget. A large number of companies are reporting to face similar difficulties with the implementation of their e-business solutions.

The problems that occur while a company tries to implement e-business solutions, most likely, include:

Senior managers do not spend enough time and efforts to learn and understand the solutions. As a result, they have no idea how their workers will adapt to this new solution; and fail to set forth quantifiable objectives for them in terms of efficiency and productivity. The end users do not receive required training. As a result, treat the new solution as an added burden rather than a tool to increase efficiency and productivity. In many cases, IT infrastructure is not up-to-date enough and lacks power to support the new solution. Due to inadequate understanding by the management of the e-business solutions that they plan to adopt, often, the time and money allocated to the project are far less than required. Often the advanced Internet based e-business solutions require to be integrated with portion of old systems that the company is presently using, which in turn, sometimes generates software and system incompatibility. How to avoid pitfalls

E-business solutions are sophisticated systems that encompass significant areas of the company and its relationship with customers. That's why implementation of these projects should be carried out according to detailed plans.

Preparation

Create a well developed scope. In creating the scope involve all end-users of the solution, not only the technical and business model experts. Get answers to the questions like:

- What is the single most important goal that the company is planning to reach thanks to this solution? - What critical problems the solution is meant to solve? - Are the time and money spent justifies its implementation? - What are the implementation milestones? - How you will know that you have reached those milestones? - Once you got all the relevant people of the company involved in the process, choose an implementation taskforce of experts from all required sections. This team should be responsible for developing the implementation plan. According to this plan assign resources and deadlines. Upon completion of each stage of implementation get senior management involved in order to review the progress.

Education and Training

Education should cover the "why" side of the solution and training the "how" side.

- Identify the people that required getting trained and educated. - Define objectives - Define training and education criteria and select syllabus - Set the evaluation method - Conduct the actual learning process - Assess their progress

Implementation

Implementation of the solution should take place according to the strict predefined stages.

Upon completion of each stage of implementation get senior management involved in reviewing progress. Conduct reality check!

- How does the solution meet your expectations so far? - Is it doing what it's supposed to do? - Do you need to revise any of your priorities?

Once the implementation is over, set up a thorough post implementation meeting with the taskforce and the relevant end-users. The important thing here is to identify if everybody involved with the project is satisfied with the result or not.

In order to successfully implement e-business solutions, it is very important that you fully understand the technologies behind it. If require hire a consultant and work closely with her. In the long run, this might save you substantial time and money.

Here are other things to remember:

1. E-business solutions are mere tools. Don't expect them to radically change everything that you learnt about business processes.

2. E-business solution implementations like any other project require strict step by step project management.

3. Before considering an e-business solution, make sure that there is a sound business need to get it. E-marketplace, Private exchange, Business portal are few of the e-business solutions that help you attracting new customers and markets. These solutions also allow streamlining many of the vital business processes. In your e-business strategy these solutionsshould be at the top of the list.

4. Keep track of the new technologies and keep an eye to your competitors' e-business strategies. E-business is an extremely fast moving segment; you should be ready for changes and embrace them whenever it's necessary.

Nowshade Kabir is the founder, primary developer and present CEO of Rusbiz.com. A Ph. D. in Information Technology, he has wide experience in Business Consulting, International Trade and Web Marketing. Rusbiz is a Global B2B Emarketplace with solutions to start and run online business. You can contact him at mailto:nowshade [at] rusbiz.com, http://ezine.rusbiz.com/archivenews.html?n l_oid=43

____________________

Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!

Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!

Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!

Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!

Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!

---

How e-business and e-Marketing are Changing

Internet now days became a real marketplace and many many companies using Internet as a online Selling and Customer Care or Support Tool for their Products and... Read More

Is ECommerce Right for Our Business?

If your business features products or services for sale, undoubtedly the topic of eCommerce has come up. What is eCommerce? Literally defined as "the conduct of financial... Read More

Why Arent People Buying From Your Ecommerce Website?

Your stock is tempting, your prices right - your ecommerce website is good to go, but somehow the customers just aren't buying. So where are you going... Read More

E-marketplaces from Sellers Perspective

What is an E-marketplace anyway?E-marketplace is a business to business web based venue, where buyers and sellers meet online, generate business leads and conduct business transactions. The... Read More

Pitfalls of Doing Big International Brokerage Business Online

Nothing has helped international brokerage business more than the internet: it enables a businessperson to do business with little or no capital and to make quick contacts.... Read More

Outsourcing Your Ecommerce Order Fulfillment

When your eCommerce business grows to the point where you can no longer package and ship the orders yourself, it's time to begin outsourcing your order fulfillment.... Read More

Retirement Signature Frames ? The Perfect Retirement Gift!

When most people think of a retirement gift, they think of a watch. It's the tried and true gift that companies give employees to say thanks for... Read More

Web advertising e-Marketing Places!

Overview:What is web advertising?Internet Advertising is popularly known as web advertising. Internet webadvertising giving Opportunity to the advertiser to target geographic country wise, subject wise, targeted Customers... Read More

The Internet Challenge

In spite of the increasing attention on how the Internet is changing the business landscape, many small business owners are still struggling to understand its influence. But... Read More

Accept Credit Cards Online Without A Merchant Account

It is often assumed if you want to accept credit cards on your website that you must have a merchant account. This is not the case. You... Read More

eCommerce, How Much Does It cost?

Making profits with your existing website design or creating a new online store can be exciting, affordable and most of all; rewarding. Mmmm . . . that's... Read More

Creating Legal Framework for E-commerce Taxation; non-tax statutes

We have to make amendments in existing substantive and procedural laws to make it compactable with changing technological advancement of e-commerce?Amending Contract Act, 1872I recommend the amendments... Read More

Your Affiliate Web Site Is Built ? Now What?

When I first got my web site built, I thought I finally had a presence on-line. Wrong! I soon found out that I needed someone to host... Read More

Conducting Business through B2B E-marketplaces

Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing business on the Internet, should think seriously about their position! If you are one of them, chances... Read More

Intranet Project Names - Some Ideas

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet."In this famous quote from Act II of Romeo and... Read More

ECommerce Scenario in Pakistan

Pakistan with highest growth rates in 1960s and bad politics in 1980s and 90s but, the stage is totally changed in 2000s as the economy is managed... Read More

Online Shoppers Say They?ll Buy from Small and Large E-Businesses Alike

As the holiday shopping season begins in earnest, consumers say they're just as willing to buy from small online retailers as they are from large, national e-commerce... Read More

How To Start An Internet Business ? Content, Content, Content

When it comes to e-commerce, the time-tested cliché is, "Content is king." In this case, the cliché is correct.ContentFor the purpose of this article, content is defined... Read More

Products for a Successful Web Business

There are F words in business. We have seen many small businesses on the internet flourish and fulfil their dream, but sadly we have seen some flounder... Read More

5 Powerful Ways to Make Money Online with a Website

There are many ways to make money online and the best way for you is to simply be creative with your skills, knowledge, and abilities. However, the... Read More

The Clickbank Crash of 2003: Lessons Learned

I had a rude awakening recently. I checked the days worth of sales from one of my sites and there were none. This had never happened before... Read More

How To Turn Any Product You Sell In To Residual Income

The concept of this is for you to offer a subscription type product as an upsell or backend product. For example, if you're selling an ebook for... Read More

How to Gain Your Visitors Trust

If you are serious about selling on the world wide web and being successful, your number one priority must be gaining your visitor's trust. Without trust you... Read More

Creating The Perfect Ecommerce Website

If you're thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and going into business with your own ecommerce website, you'd do well to look at a few examples before... Read More

Set Yourself Apart From The Ordinary

I have written at length about the need to anticipate your visitors' needs. I have talked about how the first screen of the homepage needs to connect... Read More

Intranet Portals ? Collaboration through Team Rooms

Knowledge Management for beginnersKnowledge Management (KM) can be defined simply as the process through which organizations generate value from their intellectual and knowledge-based assets. Knowledge assets are... Read More