Quantification of the most suitable model selectio

Model selection of MEC: suitable quantification

Feng Dongming, chairman of MEC investment group, used market strictness theory, market relativity theory and market risk theory to summarize the success of MEC and the direction of future transformation in an interview. In an international market with increasingly fierce competition and a lot of economic factors, an important strategy for Merck to deal with market risks such as anti-dumping is to establish a strong retail network. At the same time, MEC's tentacles have extended from the field of furniture manufacturing to the field of home Plaza. To establish and manage such a large retail network and take the path of diversified operation, MEC has a strong backing, that is ERP

"when selecting models, you may not choose the most expensive one, but the right one is the best". This sentence has been recognized and accepted by more and more enterprises that are choosing ERP. This advice comes from the precipitation after many enterprise practices, in which there are successful experiences and lessons of failure, and MEC International Furniture Co., Ltd. is a classic case of success after failure, It is precisely because of these two completely different experiences that the MEC people understand better: the best truth is the right one

two selections

Americans once commented on MEC: Xinjiang MEC completed our journey of more than 100 years in 8 years. In the past eight years, Merck has spread its products to the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and other countries, with 2300 employees. It has also built a phase II project covering an area of 244000 square meters in Tianjin, with 2800 employees

the rapid development of enterprises and the expansion of market scale make the traditional management more and more unable to adapt and bear. In this context, informatization is imperative

in 1999, Chinese enterprises, especially medium-sized enterprises, did not have more experience and ways to learn from. The model selection of MEC was the same as that of many model selection enterprises at that time, which also left hidden dangers for the failure of the first model selection of MEC. For the first selection, MEC focused on the software products that fit the enterprise. Starting from the needs of the enterprise at that time, MEC selected many software manufacturers with suitable scale and products for negotiation. Based on the principle of pragmatism, we began to conduct research and data collection from various parties. Finally, a manufacturer's wonderful description of its products with small impact on large load moved MEC

the implementation process is not as smooth as originally envisaged. The initial almost perfect speech became full of loopholes as the implementation went deeper and deeper. The functions that the system should have still need further secondary development in practical applications, which led to the problem of function design and integration with the original system of the enterprise. The implementation consultants sent by the manufacturer, in addition to talking about products, are at a loss when it comes to practical problems encountered in the implementation process. The defect of product function and the lack of implementation consultant experience directly led to the delay of the project, and mec encountered a reef when it first selected ERP

the lesson of the failure of the first model selection made MEC people understand that pragmatism is not only a slogan, but also an abstract feeling. Merck people who are good at summarizing have made a deep reflection on this, and finally came to the conclusion: the first selection, whether it is the process experienced or the results obtained, so that the whole implementation situation is inevitable. The fundamental reason is that they have no experience, and with the substantial expansion of power battery capacity, they have not found experienced enterprises for reference. Therefore, the MEC people who have been puzzled for a long time have the correct answer, that is, "we must carry out the second selection"

where and how to choose the model again has become the main problem in front of MEC people. With the lessons and experience of the first model selection, Merck will have more detailed and quantitative indicators than before when it selects the model again. In the words of MEC people, fitness should be the result of a series of quantitative indicators. Under more careful and thorough consideration, for the second selection, MEC focused on foreign software products from the perspective of enterprise business and nature. Choosing a large foreign ERP system may fully meet the needs of enterprises, but the cost will be very high, the implementation will be very difficult, and the future maintenance and daily work will also become a huge burden. Therefore, Merck has determined the scope of the second model selection to foreign medium-sized ERP software. During the model selection, Merck people evaluate the existing functions of the software from the perspective of the development of the software company and the application status of domestic customers, It also identified its ability to carry out in-depth customization (the difference between customization and secondary development is that customization is a small improvement of existing functions, while secondary development is a remedy for serious defects in system functions). More importantly, it strictly examined the experience and qualifications of the salesperson and implementation consultant of the software company. Under this numerous and meticulous screening, Symix, which has many wonderful achievements in the field of small and medium-sized enterprise informatization, stands out

in the initial system demonstration, because MEC's headquarters are in Xinjiang, while symix/frontstep's headquarters are in Shanghai, face-to-face communication is very difficult. Going to any party's site will increase the initial cost. After negotiation between the two parties, it was finally decided to use NetMeeting for remote system display through interconnection. That is, in this process, the implementation personnel of MEC project team were impressed by the good effect of symix/frontstep remote operation on the Internet and the powerful function, flexibility, stability and security of its products. MEC finally joined hands with ERP again with symix/frontstep products

the next implementation process was once a pain in the heart of the Merck project team. Therefore, Merck and symix/frontstep were both cautious in the implementation after the second model selection. Symix/fronttep has invested a lot of efforts, and mec project level cooperates with symix/fronttep in strict accordance with the requirements of symix/fronttep, and carefully carries out each step with reference to the implementation plan jointly formulated by both parties at the initial stage of the project

the installation and training of the system lasted two weeks, followed by the definition and reorganization of business processes that are crucial to the implementation of ERP. Because the design of business process in software is standard, and different enterprises have their own characteristics, business process reengineering is necessary. According to the experience of symix/frontstep, it should be implemented according to the existing processes of the enterprise as far as possible. Experienced consultants can help the enterprise find out which processes are reasonable and necessary, which should be retained, and which processes are backward, redundant and sluggish links that should be changed. In this way, MEC group has made a series of adjustments, and symix/frontstep has also carried out a series of customization work, Finally, the business department is very satisfied with the scheme to be implemented and fully supports the implementation of the software system, which can form an elastic and tensile film system on the hair surface. The data preparation was also very smooth. Then enter the simulation test run stage, which is actually the inspection and supplement of the previous stages. Import the prepared static data and dynamic data into the system, and use the defined processes and customized procedures to operate according to the actual business operation, so as to obtain the data and information required by each department in the actual work, and produce various reports and reports required by management. After two system simulations, the implementation of the project entered the parallel stage. Finally, under the premise of further calibrating the basic data of the enterprise, it was fully switched. Finally, MEC ERP system was put into practical management application

experience: the success of ERP project implementation makes MEC group drive the rapid development of business, broaden its thinking and have a longer-term vision after management upgrading. The experience of MEC's two selection also provides a good reference for enterprises that are also wandering on the road of ERP selection

the vast majority of manufacturing and distribution enterprises in China are developing enterprises or medium-sized enterprises. For such enterprises, it is best to choose medium-sized international software products. In this way, there is not only a reasonable investment in cost, but also the key is that the difficulty of implementation is much smaller than that of selecting large-scale systems, the requirements of software for enterprise personnel are not very high, and the functions of products are relatively rich, It can meet the needs of enterprise management standardization and internationalization

in the process of implementation and application, the direct support of the original manufacturer is beneficial to medium-sized enterprises or rapidly developing enterprises. ERP product is an intelligent product. Agents or joint ventures may use more low-cost consultants in order to pursue profits or survive in fierce competition, and the consultants have relatively little experience. And a good ERP product, implemented by different people, will inevitably produce different application effects

in the process of model selection, the salesperson who directly deals with the enterprise is very important. The salesperson of many software companies can only mobilize the pre-sales personnel in their companies. Once the sales are completed, their task is over. They do not pay attention to or cannot pay attention to the implementation effect. It is also very difficult to need their help and coordination in the implementation process. At the same time, some software companies are eager for quick success and instant benefits for these salespersons, hoping to sign the bill soon, which has led many salespersons to make commitments to customers that exceed their company's ability, so that they draw a big cake before sales, but after-sales "it is difficult for a clever woman to make bricks without straw"

for small and medium-sized enterprises, whether it is model selection or implementation, do not only pursue the diversity of functions and the leading technology, but also ignore the actual needs of enterprises; For business process reengineering, we must be careful. Enterprises do not need to blindly apply the method of other enterprises to carry out business rectification first and then ERP implementation. Each enterprise has its own process and organizational structure in line with its own development law, and enterprises should adapt to their own specific conditions

there is a saying: only the wearer knows whether the shoes fit. For small and medium-sized enterprises, choosing ERP, function and brand is not very important. The most important thing is to meet the actual needs of the enterprise. The successful implementation experience of Merck tells us that this suitable index is quantitative. (end)