Businesses that utilize ERP systems like Oracle EBS know that effective IT support is essential for success. Traditionally, the responsibility for these necessary ERP support activities has rested solely with the IT department. However, many companies are beginning to have business users actively participate in driving these processes. They believe this collaborative approach can empower their organizations to make more informed decisions about their ERP infrastructure. In this article, we explore 6 key benefits you can gain by involving business users in managing ERP support activities.
1. Creating a User-Centric Perspective
By involving business users in ERP support, organizations can develop a deeper understanding of user needs, preferences, and pain points. Unlike the IT department, business users directly experience the impact of your ERP on their day-to-day operations. Their involvement brings a user-centric perspective to the forefront of IT operations. This enables ERP support teams to better align their efforts with actual business requirements. As a result, IT solutions and prioritization decisions become more tailored and effective, improving user satisfaction and productivity.
2. Promoting Proactive Issue Resolution
Empowering business users to drive ERP support activities encourages a proactive approach to issue resolution. When business users are involved, they become more invested in identifying and reporting ERP problems promptly. By leveraging the collective knowledge and experiences of their employees, organizations can detect and address ERP issues before they escalate. This proactive approach reduces downtime, improves efficiency, and minimizes the negative impact of IT disruptions on the overall business performance.
3. Driving Efficient Resource Allocation
Involving business users in IT activities also enables organizations to make more informed decisions about how best to allocate resources. While IT has expertise in technical matters, business users possess a unique perspective on the specific needs of their teams. By engaging them in decision-making, organizations can gain valuable insights into the importance — and urgency — of different ERP support tasks. Moreover, this collaborative approach facilitates better resource prioritization. It ensures that critical issues are addressed promptly, maximizing resource utilization and the overall value of support efforts.
4. Accelerating Innovation and Adaptation
Business users have a deep understanding of their industry and the competitive landscape — often better than the IT team’s. Leveraging their knowledge and insights can expedite the identification of emerging trends, technological advancements, and potential business opportunities. By involving them in ERP support activities, organizations can tap into this collective intelligence, enabling faster adaptation and innovation. Business users can contribute valuable input when evaluating new technologies, implementing ERP system upgrades, or exploring digital transformation initiatives. Ultimately, their involvement fosters a more agile and responsive IT ecosystem.
5. Empowering Your Workforce
When business users actively participate in ERP support activities, they become more technologically competent and empowered. By gaining hands-on experience with ERP systems, they develop a deeper understanding of how the technology supports their work. This knowledge can improve self-reliance and reduce their dependency on the IT department for routine support tasks. These empowered users can troubleshoot minor issues independently, which frees up the IT department to focus on more strategic challenges. This, in turn, improves overall productivity and reduces response times. It also enhances employee satisfaction for both business users — who can solve more of their own problems — and the IT team who can spend their time working on more challenging issues.
6. Promoting Collaboration and Communication
Finally, involving business users in ERP support activities creates a stronger bridge between IT and other departments. Collaboration and communication between these traditionally separate entities — which is critical to the organization’s success — become more seamless and effective. Business users gain a better understanding of IT constraints and complexities, while IT gains insight into business needs and goals. This cooperation enhances teamwork and helps to better align IT initiatives with broader organizational objectives. It also helps to foster a culture of shared responsibility for ERP support and prioritization efforts. The result is a more cohesive and collaborative work environment, where technology is seen as an enabler rather than a barrier.
Making It Happen: Building Collaborative ERP Support Strategies
Companies can start involving business users in ERP support activities by establishing clear communication channels and creating cross-functional teams. This approach allows business users to share their firsthand experiences and insights with the IT team, ensuring that the development and support of ERP solutions align more closely with their actual needs. Companies can hold regular meetings, workshops, and feedback sessions where business users can voice their concerns and suggest improvements. In these sessions, they can also directly contribute to decision-making processes related to project prioritization and ERP support strategies.
Companies can also implement user-centric tools like surveys, user analytics, and digital feedback platforms to gather input from business users. By analyzing this data, IT departments can better understand usage patterns, pain points, and areas needing attention. This insight can inform their prioritization and decision-making processes. Integrating business users into these activities not only enhances the relevance and effectiveness of IT solutions but also fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual respect between IT staff and business users, ultimately boosting overall organizational performance.
Looking to improve the results of your critical ERP support initiatives? Need help from experts who understand how to leverage technology to improve business outcomes? Schedule a call with one of our solution architects today to learn how Traust can bring specialized professionals to enhance your team’s capabilities and drive your critical initiatives.
