ERP Application Deployment and Support Case Study
The Client
The Client is a global shipping company that serves the world’s leading oil and gas companies.
With over 6000 employees in offices worldwide and a fleet of over 150 ships, the client requires consistently reliable software support and maintenance.
The Challenge
Our client wanted to implement a new ERP system to use in their offices worldwide. This system consists of several core modules from chartering, to operations, to finance. A diverse user group of 30-40 users from 5 offices needed access to this system around the clock.
To implement the system, they needed a partner that could coordinate the setup, installation, deployment, testing, documentation and ongoing support of their new system.
The project required an initial analysis of technical requirements. Specifically, the amount of hardware and supporting software necessary to setup and deploy the system needed to be identified.
Key Challenges
– Creating documentation for configuration, maintenance, and support.
– Establishing acceptable standards though performance testing.
– Collaborating and coordinating with the vendor, technical team and business users.
– Getting the system setup and maintenance to comply with the SOX standards required of publicly traded company’s financial systems.
The Process
- Implementation planning.
- Server setup and configuration.
- System installation and testing.
- Documentation and ongoing support.
How Optimus Helped
The Optimus team worked with the client’s IT department and business users to establish clear goals. Optimus also identified system setup requirements through discussions with the vendor. We began by working with the client’s IT department to setup up and configure all of the required servers.
When the vendor came to town, Optimus coordinated the system’s installation and configuration. Throughout installation Optimus documented the client-specific steps for setting up additional systems (Test, Dev, etc). We also documented the update and disaster recovery processes. At each step, Optimus documented information for continued system support. Our documentation included technical diagrams, support guides, and how-to guides.
The client needed the system setup quickly so we provided them with scalable access to technical resources. Once the system was setup and configured in collaboration with the vendor, our team granted access to users and configured their accounts. Then a round of testing was done to ensure the system was working correctly.
Once the application stabilized, Optimus provided ongoing support. Over time, we’ve provided additional services such as upgrades, maintenance and custom report development in SSRS.
With Optimus’ help, the client gained:
- A Scalable support model.
- And flexible access to diverse skill set.