Choosing a supplier with proven wood-processing expertise like EFFECTO is sure to ease the installation process for you. A specialist will not only save you time but also ensure that all systems will work with maximum efficiency because they know your equipment, your production processes, and the business limitations that must be taken into consideration from office administration to factory floor.
That being said, managing a digitalization project does involve some risk. While your chosen supplier should be there to support you at every step of the way, you do need to know what to expect and what you need to address at your end to ensure success.
1- Management buy-in is the most important factor
Without a strong commitment from management, your project will experience delays and let-downs even with the best project manager in the world on the job. By commitment, we mean both internal communications and by setting the necessary time aside for selected employees to play a role in the project, including being in on the planning process.
Appointing an internal point person who is available and accountable
The first step is to identify the best internal contact for coordinating the project in your plant. It’s important to designate someone who will have the time to do this properly. Your EFFECTO account manager will give you an estimate of the time required after the project has been evaluated. The point person should know all the ins and outs for answering our questions or know who to ask. As the EFFECTO team’s point person, they will also ensure that everyone in the plant involved moves at the right pace and in the right direction.
Let us know if you don’t have an available point person and we’ll include the cost of providing one of our people to handle the work for you in our evaluation of the project.
Communicating, explaining, and engaging
A stream of ongoing internal communications plays a critical role in the process. Senior management and the internal point person are all project ambassadors. Employee communications must be positive and solutions-oriented at all times. It’s vital that you to talk about the project with all employees that will be affected by it directly or indirectly. They need to know why you are carrying out the project and how it will change the way they work, emphasizing the positive impact for the company and the benefits for them. An understanding of what’s in it for them is guaranteed to accelerate their active support. Reassure them that this is not a job-cutting but a job-improving investment. The same effective communications that make the installation work should continue after on a regular basis to keep everyone motivated and up to speed.
The project can create periods of doubt at times. After all, we do arrive on the scene as an outside supplier and, as part of our mandate, questioning some of the ways you’ve been managing your business and suggesting alternatives you might not agree with. At times, you might have to take it on faith and continue supporting the installation of our proven solutions so that the project succeeds as it should and that you get the results you were hoping for.
2- Getting the right information for making the right decisions
We have dedicated account managers for every project we undertake. They visit the plant, confer with those responsible for plant operations, and then estimate the scope of the project, the technical requirements, and the time the installation will take based on the information they get. The more reliable the information, the more accurate the estimate will be and the less likely there will be any need for adjustments or delays.
