Implementation Success: You can't afford not to be trained

Ok, I'll admit it — I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to not reading directions. Generally, instructions are little more than packing materials which get thrown out with plastic wrap and styrofoam.

Once and a while it actually occurs to me that those directions may provide nuggets of valuable insight as to how to use a product and save me hours of time trying to solve the mystery on my own. And I know I'm not the only one out there with these bad habits, otherwise, there wouldn't be so many condensed product guides available. Not to mention online user classes and a whole publishing industry geared around training manuals for dummies and idiots.

In our era of multitasking information overload, who has time to read the directions — much less take a training class! It will be faster — and economical — to just figure it out as you go, right?

Wrong.

Let's face it: we all spend twice as much time stumbling around on our own than we would if we actually read the directions, took a class, or sought out an expert. And an enterprise system so much more important than a personal convenience device like a cell phone — it's THE tool that is the backbone of your day to day business operations.

I'll share with you a frank truth. Here at xTuple, we have found a direct correlation between successful ERP implementations and participation in training classes. These classes build a foundation of understanding which can forestall weeks or even months of frustration and inefficiency. Yes, we think we've made a software package that's pretty intuitive, and hopefully better designed than most; and yes, we've made tools like the QuickStart Wizard to help dedicated Do-It-Yourselfers get up and running. But that's no substitute for the intensive learning experience that is xTuple classroom training.

There are always excuses to not take advantage of training — generally related to time and/or money; however, the cost of both of these can easily spiral if the system is not implemented correctly. This issue is not exclusive to xTuple products, but applies to just about any ERP system on the market. I encourage you to save yourself time and money by carving out some time to formally learn how the system works. xTuple offers a wide variety of classes and materials which address both simple and complex challenges.

The most important class — the foundation for succeeding with xTuple, any edition, any industry, any setting — is the Introduction to xTuple class being offered the week of May 16. That's coming up very soon, so if you've been on the fence, finalize your plans to join us now. It's always a great class, and with the warm weather, we'll have the added bonus of a  sunset cruise on the American Rover tall ship(always a favorite!)

For more information regarding training options, please contact us.