Just got new SaaS fulfillment software? Congratulations! It’s both exciting and nerve wracking to make a change to such an integral part of your business.
Whether you’re a fulfillment house with 20 years of experience or a brand new startup, the onboarding process will be similar.
During the initial phases of onboarding, you’ll have your first real exposure to the new fulfillment software. Systems like VeraCore will provide you with an Onboarding Consultant to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Be sure to follow these best practices to get up and running in record time.
1. Determine a Go-Live date
Having a Go-Live date in place will help ensure that everyone does their part to successfully implement your new fulfillment system software, so the project is completed within that time period.
2. Select project lead and key stakeholders
Identify key team members within your company to help manage the project. Having proper resources dedicated to the fulfillment software onboarding process is critical to your success. The team should be comprised of members from various departments, such as Warehouse Operations, Account Managers, IT, etc. We have found that having a single project lead is most effective.
3. Set time aside for implementation
Block out time on the calendar so your team can focus on the implementation. Saving your implementation for after hours often leads to delays and headaches. The companies that are most successful are committed to an accelerated implementation timeline to get up and running within a few weeks.
4. Identify needs and requirements
It’s important to know what your goals and needs are ahead of time. Be sure that your team has documented your company needs according to fulfillment best practices and has shared these with your Onboarding Consultant ahead of time.
5. Be open to change
Part of the transition process that is often overlooked is having the ability to accept change. There’s a reason why you decided to implement new fulfillment software. Your Onboarding Consultant will review your current workflow and may be able to identify areas where it can be improved. The new fulfillment software may have capabilities that will help you improve your company’s KPI’s!
6. Determine milestones
Sometimes the implementation of new software can seem intimidating! One way to make sure things stay on track is to assign a “milestone date” to various tasks. This will not only ensure you hit your deadlines, but you’ll also be able to track your progress. Crossing milestones off the list means you’re one step closer to completion!
7. Identify key integrations
Today, almost every software app can be integrated with others. You should map out your IT systems and identify if you want them to integrate with your new fulfillment software (VeraCore fully integrates with software from leading companies in e-commerce fulfillment). Some applications may connect through a simple “plug and play” configuration while others require serious development efforts. You should account for any technical developments that could add to the overall timeline and adjust accordingly. Work with your Onboarding Consultant to identify this early on in the process.
8. Finally, stay positive and excited!
Change is hard and implementing a new system is work. Having a positive attitude and staying focused is critical to success. If everyone is excited and commits to completing the implementation quickly, you can take advantage of all the benefits your new software has to offer.
Hopefully these SaaS onboarding best practices will help your company’s switch to a new fulfillment software smooth and successful!