Entrepreneurial Spirit and Successful ERP Implementations Across Dynamics 365
In episode 10 of the “Inside Dynamics Communities” podcast, John Siefert, CEO, Dynamics Communities and Summit NA, Ryan Gonzales, Senior Sales Director, Dynamics Communities and Summit NA, and Pam Misialek, Community Director, Dynamics Communities and Summit NA, break down the latest stories happening inside the Dynamics community.
In today’s episode, the hosts discuss successful ERP implementations across Dynamics 365, focusing on customers like Techno-Bloc and the Canadian Fitness Professional Network (canfitpro).
This episode is sponsored by Summit North America, the largest independent gathering of the Microsoft Business Applications ecosystem, taking place Oct. 15-20, 2023, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Register today to connect with thousands of users across the Microsoft business applications ecosystem at the for user, by user event.
Highlights
00:07 — In addition to discussing the “tornado that is the Microsoft Dynamics 365 world,” John, Pam, and Ryan place a heavy focus on users — what are users doing? How are they engaging? What’s working, and what’s not?
01:00 — In a previous episode, John referenced a surfing company that was going through a digital transformation and modernizing the company. Users that have not gone through an ERP implementation can quickly become overwhelmed by all of the various business and technology requirements, which was the case for the CEO of the surfing company.
Acceleration Economy, Dynamics Communities’ sister organization, offers advisory services for organizations. Acceleration Economy practitioner-analysts have been working with this company to help successfully implement a new ERP.
02:28 — In the spirit of this, Acceleration Economy will be offering what they are calling a “why session” and a “how session” with the surfing company. The “why session” will focus on why the implementation is important to the business, and why the company has these specific requirements, and the “how session” will focus on how to make these business outcomes a reality. Putting these transformations into the “buckets of ‘why and ‘how’ becomes a lot easier,” explains John.
03:40 — Pam begins to discuss Techno-Bloc, a landscaping products supplier. Within her discussion, she focuses on two aspects: entrepreneurship and project management, which was a key factor in the company’s entire ERP implementation.
Techno-Bloc began to grow when an 8-year-old “entrepreneurial” child envisioned better ways to manage his father’s landscaping company.
04:42 — Many years ago, Techno-Bloc implemented Dynamics 365 F&O, formerly Dynamics 365 AX. Thinkmax helped Techno-Bloc make its vision a reality, ensuring the ERP would “grow for the future.” As Techno-Bloc continued to expand, the company noted that a key part of its success was project management.
The company also noted the critical role that Thinkmax played in the company’s growth, who guided and helped keep Techno-Bloc accountable. Pam adds that a top reason that ERP implementations fail is because of poor project management. She advises anyone going through a similar process to have a plan and stick with it.
06:53 — To Pam’s point, “fostering that level of entrepreneurship, and the inspiration for kids to be heard, is such a big deal,” says John. Furthermore, fostering the ability for the “truth” to stay there is when these ideas come out, which can be transformative.
He adds that two executives from SAXX, a men’s underwear company, have also recently undergone an ERP implementation. The two SAXX executives will be speaking at Acceleration Economy’s Digital CIO Summit, which is taking place April 4-6.
08:57 — Ryan discusses the Canadian Fitness Professionals Network (canfitpro), the largest fitness organization in Canada that has also expanded globally. The company was founded 25 years ago and has since grown dramatically. Between 2020 and 2021, the IT manager decided the company needed to modernize to keep up with the “fitness evolution,” so the company implemented Dynamics 365. The company significantly reduced the time it took to complete business processes and strayed from its “old way” of doing things.
Ryan explains that HSO was selected as canfitpro’s partner because “they listened to what the business needed and was able to implement something for them that was quick and efficient.” It took eight months to implement, but canfitpro’s IT manager said that “HSO saved their evolution.”
12:45 — When companies are good at what they do, it is important that they find partners who are good at finance, ERP implementations, or applying new technologies, to modernize organizations and bring about new levels of digital transformation. Kenny Mullican, an SMB CIO, CIO, Paragron Films, and Acceleration Economy practitioner-analyst, just migrated his company to Dynamics 365 F&O. He will be speaking about his company’s ERP migration at Community Summit North America, which is taking place from Oct. 15-20 in Charlotte, NC.
14:56 — At Community Summit NA — a for user, by user event — there are various speakers with ranging levels of expertise. Both partners and users are presenting, and speakers of different-sized organizations will be present. The Call for Speakers for Community Summit NA 2023 is open until March 31. You can submit a session here.
16:57 — With nearly 1,000 users already registered, secure your spot at Community Summit North America 2023 today!
