Signing a contract to purchase or subscribe to a WMS is a big milestone. It has required significant time and energy, but too much focus is often given to simply selecting the WMS supplier. Often, there is a realization late in the process that much of the time, effort, and cost necessary to successfully implement the system is not the responsibility of the WMS supplier. Many companies assume that since the WMS software developer is “implementing” the software system, the developer is the entity who ultimately “owns” the success of the project. Such organizations often fail to realize that the software developer’s definition of “success” on a project may simply mean that the software “works” and is bug-free when it is turned on. This is a far different definition of success than the one held by the company that is purchasing the software. The true definition of success likely includes elements such as improving labor efficiency and accuracy and reducing order fulfillment cycle times. In nearly every case, the WMS software developer is not planning to be – or equipped to be – the guardian of this holistic definition of project success.
The company implementing the WMS system must be also be knowledgeable enough and involved enough throughout the implementation process to make sure the project is a success.
Companies on the verge of selecting a WMS provider would do well to ask that vendor, “what isn’t included in your project plan?”