Where things go wrong structurally: letting IT take the lead for the business
Why do many transformations fail despite good intentions? According to Jan-Douwe, the cause lies at the start: many organisations approach digitisation as a separate IT project rather than an integral business process.
‘People, technology and processes are often not in sync. Projects are done “on the side”, without a clear goal in mind,’ Jan-Douwe observes. “The process must start with the strategic question: where do you want your company to be in five or ten years? Without that vision, you’re just investing in an expensive ERP system that doesn’t deliver what you need in practice. Technology must serve the business, not the other way around.”
“Stop treating digitalisation as an IT party, make it a business mission.”
The importance of a “single source of truth”
A common misconception is that a new tool will solve all problems. When IT determines needs without consulting the business, fragmentation occurs: departments work at cross-purposes and data becomes fragmented.
‘Fragmented and outdated data is the biggest obstacle to growth,’ says Jan-Douwe. As a result, the pace of change is too slow to remain competitive. Without a single reliable “single source of truth”, there is a lack of speed and predictability, which are crucial in sectors such as commodities, trade and financial services. As a result, the pace of change remains too slow to remain competitive. In a data-driven organisation, leadership also changes: leaders monitor vision and direction, while employees are given the confidence to make independent decisions based on reliable data.
The HeadStart approach of Dynamic People
At Dynamic People, transformation does not start from scratch. With our “HeadStart” methodology, we bring years of market knowledge and best practices directly to the customer. This approach reflects the core values of the organisation: proven, resourceful, proud and entrepreneurial.
‘Our resourcefulness lies in thinking outside the box, within the standard,’ explains Jan-Douwe. “We don’t start with technology, but with realising a competitive advantage. Our people speak the language of business and translate customer needs into structured solutions within the Microsoft Dynamics ecosystem. This creates a foundation that not only works today, but also grows seamlessly with the company’s ambitions and creates predictability, pace and peace of mind in operations from day one.
“Digital transformations are not projects with a beginning and an end, but rather a continuous interplay between strategy, operations and people.”
From ‘Systems of Record’ to ‘Systems of Action’
With over 20 years of experience, Jan-Douwe sees a crucial shift in the market. We are moving away from Systems of Record (where you only store data) to Systems of Action, also known as Autonomous ERP.
‘Many companies are still stuck in outdated systems with a huge amount of customisation. That is the biggest obstacle to growth,’ says Jan-Douwe. The future lies in systems that proactively advise and act. By embracing the Microsoft Dynamics 365 standard, organisations remain scalable. ‘Why reinvent the wheel with costly customisation when best practices are already available?’
From supplier to strategic partner
‘As a strategic partner, we don’t stop after going live,’ explains Jan-Douwe. ‘Our Managed Services team remains closely involved so that we can continue to improve together.’ Our approach goes beyond resolving incidents: we monitor processes, optimise performance and identify opportunities for further automation. At the same time, we help teams to use the platform more and more effectively, so that its value continues to grow.
When customers expand their knowledge and Dynamic People monitors further development, a flexible and future-proof foundation is created that grows with the organisation.
The ultimate goal is an organisation that functions better: with more insight, control over risks and room for growth. ‘A successful transformation means that work becomes faster, easier and more predictable at all levels.’
