Given the complexity of an ERP system, professionals need to have a variety of skills to make themselves invaluable to organizations seeking help with an ERP deployment.
What skills does an ERP consultant need?
Not every ERP professional will have all these skills, but a good one will be able to draw from technical, managerial, professional and soft skills to contribute to the team.
Technical skills
Technical and techno-functional ERP professionals must have the knowledge and experience to implement hardware and software.
These skills can come from hands-on experience in ERP development and can include coding skills. As ERP systems from different vendors can vary greatly, these professionals need to know the ins and outs of each system with which they work. ERP vendors typically offer certifications for ERP consultants, which can help professionals demonstrate their knowledge of a specific system.
HR and management skills
A large part of any ERP implementation is keeping the project on track. Functional and techno-functional consultants need to be able to find the right people to staff the project, as well as delegate tasks and ensure those tasks stay on schedule. They also must be able to manage any third-party vendors as well as the internal team. This is particularly important during a cloud implementation; ERP consultants need to ensure service level agreements and goals are met, regardless of where the team is based.
Project management skills are also essential. Working with remote teams requires accommodating schedules, setting up formal and informal communication channels, and deploying remote project management and training solutions.
Professional skills
ERP implementations help business units achieve a higher level of efficiency, so ERP consultants need professional skills in the functional areas that will be affected. These could include skills in accounting and finance, sales and marketing, supply chain management, materials management, and purchasing and procurement processes.
Soft skills
ERP implementations involve people as well as technology—and there may be many people involved, from end users to executives. Some of the most important ERP skills are soft skills: collaboration, teamwork and conflict resolution. Consultants need excellent communication skills to lead an ERP implementation or upgrade, including the ability to communicate well in writing. They also need to be able to train others on the system and rally the team if the project gets off track.
Finally, they need a certain amount of political acumen to build relationships within the organization. This requires knowing how to compromise and what to emphasize when speaking to different stakeholders about the implementation’s effect on their department. Your vendor will often have a professional services team that can handle implementations for you.
