Global ERP Implementation: Navigating Language, Cultural, and Timezone Challenges

In a global enterprise, selecting a robust and stable ERP solution such as SAP Business One is crucial, but it is equally important to choose the right implementation partner. The success of your ERP project hinges not only on the software but also on the capabilities and reliability of your chosen partner. In this article, we highlight several often-overlooked factors that can influence your decision when selecting an ERP partner for a global rollout.

Here are some challenges experienced by our new clients that led them to transition from their previous ERP partner to be one solutions:

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Language Differences

Effective communication is crucial in ERP projects, and language differences can create significant obstacles. When teams operate in Japanese, English, and other languages, misunderstandings can lead to project delays. Relying on translators or local staff as intermediaries often results in increased costs and may not accurately convey essential information, risking further complications and even project failure.

A full-line wholesale food distributor in the hospitality sector encountered severe challenges with a previous vendor whose support team was based in India. The communication issues stemming from language barriers hindered effective support, negatively affecting ERP operations in their rapidly expanding global business. Ultimately, the client chose to transition to be one solutions, where our global team offers localized language support tailored to each entity's country and language, ensuring seamless communication between the client’s headquarters’ IT team, subsidiaries, and external vendors.

Cultural and Time Zone Differences

Cultural differences can often be underestimated. For instance, understanding the Japanese communication style—typically more tactful and polite—can be challenging for outsiders. In Japanese work culture, directness may not be well-received, leading to potential misunderstandings and preventing effective collaboration.

Timezone differences are another significant hurdle, particularly overlooked in the early stages of a project. Over time, these differences can require team members to work outside regular hours to accommodate meetings, resulting in delays and complicating client support during standard business hours.

At be one solutions, our dedicated local and regional teams are here to assist you, effectively minimizing long-term cultural and timezone-related challenges.

Integrated Global Support

be one solutions offers a unified global support system that aligns with our clients' timezones. This means that, regardless of where your entities are located, your team can rely on our local be one solutions support team for timely and seamless assistance, ensuring full transparency throughout the global IT project.

For example, one of our clients transitioned from a Japanese SAP partner due to inadequate global support. Their overseas SAP support was managed by multiple partners, which led to miscommunication and delays caused by a lack of transparency among them. By moving to be one solutions, the client benefited from a cohesive support structure, streamlining communication and enhancing project efficiency.

Quality of Partner Networks

Often, the primary contracting partner invests the most in a project, while any secondary partners receive minimal attention, causing them to treat such projects as low priority. This can lead to resource changes, additional rounds of knowledge transfers, and frustration for the client. Consequently, it is far more efficient to work with a single partner that offers comprehensive services under one umbrella, such as be one solutions. Additionally, localized SAP partners may not be familiar with global legal changes or updates, such as SAP patches, further complicating support.

For instance, a client in the rubber and chemical products industry initially chose a partner that claimed to be a global ERP solution provider. However, during their implementation of SAP Business One in Southeast Asia, they faced high costs due to the partner’s lack of local resources. This raised concerns about the vendor's long-term reliability and support capabilities, prompting the client to switch to be one solutions for more consistent and reliable service.

To find out more about be one solutions and our expertise in assisting enterprises for their global ERP rollouts, visit our Customer Case Studies page or reach out to our team today.