How are ERP implementations and getting a tattoo basically the same?

I imagine if you clicked the link to this article your first thought is either that ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations have nothing in common and this was just clickbait, or you have gotten a tattoo AND have gone through an ERP implementation and are already thinking how spot on this is!

First, let’s establish a little background. I’ve been working with ERP applications for a little over 15 years, and for 13 of those years I’ve been involved with implementations in one form or the other. I’ve been in roles ranging from being part of a project team to lead consultant to project manager to even being on the team that selects the software. And have implemented short turn around 5 user sites all the way to multi-site and multi-national projects. On the other side I’ve been a tattoo “enthusiast” for going on 20 years. So, I’d like to think that I’m somewhat of an expert in both areas.

With all that said, let’s answer the question of exactly how getting a tattoo and going through an ERP implementation are the same.

1.) There will be pain!

Tattoos hurt and so do ERP implementations. Anyone that tells you different is either lying or has never been through one. However, there are various levels to the pain and there are ways to mitigate it in both situations. There are also a multitude of factors that can help determine how bad that pain is going to be.

For example, size, scope and positioning are all factors that determine the amount of relative pain. A small tattoo on your upper arm won’t hurt nearly as bad as a gigantic tattoo on your ribs. Just like rolling out new software to a small, targeted area of the business won’t “hurt” nearly as much as changing the system that everyone uses. Should that scare you away from getting a large, detailed tattoo on your ribs? Or from implementing a new system that impacts all facets of your business? Absolutely not! But it does mean that you need to prepare accordingly.

There are things you can do to make a tattoo hurt less, like drinking lots of water so that you are hydrated and making sure you are well rested before starting your session. Just like you can do things to prepare for an ERP implementation that will make it less painful. Proper project management, setting scope and expectations, and having defined and achievable goals will all make the process easier for those involved.

Change is hard. Whether that change is to your body or to your business systems at work, it’s not always an easy process, but with the proper preparation will be worth all the pain.

2.) Once they are finished, it’s very difficult to go back

It goes without saying that tattoos are pretty darn permanent. Sure, you can get laser removal surgery but that usually cost more money and is more painful than the original tattoo  The other option is to get it covered up, which entails trying to make the best with what is there and re-work it or add to it to make it what you really want.

The exact same is true of ERP applications. Once they are installed it is very challenging and costly to remove them and go with another solution. The best-case scenario is usually to re-evaluate how the solution was implemented and then make the best of it or try to re-engineer processes to make it work how you want it to. Sometimes you can add on third party solutions or custom applications and hook them into the core ERP system and that will make life a little easier, but at the end of the day it’s not the optimal solution but it would just be too expensive to replace it all together and start with something new.

This is why it’s so important to be diligent when selecting the right ERP solution (or tattoo design) and why it’s so important to select the right implementation team (or tattoo artist).

3.) Good ones aren’t cheap and cheap ones aren’t good

There’s a saying in the tattoo world that “Good tattoos aren’t cheap, and cheap tattoos aren’t good”. The same is 100% true for ERP implementations as well.

When I was younger I spent a few years getting a ? sleeve done on my left arm. It wasn’t dirt cheap by any means, but it also wasn’t top of the line quality expensive either. At first, I liked it a lot because it was economical, and I thought it looked pretty decent. But once the newness wore off and I started really looking at the quality and comparing it to the quality of other artists’ work I was very disappointed in it. Since then I’ve spent a lot of time and money getting it re-worked and re-done to a standard that I am now very happy with. The moral however is that I could have saved that initial lower investment and just paid more at the beginning for better quality work.

This isn’t to say that ERP implementations should be costly. An implementation should meet the needs of your business without cutting corners or taking shortcuts. Some software vendors are in the business of selling software and not solutions. They often offer up “free” or “quick” implementations that basically point you to on-line pre-recorded training, give you some template database and some spreadsheets to import your data in. this is all without ever understanding (or even pretending to understand your business). 

It’s comparable to going into a shop and picking random flash (pre-drawn designs that are generally cheaper because the artist doesn't have to do any initial design work) off the wall. Then on top of that, the artist hands you the tattoo gun and the ink and tells you that you have to do it yourself and hope for the best. The quality will most likely not be great.

A good ERP implementation should be conscious and considerate of budget, but also be realistic in setting the scope and putting a plan in place that isn’t going to just get software up and running in a technical manner, but is actually going to solve business problems and create solutions.

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About the author:

David Dozer is a founder of Blaze IT, an ERP and Business Consulting company that brings enterprise level solutions to small businesses. His background ranges from IT Management, Quality Assurance, Accounting, Enterprise Consulting Services, ERP Product Management and web development/design.

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