SAP Without Tragedies: Don’t Wait for the 'I Wish I Had Known' Moment

8 out of 10 times we are called in to support SAP implementations with Change Management, the project is already facing severe difficulties. In this article, we share the ten most common mistakes we have seen repeatedly and provide some key suggestions to help you avoid turning your SAP project into a real tragedy.

Why wait until the critical moment?

8 out of 10 times we are called in to support SAP implementations with Change Management, the project is already a serious concern: it’s over budget, delayed, disorganized, with exhausted and demotivated teams, just to name a few common issues. And at Mutta, we ask ourselves: Why don’t they call us earlier? Why wait until the critical moment? Is Change Management underestimated in such a crucial transformation? Is it due to a lack of understanding of the impact? Is it a budget issue? Or perhaps all of these combined?

At this point, we all know very well that SAP is not just about technology. Its implementation involves changes in processes, working methods, and organizational culture. Without proper Change Management, employees may not adopt the new ways of working, integrate the new processes into their daily routines, or may even carry over the same “bad habits” from the previous system into SAP. Change Management ensures the adoption, understanding, and efficient use of SAP, allowing the technological investment to truly deliver value to the business.

Change Management is the key to preventing SAP implementations from becoming an organizational tragedy… but it usually isn’t budgeted for until the project starts showing signs of trouble.

Our Change Management model, adapted for SAP, allows us to create value at any implementation stage regardless of the level of “firefighting” required. This is mainly because we have real-world experience across numerous projects of various scopes and in diverse industries. Our mission is to provide the learnings and resources to ensure your SAP implementation doesn’t become a tragedy.

Here we share with you the recurring patterns that complicate SAP implementations and some tips to avoid them.

How often have you thought, “I Wish I Had Known”?

Below, we present the 10 most common mistakes we see in SAP implementations and how Mutta helps to avoid them:

Mistake #1: Underestimating the nine that follow – The start of the tragedy

Every organizational change is systemic, and systemic challenges require systemic solutions. SAP is not just about technology. Believing that having the best technical implementer will ensure success can expose you to enormous risk. The technical implementer must be the best, no doubt. However, for their expertise to bear fruit, that implementer will need the next nine things mentioned in this article.

The key: Start Change Management in a phase we call “Pre-Prepare.” This phase is foundational for the rest of the implementation or migration. From the Kick-Off, you will already have a clear strategy and roadmap to ensure success.

If you want to know more about the Mutta Change Management model adapted to SAP, click here.

Mistake #2: The Black Hole – Lack of a Structured Change Management Plan

Red Flag: Not having a comprehensive, sustained Change Management strategy. Change Management does not end with communicating the change or training employees on the new tool. These are necessary but insufficient conditions to ensure people embrace the change.

The key: Implement an ongoing and integrated human-centric change management approach that complements the SAP Activate methodology. This enables us to prepare internal teams for Change Management, ensuring a constant balance between the technical and human aspects of the process. Our approach is proactive and ensures that the human and technical sides work hand in hand.

Mistake #3: Lack of key partners – No one can implement alone

SAP is not a task that falls solely on IT. A coalition of partners, from?HR to Finance and Operations, is needed?to ensure that all implementation aspects are aligned. Achieving this alignment, common goals, and the collaboration needed for project success is often difficult.

The key: With Mutta’s methodology for SAP, we map all stakeholders involved from the start and ensure that no one is left out of the process. However, identifying them does not guarantee collaboration. We must customize the strategy for each group and actor. Through alignment sessions and careful coordination, we generate the synergies that drive commitment and teamwork at every stage.

Mistake #4: Technology as a “Silver Bullet” – SAP won’t save your processes

SAP is a tool, not a magical solution. The belief that implementing it will automatically solve structural or process issues is another major pitfall during migrations and implementations. As Thorsten Dirks, former CEO of Telefónica Germany, said (pardon the expression): “If you digitize a shitty process, then you’ll end up with a shitty digital process.”

The key: Beyond choosing between greenfield or brownfield, we must be aware of the inefficiencies in our processes and assess whether our employees are prepared, with the necessary mindset, to see this project as a great opportunity for improvement. Again, this attitude, understanding, and motivation don’t happen magically and must be a key focus of structured Change Management.

Mistake #5: Lack of digital skills – Do we have the competencies?

A system like SAP requires specific digital skills. Often, internal talent is not fully prepared to adopt it, which generates resistance, errors, and a lack of productivity. It’s not that they don’t want to; they “can’t.”

The key: Map the gaps and provide competency development programs that ensure people have the digital skills necessary to make the most of SAP. These programs are not just composed of courses but also offer the integral resources people need in their “learning curve” to truly develop and enhance their skills quickly.

Mistake #6: The customer is not at the center – Lack of empathy

One of the most common mistakes is assuming that end users (employees, suppliers, and customers) will adapt because “they have no other choice.” However, forced adoption impacts the current process and creates friction, which can have a high long-term cost for the organization.

The key: Design the user experience during the implementation process, just like customer experience design. With a Human-Centric Change Management approach, we always put ourselves in the shoes of those experiencing the change. We co-create solutions with teams, ensuring the change feels personal and authentic.

Mistake #7: Lack of narratives – SAP also needs storytelling

We must connect the project with a narrative that inspires people. Appealing only to logic and data is not enough; people adopt change more effectively when they engage with purpose in the processes.

The key: Create a narrative that draws people in, the story behind the change. This will help organizations inspire their teams so that everyone understands the “why” and “what for” of the change and intentionally wants to be a part of it.

Mistake #8: Burnout and saturation – SAP is not the only thing happening

SAP implementation is not the only change employees face. Change saturation generates burnout, anxiety, and a feeling of being unable to meet the planned milestones.

The key: Change Management’s 360-degree view again plays a leading role, helping the technical and implementation teams see the bigger picture of what’s happening within the organization. By bringing key partners to the table to make decisions on how to roll out the project in a coordinated manner, we can anticipate burnout as much as possible, preventing it from delaying or negatively impacting SAP implementation.

Mistake #9: Assuming progress – Instead of asking the key players

Mutta’s methodology promotes using indicators to track progress in the implementation, measuring the “human side of change.” It is essential to know how people feel during the process so that plans can be quickly reviewed, actions anticipated, and motivation maintained.

The key: Install active listening and adoption indicators to measure the pulse and evolution from the people’s perspective. These change management indicators?should be reviewed retrospectively and in?decision-maker forums.

Mistake #10: Not learning from the process – Lack of retrospection

Finally, one of the most critical mistakes is not reviewing or adjusting the plan as the project progresses. The lack of learning sessions or retrospectives during implementation prevents the team from clearly understanding the context and making the necessary course corrections.

The key: Facilitate regular learning sessions and plan adjustments, ensuring that the process remains flexible and adaptable to guarantee success. Make sure all the stakeholders who need to be involved are present in these meetings to understand the context and make decisions.

Conclusion: Don’t wait for the 'I Wish I Had Known' Moment

SAP implementation doesn’t have to be a tragedy! With comprehensive Change Management, a people-centered approach, and anticipation, your organization can rewrite the story of its SAP implementation.

At Mutta, we’re here to help.

Schedule a Free Talk for your organization: a free session where we share our experiences and insights from over a decade of supporting SAP implementations worldwide. With this talk, we can help you identify your current stage and the necessary steps to raise awareness and sensitize your organization to the most significant SAP challenges.

If you’d like to learn more about these free, personalized talks for your organization, please email us at [email protected].

More about the Free Talks

Here’s a?success story?for our client,?Inchcape,?in the?CARCAM region. Who said a SAP implementation has to be boring? Learn how we implemented SAP with music as the protagonist.

We’re here to help you make your SAP implementation a success story. Don’t wait any longer.

Carolina Sordelli CEO & Founder, Mutta Studio

Cynthia Caeiro Mutta Senior Consultant | SAP Implementation Expert