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The process as it actually works, not as the procedure says it should. That difference determines whether the implementation succeeds.
Take one real inquiry and follow it through every stage. This reveals handoffs and waiting times that no process map shows.
Where is something waiting for someone? Where is the same information recorded twice? This is where the gains lie, and it is not apparent in an idealized description.
If two salespeople do it differently, document both approaches. Pretending there is only one process results in a solution that works for no one.
One page per process. Anything longer won’t be read, and therefore won’t provide any guidance.
Distinguish between what should be retained and what should be removed. Otherwise, you will end up recreating today’s workarounds in the new system.
Have those who carry out the process read through it. If they do not recognize it, the description is wrong—not them.
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Published 9/29/2025
Jets Group was looking to modernize its business systems and planned to start with ERP. Along the way, it became clear that the foundation for growth lay not in the technology, but in understanding and improving customer processes.
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