Who has ever tried to explain what an ERP integrator is at a party? And without sending anyone to sleep…
Last weekend, I was out.
I was having a good time until someone asked me THE question that we, in our line of work, do not like:
« So Badre, what do you do for a living ? ”.
And right then, a whole lot of “IF”, “ELSE” and “THEN” come to mind.
Either I answer:
« I work in IT ” and I end up fixing their PC on Sunday evening even though I know absolutely nothing about it.
« I am the partner and boss of an IT services company ” and some will check the brand of my watch and ask me whether I am nearly 50.
« I am an ERP integrator ” and then I know that after 5 minutes I may well find myself nibbling my peanuts on my own until the end of the evening.
So I go for the third option, and attempt the impossible: explaining what an ERP integrator is, between music that is a little too loud and a half-full bowl of peanuts.
Here goes…
A company is like a human body: every organ is essential.
And for a company:
Its brain : that is its management software, what we call an “ERP”. It is strategic; it structures, organises and steers the other organs of the body,
Its arms : that is production management,
Its lungs : that is accounting and finance,
Its legs : that is the sales side,
Its heart : that is Human Resources — its talents, of course.
And so at Ipanova, we are a bit like the company's neurosurgeons: we are called in to put this brain in place, to connect it to every organ of the company and to keep it running.
Our history and our experience have made us a partner of SAP, the world's leading ERP vendor.
It therefore entrusts us with integrating and configuring this brain in start-ups, SMEs and large enterprises.
On the spot, I could not come up with anything better — a tightrope act…
But what better way is there to explain our job?
And to think that some, not really listening, must believe I am a company doctor or nurse… but the main thing for me is that I saved my Sunday evening, right?
So do send me your ideas for saving my next evenings out.
