Just like many of you, I binged on Squid Game over the weekend and realised there was much I could bring to my real life from it. Read on to learn some lessons about digitalisation and ERP implementation from Squid Game, The NuVista Edition.

1. Timer to Digitalization

In the honeycomb game, there was a 5 mins timer to cutting out a shape in the honeycomb candy. There are some people who hesitate to take their steps forward because of fear. These are the people who had lost out in the game when the timer was up.

You might be thinking of digitalisation and automation, and might be hesitating due to the cost. However, there is no better time to act than now. We are now in the new normal and changes due to the pandemic like remote working are here to stay. According to a survey by McKinsey of 899 C-level executives and senior managers, the largest shifts during the crisis are also among the most likely to stick through the recovery – for example, changing customer needs or expectations, increase in remote work and/or collaboration, increase in customer demand for online purchasing and/or services.

In Singapore, there are grants that you can take advantage of like EDG and PSG whereby you can save up to 80% of your implementation costs. This is valid only until next March, and we are not sure of new changes thereafter.

2. Having a Strategy Is Key for a Fruitful Implementation

In the tug-of-war game, initially, it seems that the weak team with women and an old man had no chance of winning the game. However, due to their strategy like holding back tight in the first few seconds, evenly distributing weight and even releasing the rope in the last few seconds, Gi-hun’s team managed to win.

Similarly, no matter if you are a big player or a small player, you need to have a good strategy before ERP implementation. The four most common approaches are 1) single step method, 2) phased rollout 3) parallel adoption, 4) hybrid approach. However, keep in mind that selecting an ERP implementation strategy depends on several factors. Make sure to do your research to have a successful implementation!

3. Choice of Team Members Is Critical to a Successful Implementation

Just like selecting the right strategy, it is also important to select the right team during the tug-of-war. The different strengths of the team members were displayed throughout the game. Firstly, the oldest man whom people thought would be a burden, had great experience winning the game numerous times when playing with giants. Gi-hun was a good leader who displayed strength during adversity. Lastly, Sang-woo is shown as the smart guy who at the last minute, was able to come up with an idea that helped the team win eventually.

Before your ERP implementation, ensure that you have a winning team ready to participate in the implementation as this is critical to success. The team must not only be proficient but should also be team players as collaboration is key to a successful implementation.

Also, as with all projects, having a strong team leader is critical to steer the team forward as he or she will keep the morale up and leverage the strengths of each team member.

4. Seek Professional Help if You Don’t Have the Expertise

Towards the end of the glass bridge game, it was revealed that one of the players once had a job as a glass manufacturer. He was able to tell the key difference between tempered glass and ordinary glass, which allowed the last 3 players to survive the game eventually.

If you don’t have the expertise in the team, it is always good to have a solution consultant who has experience in the ERP industry with clients like you to guide you. They will ensure that you select the right ERP strategy, have the resources to implement ERP, and will do due diligence on behalf of you. If you don’t have, implementation partners usually have solution consultants – we do!

5. Bonus Tip: Choose NuVista for Your ERP Implementation