When Every Company Has Its Own System, Technology Becomes an Operating Problem

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION | OPERATIONS & SCALE

Inside a rapidly growing global, multi-entity enterprise, more than 20 corporate entities were operating with different technology, systems and processes across nearly every major business function.

Some had established platforms. Others relied heavily on spreadsheets and manual processes. Some functions were outsourced entirely, while other companies had little or no technology supporting the same work.

As the enterprise continued to grow, that level of fragmentation was no longer sustainable.

The Situation

Finance, payroll, recruiting, training, customer management, human resources, communications and other operational functions were being managed differently across the organization.

The differences went well beyond which software each company used. The businesses were operating at very different levels of technology maturity. Some employees had years of experience working within established systems, while others had never worked within the type of enterprise platforms that were going to be introduced.

There were also functions being managed by outside vendors, which meant that bringing work into an enterprise environment required more than implementing new technology. Existing processes and data had to be understood, transitioned and incorporated into a new way of operating.

What We Found

A single implementation strategy was not going to work across every company.

Each business had to be assessed based on its existing systems, processes, outsourced relationships, data, internal capabilities and workforce readiness. The question was not simply which technology should be standardized. It was what each company would need in order to successfully operate within a more integrated enterprise environment.

That distinction became especially important for businesses moving from spreadsheets, manual processes or outsourced functions into enterprise systems for the first time.

The Approach

The technology strategy focused on building common enterprise infrastructure across core business functions, including finance, customer management, payroll, recruiting, training, internal communications and workforce management. Enterprise analytics and AI-enabled capabilities were also introduced as the infrastructure developed.

Implementation was phased based on where the individual businesses were starting and what would be required to move them into the new environment.

For some companies, that meant transitioning data and processes from outside vendors. For others, it meant moving work that had been heavily manual into technology for the first time. Training and development became critical because employees were being asked not simply to learn a new system, but in many cases to work differently.

Technology implementation also changed roles and workflows. Positions and job descriptions were redesigned as responsibilities shifted, and employees were assessed for the skills needed in the new environment. Where possible, people were cross-trained, retrained or moved into redesigned roles that better aligned with the enterprise model.

The Result

The enterprise moved from a highly fragmented technology environment toward common platforms supporting critical business functions across the organization.

Manual processes and reliance on disconnected systems were reduced, core workflows became more consistent, and the organization developed technology infrastructure capable of supporting a larger and increasingly complex enterprise.

The transformation also created a stronger foundation for integrating future acquisitions because newly acquired businesses could be brought into an established enterprise technology environment rather than continuing to add another independent set of systems and processes.

The Executive Insight

Enterprise technology implementation becomes much more complex when the businesses involved are starting from entirely different places.

The technology itself is only one part of the work. Leaders also have to understand the processes being replaced, the data being moved, the functions being brought in-house, the roles that will change and whether employees have the skills and training required to operate successfully in the new environment.

Technology can connect an enterprise, but only when the operating model and the people using it are transformed with it.

Capabilities Involved

Technology Strategy & Enablement | Enterprise Transformation | Process & Workflow Redesign | Organizational Design | Workforce Strategy | Change Management | Training & Development