In 5 Steps to a Depot Management System for Transport Companies

Every DMS implementation is as unique as the company where it is being implemented. Factors such as the number and size of the depots, interfaces, available resources and capacities, and cross-depot processes can significantly affect the implementation time. The existing structure is critical. For example, if many processes have already been digitised and mapped using internal tools, existing relationships, methods and procedures must be considered and discussed by the provider and the company. Here, customers can Benefit from PSI’s years of market experience, which allow PSI to draw upon many existing systems and references, including finished software modules, eliminating the necessity to rewrite or defining many specifications.

A rule of thumb is: A realistic project timeline for completely new introductions or replacing older systems is one to one-and-a-half years.

Avoiding errors is more important than correcting them. DMS projects have already failed or been seriously delayed because of the following easily avoided pitfalls. Together with their provider, companies can easily avoid:

• Unclear goals
  Companies should clearly defined objectives before beginning with the implementation. They must answer the question of what is to be achieved with the new DMS.
• Underestimated complexity
  Process and system design can be lengthy when requirements are complex. The question of how many functions will be introduced at once can also influence the time required. For example, if all processes – from the commercial department to production – are mapped with a DMS, the project will be correspondingly complex. A certain willingness to compromise on the part of the supplier and the company is required. This includes accepting that standard-capable products cannot model every individual process.
• Poor change management
  Over the course of the project, it becomes ever more apparent what is truly necessary. This often diverges from the requirements defined at the beginning of the project. There is a change case that needs to be facilitated. Solid change management and creativity are needed on both sides to find solutions that work for both sides.
• Talking at cross purposes
  Make the effort to become a well-practised team with your provider. Finding a common language takes time. Terms often do no have the same meaning across different IT solutions. Similarly, colleagues in production and IT may have different names for the same thing. The requirements from the performance specification should therefore be jointly discussed in detail.
• Poor data quality
  Data migration can be quite complex and take a long time if data with the required quality is not available.

Before the project kicks off, companies should think very carefully about the goals of a DMS implementation and develop a solid plan in the form of an IT strategy. Which steps are to be taken, and when? For this, it is advisable to carefully analyse the current state, and based on this, to define how processes should be developed in the future.

Timely internal discussions create a shared understanding throughout your company. Different departments should discuss the processes which affect them and reach an agreement before the project begins. It is not necessary for the provider to supervise this process in a cost-intensive manner. It can focus on its core competencies and map and optimise the desired processes.

Finally, the necessary resources for implementing the project must be made available. The success of a project stands and falls with a motivated project manager who has the backing of management. Key users with expert knowledge and an understanding of IT and the ways systems interact contribute to both a speedy introduction, as does (partially) releasing employees involved in the project from their every-day responsibilities.