A Fortune 500 client had been down this road before.
Just five years earlier, the global technology solutions provider implemented a new contract management system. They intended to organize the Statements of Work (SOWs) for their professional services unit. The system worked fine for managing one type of contract… for one business unit… in one geographic location. But they didn’t have an Enterprise Contract Management (ECM) system that served the entire organization’s needs.
Compensating for the system’s shortcomings, the company juggled inefficient, manual processes to accomplish quasi-contract management across business units, partners, and customers. With the existing SOW system limping towards scheduled retirement by its manufacturer, the client had an urgent need to implement a replacement. They also had an urgent desire to choose a system that would help them work smarter.
The growing technology distributor chose Clerestory to guide them in selecting and implementing the best software solution for their needs. This replacement would be a significant investment – one that the company needed to get right. It was also an excellent opportunity to determine the capabilities and functions that would enhance their contract management servicing. Clerestory’s expertise in software selection positioned the team to choose and implement the right solution. Our expertise with change management prepared them to achieve lasting results.
System implementations impact stakeholders across an organization. Nothing less than a thorough and collaborative planning process would uncover the new ECM solution’s business requirements. We challenged the stakeholder team to:
- Identify the necessary functions to maintain the status quo
- Determine the strategic requirements that would unlock more efficient and effective processes
- Prioritize the business requirements
- Build cross-functional alignment among the people impacted by the new technology
Not all requirements are created equal. Clerestory commits to clients that we will help them identify the requirements – in the sea of requirements – that are the real dealbreakers. With our prioritized list and future state capabilities in hand, we facilitated a thorough RFP and software demonstration process to identify the software vendors that could fit the bill. We assembled a group of cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate each vendor’s capabilities using prioritized function scorecards to ensure objectivity. Our team analyzed the results to recommend which vendors should move forward in the selection process. After multiple rounds of proposals and negotiations, we arrived at the selected vendor.
Clerestory’s leadership helped our client gain the data, experience, and perspective needed to select the best ECM vendor for their organization. But technology alone wasn’t enough. The fastest car will lose every race without a skilled driver and efficient crew.
Our change management expertise sets Clerestory apart. We quickly applied our in-depth knowledge of the clients’ needs and organization to the next phase of the project. Clerestory managed the client and vendor through system configuration, implementation, and go-live. We facilitated design sessions to reengineer key business processes and shape how the ECM system was configured. We managed the data migration process and executed plans to guide a smooth transition to the new system. We coordinated user acceptance testing, launch planning, internal communications, and more. Our team trained 3500 members of the client’s U.S. sales team. They were ready to use the ECM system on day one.
The Fortune 500 client came a long way in the 22 months between initial requirements gathering and go-live. As a result of our partnership, the client had a system to support all contract management needs and a workforce equipped with the training and skills to use it.
Six months after go-live, the client called Clerestory back.
Everything was going well, so well that leadership wanted to extend the Enterprise Contract Management solution to the two largest divisions outside the U.S. Would Clerestory lead the configuration and go-live?
We are committed to the client’s long-term success and always happy to help.
vendors evaluated through RFP and product demonstrations
“It was a pleasure working with you; your services are top-notch, and the genuine, human touch goes a long way. I felt like you took the time to get to know us and our business. Any time things got challenging, you dug in more deeply until we found a practical way forward. Huge differentiator, in my book”
