Glossary · General
Implementation partner
The external company that introduces a system into your business.
An implementation partner is the external company that introduces a new system into your business. Often it is not the software maker itself, but a specialist firm that configures the package, connects it to your existing systems and teaches your people how to work with it.
The choice of that partner carries a lot of weight, sometimes more than the choice of software. The same package can succeed or fail depending on who implements it. A good partner understands the way you work and adapts the system to it, instead of pushing you into a fixed mould.
Pay attention to the division of roles and the agreements. Who does what, how long does the partner stay involved, and what happens after handover? A second, independent look at those agreements and at the project can save you from choices you are stuck with later.
