Specialty Contractor - Pennsylvania

The Situation
The company’s entire information system had been piecemealed together over the years until it reached a point when no one was satisfied with what they were getting. Several of the systems were going to run out of support from the vendor or were not prepared for the Year 2000.

The Challenge
As a smaller company they could not afford a large consulting engagement. BCG would have normally done a system selection and identified alternative vendors and resources for the company. The contractor was willing to do some of that work in order to reduce the professional fees, but the staff was not trained in information technology or traditional selection methodology.

Solution
BCG conducted a brief overview of the existing systems and then facilitated a planning session with team leaders from each of the functional areas. The teams were provided with detailed action plans with very explicit instructions about what needed to be done and what to look for. BCG remained available via phone to address specific technical or vendor-related questions throughout the process.

Result
The company now has a clear vision of where they need to be heading with their information systems. While they cannot afford to implement the entire vision at once, they are making progress and they are doing so in a manner consistent with their long-term objectives. In the end, all of their systems will be compatible with each other, highly functional and, to the necessary degree, interfaced with each other.

Lessons Learned

• Even when you think you can’t afford outside help, seek a little. A small amount of direction can be of enormous value.
• The pace of change each organization can absorb varies by company.