SPONSORED BY 123 INSIGHT
UNDER EVALUATION
A new book that explains the secrets to successfully implementing a
manufacturing system could be the answer to all your shopfl oor problems
CONTRIBUTOR 123 INSIGHT
Blank faces stare back at you as you try and explain
how the new piece of software is set to revolutionise
the shopfl oor. Try as you might, you just can’t fi nd the
words to justify why systems that may have been in
place for years are actually causing more problems than
they solve and how MRP will help each department. If
only there was something that could help clarify it all.
Luckily, help is at hand in the shape of 123 Insight. For almost
20 years, the company has been guiding manufacturers of
all sizes implement their own 123insight software and have
chronicled their experience in a new book. Entitled simply
How to implement a manufacturing system, it reveals the
tried and tested formula that has helped hundreds of
businesses to streamline their processes.
Martin Bailey of 123 Insight and author of the book,
explains more. “The premise behind the book is that it’s a
template for implementing any manufacturing system, not
just 123insight,” he says.
The book is being provided as part of 123 Insight’s
nationwide series of evaluation workshops, which provide
an opportunity for companies to assess their options before
embarking on the journey to MRP implementation. “Looking
at an MRP system is time consuming and requires in-house
resource,” says Bailey. “At 123 Insight, we take all the risk: we
o er the training under no obligation and the low monthly
subscription has no minimum contract period. Our ethos has
always been to invite people our workshop and learn and see
if the product is a good fi t for their business. I wrote the book
so that it could be provided free of charge at the workshops so
that attendees could leave with a lot more knowledge and a
blueprint to implement any system. Obviously, we hope it’s our
system, but the book gives you the perspective to look at your
own business and assess what your needs are, the problems
you’re likely to encounter and any speedbumps you might have
to negotiate.”
Step-by-step
The book breaks down each step of the
implementation journey, from planning to
what 123 Insight calls the ‘Implementation
Day’. “At 123 Insight, we work with the key
managers of the company who’ll be driving
the project and divide all the roles between
them – right down to things as mundane
as specifi c drop-down option content,” says
Bailey. “This ensures the system is as aligned to
the customer’s requirements as possible.”
“We then move onto the migration, which
a ects everyone when they’re setting up
their processes, leading into the ‘conference
room pilot’. Sta from each department will
allocate time to run through the day to day
processes they perform – such as raising a
quote, converting it to a sales order, making
modifi cations as the customer changes their
mind, and sending it o to be processed. The
aim is to ensure that 90% of all the mundane
tasks will be factored in from day one, and
people know how to use the software.
“There’s also a chapter on measuring
success, which has come from the case
studies and success stories we’ve compiled
over the years. We have outlined all of the
di erent business areas where you can
measure savings. Generally, it’s easy to
measure things like time, but areas such as
physical movement are often overlooked –
making some changes to, for instance, the
stores in the factory, can make it easier for
people to fi nd and pick the parts they need.
Making things less paper-based means fewer
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