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At The Gunter Group we pride ourselves on supporting clients across a wide range of industries. Recently TGG Consultant, Lindsey Santamaria completed an engagement with a national pet care organization supporting an Oracle re-implementation initiative. Below is a recap highlighting the type of impact our team makes in the pet care industry.

Can you give us an overview of the situation and scope of the client engagement? 

Our client was in the middle of a large-scale Oracle re-implementation project. However, the internal team lacked confidence in meeting their remaining deadlines and their go-live date. Despite setting goals, objectives, and deadlines for the initiative, they realized these were at risk based on the current path of the project. Furthermore, some of the deadlines were non-negotiable with their vendor partner which created additional uncertainty with the management of the work efforts involved. 

How did you approach the work effort needed to support the organization’s goals for the project?

As I stepped into the engagement and did a deep dive into the scope of the project and its original intentions, I prioritized stakeholder alignment and bridging communication gaps as critical factors in successfully delivering the project. Recognizing the significance of effective communication, we focused on ensuring that all the stakeholders were rowing in the same direction and were working through conflicts with respect and accountability.

I also worked to develop and provide structure. We created a plan, a path forward that would help the client fulfill their goals with the teams involved. This approach helped everyone pause, recalibrate, and re-engage with the initiative’s original scope and objectives.  

What was the work you actually did? 

A large part of our involvement with the project centered on program management, working with the vendor, and the internal financial, technical, and supply chain teams. Additionally, I spent a lot of time working with the steering committee of the project and serving as a bridge to executive leadership. All of this was part of my regular reporting cadence. 

My role as an advocate for the end users of the Oracle re-implementation was critical in enabling the group to perform their jobs more efficiently. We didn’t want to push forward a version of the project that would merely check the box; we wanted to ensure the final version would create a meaningful impact for the accounting, finance, and supply chain teams.

In line with this objective, I facilitated training sessions for the accounting and supply chain teams while also documenting any questions or challenges. This approach enabled us to deliver the most effective training resources possible as we approached the end state of the re-implementation. 

What was the outcome? How is it helping the organization now? In the future?  

The successful, on time go-live of the Oracle re-implementation was the primary outcome. The client honestly did not expect a successful go-live based on where things stood when we stepped in to support the initiative. Additionally, our involvement and approach addressed some notable training and knowledge gaps among a few of the critical teams. For example the accounting department moved from a 10-day close to a three day close, which was a huge gain for the team.

Moreover, we successfully streamlined many of the manual transactions and reconciliations that were taking place prior to the project and cleaned up a lot of the unnecessary data that was clogging their system and getting in the way of ongoing operational efficiency.  

What did you enjoy about the work?

I really enjoyed getting to know the members of the client organization. It was rewarding working with different teams on the project, especially knowing we were doing challenging work that in the end was going to make their jobs easier and more efficient. I was really happy to see the teams experience these benefits. 

Additionally, I really appreciated being able to step in as a calming, re-aligning voice. Being there for the team members and stakeholders in a way that would ease uncertainties, relieve stress, and provide tangible support.  

Were there any personal takeaways or highlights?  

For me as a consultant, joining the client halfway through the project and getting caught up and familiar with the initiative, and then start providing solutions was a really exciting experience. Another highlight was the stakeholder alignment and being able to connect with the leadership team at the client and how we could work together to support the re-implementation in a way that would deliver the results and timeline they wanted. 

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Our team at The Gunter Group has significant and strategic experience supporting a wide range of clients as they navigate transformational change. If your organization is interested in driving meaningful change in your industry and beyond, we’re ready to help.