Outdated legacy PLM systems are full of horrors lurking in their depths – features that don’t work anymore, false benefit promises, unfilled innovation roadmaps and frustratingly slow performance that makes users scream!
This Halloween, it’s time for a rethink about that monster over-customized or frighteningly ancient, out-dated solution that your teams struggle with daily. What’s the real cost of moving to an up-to-date PLM system that will be a real treat for people to use? Here are some questions to ask yourself as you weigh up whether to fight or flee to a new solution!
Isn’t it safer to stay where you are?
If the world moves forward and your digital infrastructure doesn’t, you can get stuck in a time warp.
Many legacy PLM solutions stop evolving, customized to the point where upgrades are prohibitively complex and expensive or stuck in a horror-show of living-dead technologies. Business changes at light speed now, and modern businesses need IT tools (not the scary clown kind) to adapt as quickly as their business model and product offering changes to keep up with the market.
What will it really cost?
There are many cases where a legacy PLM system becomes a bottomless pit, devouring time and money. Or a high-risk, unproven, undelivered tomb of false promises.
The real question you need to ask is about value and opportunity cost. Is your current PLM solution sucking the life out of your teams? What will it cost you in the future if you don’t invest in the best possible tools to speed time to market and become more agile to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour? Companies that switch to Centric’s PLM solution enjoy reduced time to market by up to 50%, improved sales up to 10%, reduced COGS by 15% and improved productivity by up to 50%.
Are you ready to change?
Switching PLM vendors can seem scary.
Take time to properly assess the risks of taking the leap and discuss the opportunities and value of a new PLM solution with your core users. After all, they are the ones who will use it daily – communicating with them is crucial!
At Centric, we’ve seen so many projects take off successfully once the decision has been made to change. Difficult experiences with previous PLM systems can actually be very valuable, as users know exactly what they need and what sends them running for the hills!
Will switching systems eat up all of your resources?
It’s tricky figuring out how much time, money and human resources you can dedicate to a PLM project, but a good PLM vendor will have experts on hand to help you to assess your resources, support you along the way and make critical decisions about implementation timelines.
Purely from a Centric point of view, customers are often shocked to realize just how fast and smooth implementation can be, working with just a skeleton crew. Because of Centric PLM’s out-of-the-box configurable and proven approach and well-defined Agile Deployment methodology, implementation is nowhere near as complex as other PLM or other enterprise system projects.
If your users are howling at the moon because of your zombie PLM solution, adopting a new solution will be a relief. This frustration can easily mutate into a positive push for change if you take advantage of your best existing resource – your people.
Considering making the switch to Centric PLM? There’s no hocus pocus here – just wickedly good PLM expertise backed up by deep knowledge of industry best practices, developed through our work with hundreds of customers from fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor, consumer goods, and food and beverage.
Let Centric PLM cast its spell on you – request a demo today to see it with your own eyes!
You might also like to read our white paper ‘Choosing your PLM partner: Why innovation is the key to a perfect match’.
If you don’t already have a PLM solution in place at all, then you’ll find our ‘How to build a business case guide for PLM’ guide super useful. Plus, don’t get tricked into choosing the wrong PLM solution! Failed software investments are a scary reality, avoid wreaking havoc on your business and read our guide on The Cost of PLM Failure: How to Choose the Avoid Selecting the Wrong PLM Solution to set yourself on the right path.
Share this article
