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Turnkey Technology for Manufacturers

Lisa Dunham

Aug 22 2023

3 min read

Once upon a time, when manufacturing companies switched from outdated technology to a new system, it involved:

a thorough study of the business;
tons of interviews and documentation; and
a lot of internal resistance to change.

Companies would start from scratch and build the new system piece by piece, all the while hoping that it functioned a lot like the old system—only better.

Sikich realized two important things:

A lot of companies did not realize what a new system could help them accomplish, because their way of working was enforced by their old system.
About 80% of the technology customizations for manufacturers were identical, regardless of how the company operated or what people said during their interviews.

In other words, a lot of manufacturers wanted the same thing from their technology. As such, Sikich decided the best approach would be to create a customized solution just for manufacturers that could be as close as possible to turnkey technology.

HEADSTART Is That Turnkey Technology

After thousands of hours invested by talented people who understand this line of work, we created HEADSTART, a working model of Microsoft Dynamics 365 for equipment manufacturers and distributors that has 2,000 pre-set parameters. It is a customized technology experience!

Think about an app like Spotify. You can customize a playlist anytime you want. You can create a workout playlist, a Christmas playlist, a calm playlist, etc.

You do not have to create the app or load all the music into it. You customize the last 20% based on your musical taste, but everything else is done for you. That is what HEADSTART does for your business!

Because we deliver a technology system that is specific to our audience, we avoid a lot of the change management issues that typically come with traditional, all-in-one approaches. Think of it this way:

HEADSTART, outcomes > processes.

We care about speed to the bottom line. That is why we developed solution to get manufacturers as close to turnkey technology as possible. At the same time, we understand that our pre-configured working system is a starting point. It is not going to be perfect. That is why we work with our clients to quickly refine the technology through three levels.

Generic
Good enough.
Works great for us!

We do not pretend to know all the specific needs and requirements of our clients, so we make them stakeholders in the refinement process. The most important thing is that it is an excellent fit for them!

When client stakeholders participate in system configurations, they care deeply about the reasons why they should happen.

Additionally, they care about how to make those adjustments. This is why HEADSTART is agile and evergreen. It makes it possible for companies to keep their systems current with as little work and effort as possible, and it delivers the tools and training necessary to keep the software fully up-to-date.

Are you ready to take your manufacturing business to the next level and let turnkey technology work for you? CLICK HERE to schedule a discovery call to see how HEADSTART can get your business a jump start!

This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.

About the Author

Lisa Dunham

Lisa Dunham, Business Development Strategist within the Microsoft Channel for 9 years. Lisa has extensive experience in leading all facets of sales, business development, and marketing operations. Lisa has a track record of success in developing/implementing business strategies, generating leads, and conducting market research. Instrumental in recruiting, training, and directing diverse teams as well as strengthening trusted rapports with clients and stakeholders. Lisa currently works at Sikich, LLP an award-winning IT Consulting firm with over 30 years of experience helping companies evaluate, implement and support different technologies. From ERP, Networking and Managed IT Services to Microsoft Office365 and Azure, we can help. In addition to being one of the Top 20 Office 365 SMB Partners in the nation, Sikich has been named to the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle the past three years. This honor recognizes our firm for being among the top 1% of all Microsoft Dynamics partners worldwide.