A software vendor in the "CRM space", for example, is motivated to sell their CRM application. Regardless of whether your true need is met with CRM, the vendor has a bias toward you acquiring it.
Regardless of the software space to which a vendor may focus, the goal is to sell their product. This defines the vendor as being "space-centric".
At RidgeGarrett, We're customer-centric, not space-centric.
A software vendor that is space-centric offers products and services primarily focused around a particular software space. When calling on a prospective customer, the vendor has a predetermined bias toward making a sale of their space-centric software product. This same logic applies to software vendors whose products are limited to any individual software space, such as Human Resources Management (HRM), Business Intelligence (BI), Website Content Management Systems (CMS), eCommerce, Document Management, Disaster Recovery, Mobile Apps or any other specific software space.
The breadth of capabilities available in our App Suite allows RidgeGarrett to keep a true customer-centric focus. We're able to keep your best interests at the forefront of everything we do since we are not centered on any one particular software space. We center on Web Strategy and business process improvements we'll help you achieve as your partner.
We bring insights and knowledge of how others do it, too, so you'll benefit from knowing about industry best practices which you previously may not have been aware.
Deployment:
Application deployment for any product in the RidgeGarrett App Suite can typically be done within a short time. Deployment consists of RidgeGarrett provisioning the environment in our Data Center with the appropriate application, then forwarding a specific IP address (or a domain name) to the customer to begin accessing and using the app via their web browser.
It's important to recognize the application will not be populated with, nor connected to, any of the customer's internal systems or databases upon initial deployment. Services required to bring appropriate data into the newly deployed app (from the customer's other systems that currently contain the data) are usually considered part of the implementation. The quick deployment of an application allows the end users to immediately get familiar with the app functionalities, look and feel, and gain good understanding of the overall features included with deployment of the basic configuration of the app.
Implementation:
RidgeGarrett provides the following items as part of our Standardized Application Implementation Methodology. Keep keep in mind, each application deployed will require additional implementation steps relative to the specific needs of the customer. Although your immediate objective may only be to successfully deploy an individual application, careful planning and long range considerations with an enterprise perspective will yield cost savings down the road.
Standardized Application Implementation Methodology
Integration:
Integrations (of deployed and implemented applications) to other unique systems and databases within the customer's company may occur at any time. Either as part of the overall application implementation process, or at a later time down the road. Often customers will deploy then implement the application with only immediate data required to drive the application functionality. This process gives end users time to familiarize and train with relevant data to conduct their present daily activities with minimal productivity lag.
Once users are fully comfortable with the "deeper" functionalities of the application, there may be a learned need to integrate other database systems and information into the application to realize the full extent of it's capabilities. Almost always as end users gain thorough knowledge of the app capabilities, there will be logical changes to some of the company's existing process methodologies. Think of it as "the way we used to do it before getting the application". When integrations occur as part of the overall implementation, there often are unrealized items that will require a later integration, anyway. Integrations can happen during, or post implementation. It's usually a matter of choice or preference based on many factors and is not a matter of "right or wrong".
Hindsight post implementation can ultimately lead to better overall integration of the application. This is because of things learned during the implementation, and because of the insights your end users will gain from becoming more and more hands-on familiar with the application functionalities. This, the reason why RidgeGarrett thinks it critical to get end users working with the deployed application ASAP, even when not yet implemented.