Background:

The RAPOR program scope was to implement Oracle ERP in cloud (the Oracle SaaS product ) across the enterprise to replace aging systems that were out of maintenance, support and ability to upgrade. The core financials were implemented across 280 sites, with the program in 2 main releases – Release 1 is the enhancement and remediation scope and Release 2 providing functionality to manage spaces / inventory across the crematorium businesses.

A revised budget of $60 M was provided to continue the remediation of key items during the pandemic to help stabilise the RAPOR system and resolve a number of key items impacting the current rollout.

Client Objective:

The Rapor Program commenced late 2018 with Release 1 completing in late 2019.  This rollout whilst achieving advantages of standardization of systems and processes across the business also incurred large transition and user adoption issues.  As such, a remediation release was required to stabilize the core financial processes including sales whilst the release was delayed to early 2021.  This was implemented to manage the large spaces and inventory management processes which were being done manually.

ITMS Solution:

In February of 2020, ITMS was engaged by Netgear to run their ERP Program called Rapor which had presented many challenges to date. The team was comprised of Program Director, PMO/Program Manager, and PMO Consultant (Master Scheduler), PMO support. The work included:

• Establishment of a Formal PMO Responsible for:
  • Project Management Plan
  • Risks, Issues, Assumptions and Dependency (RAID) Management
  • Status and SteerCo Reporting
  • Benefits Tracking
  • Financial Management
  • Scope Management
  • Technical Change Acceptance Board
  • JIRA set up, process and procedures
  • Adherence to ePMO processes and procedures when required
• Delivery of Sustainment Sprints to rectify a number of business impacting defects
  • Scope and backlog management
  • Sprint planning and prioritization
  • Implementation planning and deployment
• Project Management Discipline
  • Ensuring appropriate adherence to Project Governance Processes established by PMO
  • Release Management
  • Estimates for future releases
  • Transition to BAU activities
  • Vendor management of Accenture, Nuvola and DocuWorxs to ensure appropriate quality of deliverables and adherence to timelines
  • Introduction of new system components to facilitate more effective document scanning and customer communications
• Production defect ticket tools /Management
  • Prioritization of open defects
  • Enhancement of the Technical Change Acceptance Board process
  • Negotiation when renewing support contract

Client Outcome:

The different activities within the Rapor program were in the process of delivering:

• Better Customer Experience Through:
  1. A single holistic view of the customer
  2. Visibility of Enquiries across the Netgear Brand
  3. Relevant and meaningful communications (via Customer Management /payment portal)
• Improved Marketing:
  1. 360 Degree view of the opportunity from open to close to understand and improve the customer experience
  2. Targeted Marketing campaigns through effective data analytics
• Financial:
  1. Clear view of each individual funeral and profit margin
  2. Adherence to audit items and compliance to regulatory bodies (GST and cash remediation work were major)
  3. Debt reduction through effective and real time data analytics resulting in less referrals to the external debt collectors
  4. Streamlined Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable through standardizing processes and automation of activities such as invoice scanning, differing electronic payment options and automation of Purchase Orders
  5. Enhanced reporting ability to support day to day operations.
• Key Benefits Metrics delivered through 2020 (with IMTS program managing):
  1. $140M plus of benefits delivered (substantially via debt reduction) versus $60M cost. ROI 133 %.
  2. Over 20% of business payments now achieved via customer communications/on line payment portal channel (Over 20,000 digital customer communications sent in first 5 months)
  3. Over 14,000 supplier invoices now scanned automatically at rates increasing from 70 % accuracy (supplier on hold report greatly reduced with suppliers now able to be better paid)