Winter 2021 IT Update
Throughout December and January the Erply implementation project team has continued with our behind-the-scenes work. We have made good progress toward some major milestones and are looking forward to continuing our momentum in the new year.
We have now established a Training Support Team encompassing store and regional managers from Eastern National-operated stores around the country. This team is receiving early exposure to the Erply system and is providing feedback and assistance on the best ways to train our employees and partners. The group is also focused on testing the new system to make sure data was migrated correctly, terminology and useability is consistent, and processes and procedures are adjusted accordingly. Once we are prepared for training a larger group of employees and partners, the Training Support Team will lead those efforts and help their colleagues with the transition.
Both our Creative and Information Technology teams are working hard to prepare for a conversion to a new ecommerce platform called WooCommerce. All three of our ecommerce sites (the America’s National Parks™ Online Store, the Arrowhead Store, and our wholesale site) will be affected. The new platform provides better features and functionality than what we have now. We will be able to process orders easier and quicker, provide a better user experience to shoppers, and integrate directly with our new Erply without additional third-party software.
As we learn the intricacies of the new system we are also managing change. The user-friendliness of the new software, reduction of our reliance on custom and third-party software, and terminology or “lingo” changes means that some of our core business processes will shift. Documenting these changes and altering policies is critically important for a smooth transition. We are appreciative of our employees and partners for being flexible, keeping a good sense of humor, and following appropriate procedures for the new systems.