SAP: Whirlpools rush to go live led to shipping snafus ...

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... Buyers Guide More services... Whirlpool Corp. executives and their ... ultimately damaging business decision by going live with an SAP R/3 ... to take advantage of the long weekend and get off its legacy system ...

 

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Computerworld SAP: Whirlpools rush to go live led to shipping snafus By Stacy Collett NOVEMBER 04, 1999 Content Type: Source: Story Knowledge Centers Careers CRM Data Management Development E-business ERP/Supply Chain Hardware IT Management Mobile & Wireless Networking Operating Systems ROI Security Storage Web Site Mgmt xSP More topics. Departments QuickStudies SharkTank FutureWatch Careers Opinions/Letters More departments. Services Forums Research QuickPolls WhitePapers Buyers Guide More services. Whirlpool Corp. executives and their implementation partners made a risky and ultimately damaging business decision by going live with an SAP R/3 enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications over the three- day Labor Day holiday, knowing that "red flags" had been raised, according to SAP officials. Fixing the problem would have delayed Whirlpools "go live" date by a week, SAP said. But pressures to take advantage of the long weekend and get off its legacy system well before Y2K pushed the appliance maker to go ahead with its plan. The decision resulted in a crippled shipping system that left appliances sitting in warehouses and stores with six- to eight-week delays for receiving orders. The problem reportedly was resolved Nov. 1. "We suspected there would be problems," said Jeff Zimmerman, senior vice president of customer support services at SAP AG. Officials at Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool wouldnt discuss details of the snafu. "We have had some delays partially due to the new [SAP] implementation and also due to record levels of orders. Beyond that, we plan no further comment," said Christopher Wyse, a Whirlpool spokesman. The company issued a this morning quoting Whirlpool Chairman and CEO David R. Whitwam that shipping delays, "most of which are already behind us, are due as much to the strength of our North American business . as to issues weve already ad ...