Ultra Consultants

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Information Technology of Chicago Tube & Iron

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a metals service center who provide fabrication and distribution services to a wide variety of industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Ultra Consultants to accomplish?

• Implement a new ERP system.

SOLUTION

How did you find Ultra Consultants?

Referral

Why did you select Ultra Consultants over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Ultra Consultants were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Ultra guided us through an entire ERP system conversion lifecycle.  Including current state analysis, vendor selection, implementation and post implementation support.  Ultra provided a clear budget and timeline for each phase.  Their methodology kept us on track throughout this difficult endeavor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Let's face it, ERP implementations are difficult.  Ultra Consultants kept us on track throughout the ups and downs of this journey.  Shedule and budget: We ended the project under the budget they quoted us during the selection phase.  We did go past our original go-live date, but Ultra's methodology highlighted the reasons for delay, and they were appropriate.  Ultimately, we went live at eight locations simultaneously successfully, converting from three operational systems to one.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We held weekly stake holder meetings with our CFO and CIO on project status.  We held milestone meetings with our CEO and COO.  These were helpful in our decisions to proceed to the next phase, or stay in the current phase until ready.  ERP implementations can be emotional.  Ultra was able to provide us with facts so that decisions were based on fact not emotion.

What was your primary form of communication with Ultra Consultants?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their team members were all experienced.  Combined they had hundreds of successfull ERP implementations in their past.  They were able to draw upon that experience to guide us.  They provided a steady hand at the wheel.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Ultra Consultants could have done differently?

We were happy with the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our business manufactures and distributes barbeque grilling products. We have two companies within our organization. I am the CEO of the company that focuses on global business and I’m the EVP of the company that focuses on the North American market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ultra Consultants?

We wanted to implement a new ERP system and upgrade the several processes within our organization. We didn’t feel comfortable working with software vendors directly, so we wanted to hire a third party that would understand our business and the current state of our systems before recommending software and a suitable vendor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought in Ultra Consultants to help us select a vendor and a software solution that will be the best fit for our company. They assessed the state of our systems and helped determine what we wanted from our future system.

What is the team composition?

Two people are working on our day-to-day processes, and they have a few other people supporting the project as well.

How did you come to work with Ultra Consultants?

We searched for independent consultancy firms and narrowed it down to 4-5 companies. We then evaluated them based on their processes and selected Ultra Consultants because of their experience, professionalism, and cost.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent about $210,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2019 and the project is ongoing. We plan to wrap up the project in a few weeks, and may ask Ultra Consultants to provide additional support when we implement the new system.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We haven’t selected a system or a vendor yet, but we’ve been happy with our engagement. We’re tracking timelines, budget, and initial output.

How did Ultra Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management has been excellent. We have a weekly status meeting, and they haven’t given us a cause for concern yet. Often during these projects like this, unexpected issues arise that can cause delays. However, whenever schedules have been changed, it was by our request.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been impressed by their flexibility and punctuality. They have a sense of excellence that is on another level compared to other firms. I also appreciated that they became fully engaged with the project. By taking the time to understand our business, they have been able to provide great solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing that I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I have two suggestions. First, make sure that Ultra understands what the goals for the engagement are and why they’re necessary. You want to do everything in your power to make sure that Ultra Consultants recommends the best decision for your company.

On a similar note, I would encourage you to share as much information as you can at the onset of the project. Transparency is vital for a project to be successful.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CFO of Pacific Plumbing Supply. We’re a wholesale plumbing distributor that operates through 14 warehouses in Alaska and Western Washington.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ultra Consultants?

We decided we were going to replace our aging ERP system with an updated system with new functionalities. We realized pretty early on in the process that we were in over our heads and needed someone with considerable experience to help us out with the process.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a pretty lengthy, involved process. First, they analyzed our current state and looked into what we wanted to be capable of in the future. Then, we went through an ERP selection process by interviewing several vendors which led us to discover who could best meet our needs. We selected a product and spent a while implementing it to suit our specific needs.

What is the team composition?

We’ve interfaced with several of their team members throughout our engagement, including consultants and a project manager. There were also a few senior-level account managers that helped us with negotiating with the software vendor.

How did you come to work with Ultra Consultants?

One of our representatives found them while surfing the web. We identified them as a match fairly early. The way spoke about their process and their ideas for the project seemed similar to ours, so we pursued them further.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our work with them in 2016 and worked until the project launched. The engagement lasted slightly over three years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

At the start of this project, we were neophytes without the resources we needed to complete the task. I don’t think we could’ve completed the project successfully without their expertise and specialists who were equipped with the resources we needed.  

How did Ultra Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a full-time project manager for about two years. She was very responsive, on-site half the time. We were in constant contact. There were 2–3 other consultants continuing to wrap up some of the project’s loose ends now.   

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was full of helpful leaders who were really focused on our success. The project manager was particularly experienced and professional.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing comes to mind. We’d recommend them to anyone approaching a similar project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to have commitment from your entire company, so sufficient resources can be allocated to the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CFO for Alaskan Copper Companies Inc., and I'm also the project manager leading the selection and implementation of a new ERP system for the company. We're a distributor of metal products. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Ultra Consultants?

We hired Ultra Consultants because we identified that our internal resources weren't deep enough to facilitate an adequate selection of an ERP. I recognized that we needed help with our current and future state development regarding the implementations of large computer systems.

We didn't understand ourselves going into this process, and that made it extremely difficult to select an ERP. The amount of time coordinating a proper selection was outside of our capabilities, and we needed assistance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ultra Consultants has completed 500 hours of billable services for us in our search for an ERP. They began with several engagements to learn about our current state and future plans well before the selection process, mapping out a project scope for our needs.

Through this, they extracted our requirements for the ERP system and created substantial documentation that was distributed to vendors, which allowed for a scripted demonstration. They also provided education on the ERP environment for us, which was beneficial. These take a long time to prepare, and we would not have finished it ourselves.

After this, they facilitated two-hour, on-site demonstrations from different vendors. The demonstrations are an important differentiator when selecting the right software, so we kept Ultra Consultants on site. 

We are currently in the final stages of the selection process. Thus far, we've completed our first and second-round interviews and on-site demonstrations. We're continuing with deeper due diligence of our top selection. We spent our leftover budget during vendor selection. 

What is the team composition?

Andrew (Center of Excellence Director, Ultra Consultants) and Aaron (Service Delivery Manager, Ultra Consultants) were our consultants. They did a phenomenal job with the vendor selection in particular. 

How did you come to work with Ultra Consultants?

We were introduced to them in 2018 and went through a sales process where they did a discovery day with us and put together a proposal. We bid them against another ERP selection firm, but Ultra Consultants came in at the most reasonable scope and cost. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent $125,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2018 after two months of preparation on our end. Currently, we are in the last stage of selection and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Our team's feel and perception of the consultants are the main criteria for evaluation, and we feel they are providing very high value. Our company is driving this process, and they are providing support, third-party communication, documentation. We don't have a specific ROI on the project but we would have never been able to run this without them. We're very satisfied with the results.

How did Ultra Consultants perform from a project management standpoint?

They've performed as well as I would expect them to perform. I'm the main project manager. Aaron is the tactical project manager on their team, but they both co-manage the process. Overall, project management has been great because they've followed the direction I wanted the project to go.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think what distinguishes them is their specialization in manufacturing and distribution. They have relationships with all the key ERP providers that exist, and the reach they have exceeds what any company can do internally. We don't have full-time people focusing on an industry, but Andrew has touchpoints across the industry. To have that level of advising and consulting is invaluable. 

Otherwise, scheduling was great, and if they had delays, we talked about it. They were mostly driven by us, so I have no complaints about that. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think there were some tactical improvements to be made. For example, tailoring tactical documentation to the companies is important, but they were extremely adaptive throughout the process. We just want to make sure they're putting in critical force and not driving us down a path that leads astray. But this didn't happen, and any small issues we had were worked out very quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best advice I can give is hiring them to advise and coach rather than leading the process. That's the best way to work with any consultant, and when you step into ERP implementation, it still applies. If you expect the ERP provider to lead the implementation and you just follow, the implementation will fail miserably because the client must take ownership and lead themselves with the support of consultants.