In this episode, I examine a cautionary tale about a well-funded, well-planned technology implementation that went horribly wrong—not because of bad technology, but because of organizational gaps that were never addressed. When a mid-size organization rolled out a new finance, purchasing, payroll, and CRM system, thousands of employees couldn't get paid, vendors went unpaid, and mortgages bounced. The hardest part? It was completely preventable.

This story isn't about technology failure—it's about what happens when people, processes, and organizational alignment are treated as optional rather than critical to success.

Key Takeaways

The Setup Was Sound

• Well-funded project with good consultants and preparation
• Employees were trained and tested for readiness
• Core departments (purchasing, finance, payroll, call center) actively participated
• The project team validated that people could perform real day-to-day work in the system

The Critical Mistake

• Multiple departments and business units never engaged in the project
• These departments didn't attend workshops, contribute processes, review designs, or perform test scenarios
• Leadership never made participation mandatory
• The assumption was made: "If we didn't hear about a problem, there isn't one"

What Went Wrong

• Non-participating departments' processes were never identified or documented
• Non-standard processes were never built into the system
• Critical workflows were never tested
• When the system went live, it couldn't process payroll or pay vendors
• Employees' mortgage payments bounced, late fees hit, and trust was damaged

The Root Cause This wasn't a technology failure—it was a people and process failure that manifested in the technology. The system did exactly what it was told to do; the problem was what it was never told.

Critical Questions for Your Organization

Before implementing any new system, ask yourself:

1. Are all departments truly engaged? Not just invited—actually participating?
2. Have all processes been identified and documented? Including the non-standard ones in different corners of the organization?
3. Has leadership clearly stated that participation is required? Or is engagement optional?
4. Have you tested real end-to-end scenarios? Not just button-clicking, but actual day-to-day work?
5. Where are you assuming instead of validating?

The Four Pillars That Must Align

• People: Everyone who will be affected must participate
• Process: All workflows must be identified, documented, and built into the system
• Technology: The system must be configured for your actual processes, not ideal ones
• Organization: Leadership must make participation non-negotiable and hold departments accountable

Why This Matters for Every Organization

Size doesn't protect you. Small and mid-size businesses actually get hit harder when this happens because they have fewer people and less margin for error.

The cost of fixing always exceeds the cost of preventing. The organization in this story spent far more on emergency consultants, workarounds, and crisis management than they would have spent ensuring complete participation upfront.

Your system will fail exactly where it's weakest. If even one department opts out, that's where your system will break. It's not bad luck—it's simple physics.

How to Prevent This Disaster

The solution doesn't require fancy tools or massive budgets. It requires:

• Bringing every department to the table
• Getting their processes documented
• Holding them accountable for participation
• Testing real-world scenarios end-to-end
• Making participation a leadership requirement, not a request

Bottom line: Before you turn the system on, make sure it actually works for everyone who depends on it.

Final Thought

Your technology will only ever be as strong as the people, processes, and organizational structure behind it. The next time you're planning a technology initiative, don't just ask "Is the technology ready?" Ask "Are we ready?"

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