The Tale of Two ‘Emerging’ Enterprises

The following story is a fictional account intended to illustrate the types of decisions that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) or emerging enterprises might face when considering the implementation (and innovation options, powered by Kainos) of a world-class solution like Workday.

Workday is purpose-built to help growth-oriented companies go live quickly and realize value fast through its powerful, AI-driven platform. Designed to simplify HR and Finance operations, Workday empowers organizations of all sizes to scale with confidence—providing the agility, insight, and automation needed to thrive today and grow even bigger tomorrow.

Chapter 1: The Decision

In the bustling city of Industria, two thriving emerging enterprises, Zenith Electronics and Apex Manufacturing, decided it was time to streamline their operations and improve their efficiency. Both companies chose a robust, world-class, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system - Workday. However, their paths diverged at a crucial decision point.

Zenith Electronics chose a conventional Workday implementation, preferring to control every aspect of the system in-house. They believed that maintaining full control over their Workday and working with a partner through a traditional implementation would allow them to tailor the system precisely to their needs.

Apex Manufacturing, on the other hand, opted for a new innovation ‘Workday-as-a-service’, known as Kainos Spark&Grow. Apex was attracted by the promise of a fully managed service that would reduce the hassle of implementation, reduce the cost of maintaining their ERP and provide expert management. They were convinced that outsourcing this critical function would enable them to focus on their core business operations.

Chapter 2: The Implementation

Zenith Electronics embarked on the journey with enthusiasm, assembling an internal team of IT professionals, functional experts and project managers. The initial stages were promising, but soon they encountered unforeseen challenges. Configuring the Workday to fit their unique processes and integrating to 3rd party solutions was more complex than anticipated, and the project quickly fell behind schedule. Costs began to mount as they hired consultants to troubleshoot issues and provide specialized training.

In contrast, Apex Manufacturing experienced a smooth onboarding process with their fully managed Workday service. The service provider (Kainos!) handled everything from setup to configuration. Workday’s ‘best practice’ coupled with the support of expert consultants ensured the system was enabled to Apex's needs without the internal struggle. Within a few months, Apex was up and running, reaping the benefits of their new Workday system – ready to grow, optimize and unlock additional value.

Chapter 3: The Operation

For Zenith Electronics, the real challenge began post-implementation. Maintaining the system required a dedicated team, continuous updates, and regular troubleshooting. The cost of recruiting, training and retaining specialized IT staff added up. Additionally, every time the Workday needed enhancement, optimizing, updating and testing, it caused a significant distraction to their core team, away from their traditional/strategic roles, affecting productivity.

Meanwhile, Apex Manufacturing enjoyed a different experience. Their fully managed Workday service included regular updates, maintenance, and ongoing process support. Apex's employees focused on their primary roles while the service provider ensured the Workday system ran smoothly. When optimizations, changes or updates were needed, they were applied seamlessly, with minimal disruption to operations.

Chapter 4: The Savings

Three years later, the financial impact of their decisions became evident. Zenith Electronics had spent significantly more on their traditional Workday implementation and ongoing support than initially budgeted. The costs of hiring, training and retaining additional IT staff, consultants, and managing ongoing change added up. The total cost of ownership (TCO) was much higher than anticipated.

In contrast, Apex Manufacturing's fully managed Workday service proved to be a financially wise decision. The predictable monthly subscription fee covered all aspects of the ERP, including maintenance, upgrades, and support. There were no hidden costs or unexpected expenses. Over the three-year period, Apex saved significantly on the TCO.

Epilogue: Lessons Learned

Zenith Electronics learned that while traditional Workday implementation offers control, it comes with high costs and complexities that can strain/distract resources and budgets. The flexibility and configuration benefits were overshadowed by the ongoing financial and operational burdens.

Apex Manufacturing, however, reaped the benefits of a fully managed Workday service. They enjoyed peace of mind, knowing that experts handled their Workday needs, allowing them to focus on their core business. The significant savings on the TCO over three years validated their decision.

In Industria, the tale of two enterprises spread far and wide, teaching other businesses about the profound impact of choosing the right Workday implementation strategy. The moral was clear: sometimes, letting go of control and entrusting experts can lead to strategic focus, greater efficiency, cost savings, and long-term success.

 The names of the companies used in this story are fictitious and are not intended to represent any real organizations. Any resemblance to actual companies, living or defunct, is purely coincidental and unintentional.

Kainos is helping customers receive the benefits and value of their Workday investments. Spark&Grow is another Kainos innovation - Built on Workday. Powered by Kainos.

For more information, please don't hesitate to reach out - Mark Vigna, Director, m.vigna@kainos.com 416-918-5798