F.A.Q.

1. Which system to choose – a Western one or a local one?

Just as different enterprises have different requirements, there is no definitive answer to this question. If you want to acquire a solution with an optimal price-quality ratio, implement a system with minimal risks in a short period of time, ensure support for local legislation, and adapt the system to the specific nature of conducting business in your country, then undoubtedly a local development is more suitable for you.

In particular, the main Moldovan developers of information management technologies have several advantages over foreign producers:

• Extensive experience working with local enterprises in most sectors.
• Focus on the specifics of Moldovan planning and accounting.
• Accessibility of the development team and the real possibility of adapting the system to the specific needs of the client company (in general, implementing a Western system requires adapting the company’s business processes to the existing planning and accounting technology).
• Lower ownership cost of the software product compared to similar Western systems.

2. What are the main mistakes that enterprises make when choosing a system?

• Attempting to globally solve the management problems of the enterprise using a small boxed commercial product (or a series of similar products). Even though popular wisdom says that cheap doesn’t necessarily mean good, the practice of acquiring such programs is often followed.
• Trying to mechanically transfer the automation experience from the Western market to the local market.
• The system is chosen based on the functionality declared by the developer (without considering the developer’s reputation, project implementation experience, or the developer’s infrastructure for providing services).
• After choosing a system, many top managers of the enterprise believe they have solved their management problems once and for all.

However, the selection phase is just the beginning of project implementation, which needs constant attention as it develops, building a management technology in line with the growing scope.

3. Does the head of a company need to be involved in selecting a management system?

When it comes to implementing an accounting program, inventory management, or another local software, the role of the leadership can be minimized. However, in the case of a complex information system, the role of the CEO in this process is difficult to underestimate.

Based on the experience of UNISIM-SOFT company, a suitable system for an enterprise can be selected only with the involvement of top management.

If a senior manager completely delegates the decision-making responsibility regarding the system to the IT department or any other functional subdivision, it is unlikely that the enterprise will choose a management solution suitable for its objectives.

4. What are the main challenges in system implementation?

The challenges in implementing a complex information system can vary depending on: the nature and scope of the client’s business, the industry and region it belongs to, the specifics of the enterprise, the mentality of the leaders, etc. These can include the lack of a basic level of organization within the company, the lack of psychological readiness of the staff for the implementation of a complex information system, the low qualifications of the client’s specialists, etc.

However, from our perspective, more interesting is the identification and analysis of the causes of these difficulties. The experience of UNISIM-SOFT specialists allows identifying the main causes as the lack of proper attention from the leadership to the automation project (as one of the key factors of enterprise efficiency) and the management culture of different companies.

5. What are the success factors in implementing a system in enterprises?

• A fully functional and high-quality product
• Optimal technologies for system deployment and knowledge of the product by the specialists implementing the system
• Experience in implementing similar projects in the industry
• Client company managers oversee the project, grant sufficient authority to participants, and provide “political support”

Just a year or two ago, many managers and specialists in enterprises considered that the developer’s task was to create a solution suitable for the company, and the client’s task was to “consume” that solution (to select and purchase it). Responsibility for the success/failure of the project was often attributed either to the company implementing the system or to the developer. Today, the situation is fundamentally changing: it is understood that the automation project is the result of collaboration between the client and the executor.

6. What project can be considered a success?

The main criteria for the success of a project can be considered:

• Automating key business processes of the client enterprise;
• Adhering to project implementation timelines and budget.

Here arises the question of the term “project.” The UNA.md program is a fully functional software product, and the implementation process is divided into parts, each related to solving a specific task specified by the client. For example, if automating financial or personnel management tasks is more important to the client initially, and production is less of a priority and is addressed later, within a “project,” the accomplishment