So, you’ve decided Yardi is the right fit for your real estate business. Now comes the hard part. Yardi implementation challenges often derail the best laid plans, and usually, it’s not the software’s fault. Most pitfalls can be avoided, but only if you know what to expect up front.
33Floors team members have been at the forefront of Yardi implementation efforts as far back as the late 1990s, so we’ve pretty much seen it all. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most common implementation challenges we’ve seen, and how we advise clients to solve them.
At a Glance: 6 Common Yardi Implementation Challenges
1. Lack of Preparation
The majority of Yardi implementation challenges we see are the result of a rushed design phase, or the failure of the original implementation team to thoroughly assess the scope of the project. To avoid this, we follow time-tested processes to achieve a successful implementation. For example, if we’re implementing a custom Advanced Budgeting & Forecasting module for a client, we start by meeting with key stakeholders to ask detailed questions. This ensures we totally understand our client’s unique requirements before we start to think about configuring their solution.
2. Failure to Expect the Unexpected
No matter how much planning goes into a rollout, there’s always a surprise or two waiting to be discovered. In lucky cases, the surprises are small and easily managed. But if it’s a major issue, it’s important to have an expert available who can take care of the problem quickly. We always prefer to have our seasoned business analysts, implementation consultants, and software engineers on-site during the critical kick-off phase and at key milestones along the way, right up to the final go-live date. If any unexpected Yardi implementation challenges arise, we’re on the scene to course-correct and mitigate any issues that might require immediate attention.
3. Unclear Implementation Processes
Many software implementations fail due to the lack of clearly-defined processes and project management. Before moving from one phase into the next, the implementation team should take time to ensure that everything has cleared the previous phase. This requires a disciplined approach and clear communication between the client’s in-house IT professionals, Yardi and the 33Floors implementation team.
4. Lack of Internal Support
Most clients assign internal resources to support the implementation process, but they can forget that implementation and integration can be a big burden to carry on top of day-to-day work. The longer the implementation takes, the more strain this can place on an internal team, which can lead to errors and potential delays. We do our best to ensure that our clients understand this factor and work hard to provide additional resources from our side where necessary.
5. Unclear Documentation
Many companies think they understand what their processes and requirements are, but they’ve never studied and documented them. Without accurate documentation, the implementation team could be shooting in the dark, totally unaware of where gaps may exist. That’s why we encourage clients to take the time to map out the processes up front, in writing, before we begin. This also helps us to streamline a client’s processes, whenever possible, and provide guidance based on best practices. 33Floors’ Requirements Traceability Matrix is a powerful tool that brings clarity and control to implementation project management.
6. Celebrating Too Early
Once the switch is thrown, the implementation process isn’t finished. Just because it appears to be working from the business-side, there are always some necessary adjustments from the end-user side. To address those issues, we always schedule a time after the solution has been live for a few weeks. That’s where we can ensure everything is really working as expected and make corrections as-needed to fully enhance the final product.
33Floors Helps Clients Tackle Yardi Implementation Challenges
The team at 33Floors specializes in Yardi implementation, development, and support. Thanks to our hands-on experience in the real estate industry, we understand the importance of getting implementation right. Whether your firm is small or large, whether its plans for Yardi are simple or ambitious, 33Floors has the expertise to help you avoid the most common Yardi implementation challenges, anywhere in the world. Contact 33Floors today to learn more.
