The Observation
In 1996 Hershey launched a massive digital transformation involving SAP and two other enterprise systems. They forced a 30-month deployment schedule to beat potential Y2K complications, despite vendor warnings that the project required 48 months.
The Analysis
Rushing the timeline triggered a catastrophic supply chain failure. The company could not process orders during its peak Halloween season. This timeline compression cost the organisation over 100 million dollars in lost orders and triggered an eight percent drop in stock value. Executive deadlines do not alter the physical reality of software integration.
The Tactical Step
Align your digital deployment schedules with operational realities. Give your technical teams the exact time required to complete integration testing. Stop imposing arbitrary management deadlines on complex enterprise architecture.
Question for the network
Are you compressing your software deployment timelines and putting your peak revenue seasons at risk?
References
- CIO: 18 famous ERP disasters
- Full On Consulting: How to Position Your ERP Implementation for Success
By Michael Lennard Gnaedinger. © 2026 Gnaedinger Consultancy. All rights reserved.
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