The implementation process is a critical time for any business that relies on Yardi, whether it’s a smaller company using Yardi Breeze or a multinational firm with a highly customized Yardi Voyager installation. When an implementation is managed well, the transition from the company’s previous system to its new way of working can be smooth and efficient.
Should a company handle its own Yardi installation?
Some Yardi customers manage their own implementation, relying on their in-house IT staff and Yardi support. This approach often runs into several problems:
- Missing expertise. Yardi is built on a complex interlocking stack of databases. Few IT professionals are familiar with the way it works. That makes problem solving difficult, and errors more likely.
- Uncommon problems are . . . common. Yardi’s support is quite good, but it has important limitations. Their solutions database is designed to address the most common scenarios. Their support staff may not have ready answers when the customer needs help with an issue that is specific to the customer’s configuration, hardware, or use case. Instead, the customer may need to wait while their ticket gets escalated within Yardi’s support team.
- Incomplete understanding of the platform. Perhaps the most important limitation of the DIY approach are the blind spots in the customer’s planning. Does the implementation plan capture the full scope of what can be accomplished with the new system? Are powerful features being neglected because they aren’t understood by the overloaded in-house team? Could Yardi be doing more for the company’s financial planners and executives?
A Yardi implementation consultant steers the client around these roadblocks.
The many jobs of a Yardi implementation consultant
Implementing Yardi as a new installation or as a major upgrade always raises interesting challenges. The system often needs to integrate with every part of the business’s operations. It needs to provide efficient, meaningful access to data. And the customer’s staff needs help to master their new set of tools.
The Yardi implementation consultants at 33Floors do many things for our clients. These are some of the most important:
- Creating a plan. Even the simplest Yardi rollout requires careful planning. As the complexity grows, so does the need for analysis. An implementation consultant knows the questions to ask, allowing the client to identify requirements and tie them to specific objectives within the new Yardi system.
- Awareness of the possibilities. Even long-time Yardi users can be surprised by the capabilities of the latest versions. For example, Yardi Voyager’s shift to the cloud brings a host of potential that some clients don’t fully understand until their implementation consultant explains how they could upgrade and streamline processes throughout the organization. The consultant ensures the client isn’t neglecting all the opportunities that Yardi offers.
- Data management expertise. Yardi’s database structure is one of the platform’s distinctive architectural features. Implementation consultants know how to manage data within Yardi, and how to accurately import data from outside the platform. Bridging a company’s existing databases with its new installation is an opportunity to verify the integrity of a company’s data. It’s also an opportunity to avoid mistakes that could hamper productivity once the new system is launched.
- Technical solutions. Computing systems can be full of surprises. Ensuring full compatibility and functionality requires careful testing and, sometimes, extensive problem-solving. A 33Floors implementation team includes technical experts who can address tricky problems. We can even work directly with Yardi to find custom solutions when novel circumstances call for them.
- The right training. Checking all the right technical boxes isn’t enough to guarantee a successful launch on day one. The people who will use Yardi every day need training to set them on the right path. Effective training is multilayered, with a mix of in-person coaching, accessible documentation, and responsive support. A Yardi implementation consultant works to understand the client’s training needs so a program can be put in place to get everyone working with confidence as quickly as possible.
Get uncommon results with 33Floors
33Floors is proud to have assembled a world-wide team of expert Yardi implementation consultants who understand not only the software, but also the business needs of our clients. We will ensure your implementation process is comprehensive and robust. It’s what your business demands.
Would you like to know more about our Yardi implementation process? Send us an email to schedule a time to talk with one of our experts. We’ll help you get above it.
