Implementing an Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) system is a high-stakes endeavour. A poorly executed implementation can lead to budget overruns, disrupted workflows, or solutions that fail to deliver the strategic value they were intended to deliver. With the complexity of platforms like Anaplan, Pigment, IBM, Workday, or Planful, to name just a few of the available options on the market, the risks are real—but avoidable. All technologies seemingly operate in the same space, offering similar functionality, but it’s not till you dive deep into the technologies and nuances of each that the differences become apparent. Bolt Consulting, with our team of expert EPM consultants, offers a strategic, technology-agnostic approach to ensure your EPM implementation succeeds. EPM Implementation Risks
Finance professionals can face significant hurdles when adopting EPM systems. Common pitfalls include misaligned vendor selection, inadequate planning, or insufficient user training, all of which can derail projects. For instance, a system that doesn’t integrate with existing ERP or CRM platforms can create data silos, while a poorly designed rollout may lead to low user adoption. For the business, these risks can threaten not just budgets but also the ability to deliver accurate budgeting, forecasting, and reporting. The stakes are high: a failed implementation can erode trust and delay strategic goals.
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How Bolt Consulting Mitigates Risk
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Our strategic process begins with a comprehensive assessment. We map your current systems, workflows, and pain points – whether you’re a retail firm grappling with multi-region data or a insurance business needing risk reporting capabilities or premium planning modelling. Our knowledgeable and experienced EPM consultants evaluate platforms based on critical factors: integration capabilities, scalability, user-friendliness, and total cost of ownership. This ensures your chosen EPM solution fits seamlessly into your ecosystem without forcing unnecessary trade-offs.
A Proven Approach: Real World Success
Consider a recent client of Bolt Consulting’s – Lime SMA, an insurance syndicate management firm, who needed upskilling and enablement on their Pigment environment.
By acting in their interests throughout the whole engagement, we were able to help the business upskill their internal capabilities, so their entire relationship with the Pigment platform was generating them the value they purchased it for in the first instance.
Their key user was trained, supported through co-build sessions and taught how to build excellent models in line with best practice. This approach mitigates the risk to adoption, and enhances value-add and buy-in within the business. This is a critical and often mis-understood step of EPM success.Â
How Bolt Consulting Stands Out
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In contrast to vendors promoting generic solutions, Bolt Consulting’s EPM consultants, adopt a technology-agnostic approach. We prioritise your organisation’s specific needs, delivering tailored recommendations that drive measurable results.
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Our expertise across leading EPM platforms enables objective comparisons, focusing on practical benefits: minimised implementation risks, accelerated value delivery, and enhanced finance team efficiency. Partnering with Bolt ensures a scalable EPM solution without the constraints of vendor lock-in.
EPM – Choose the Right Way
Are you ready to find the right EPM solution for your business? Whether you’re currently on spreadsheets, or have legacy systems, partnering with Bolt Consulting could mean the difference between success and failure of your project. Our expert EPM consultants partner with you from discovery through to post go-live support, ensuring you get the value from your investment in EPM you need.
Contact us today to see how we can help you.
