Microsoft Dynamics Implementation in Japan Case Study

Manufacturing Case Study: Microsoft Dynamics Implementation in Japan

1. Service Category

Industry:

Medical Device Manufacturing

Location:

Japan
(head sales office, two warehouses and several sales branches)

Background:

Our client, a global medical device manufacturer headquartered in Europe with approximately 200 users in Japan, was looking for a partner to support their implementation of Dynamics AX in Japan. As part of an initiative led by the client’s Global IT department to deploy Microsoft Dynamics across all their global branches, the Japan project included the head sales office, two warehouses, and several sales branches.

In the past, two attempts were made to implement the system, but the project was suspended due to communication challenges caused by language differences and the complex localization requirements of the Japanese market. As the third attempt, SYSCOM supported the project by acting as a bridge between the stakeholders and Global IT department in Japan, which then handled the implementation and customization.

2. Known Issues

Communication issues between the Global IT department and the Japanese users presented significant challenges in advancing the project and aligning on business requirements.

Differences in culture and business practices made it challenging for the Global IT department to fully grasp Japan-specific business requirements, leading to disagreements over necessary system customizations to meet local needs. Furthermore, with no Japanese-speaking members in the department, communication was further complicated.

To overcome these challenges, it was crucial to provide support in both English and Japanese to enable seamless collaboration between the two parties. We maintained close contact with the Japanese project managers to accurately understand their requirements and business needs, while also communicating directly with end-users on-site.

3. Team and Responsibilities

To support this project, SYSCOM assigned a dedicated team, which consists of:

1 Project Leader
2 Bilingual PMOs: Responsible for translating meetings and documentation
3 Bilingual FCs (Functional Consultants): Specializing in finance, SCM, and LRC
2 Bilingual Consultants: Supporting data migration between systems

This team played a critical role in bridging the Japanese stakeholders and the Global IT department, ensuring that the system implementation in Japan fully met local business requirements while aligning with the global IT strategy set by headquarters.

Key responsibilities included:

Supporting the testing of customized systems, requirements verification, and training
Coordinating schedules with the project team
Providing interpretation for meetings, document translation, training material translation, and interpretation support for end-users

In addition, our specialized consultants identified gaps and proposed design modifications, interfaces, and reports to address them. They also participated in creating functional design documents, helping to structure future processes tailored to Japan's needs.

4. Results

Despite the complexity of the project, which involved both system and non-system challenges, we successfully helped completing the Microsoft Dynamics AX implementation in Japan.

Even after the implementation, SYSCOM’s two bilingual consultants continue to provide ongoing support. Working closely with the customer care team at the Japan headquarters, our consultants address daily end-user inquiries and manage monthly and annual processing tasks. They also maintain communication with the Global IT department, ensuring continued bilingual support in both Japanese and English.

5. Reasons for Choosing SYSCOM

SYSCOM’s extensive experience with global projects, along with our team’s ability to bridge communication gaps through their deep understanding of both language and business practices were key factors in our client’s selection for this project. Our bilingual consultants, a rare and highly valued resource in Japan, were especially recognized for their extensive experience with Microsoft Dynamics.

The proximity of SYSCOM’s Tokyo office to the client’s Japan sales headquarters also played a significant role, allowing us to provide flexible, on-site support tailored to the client’s needs. This close collaboration further strengthened our partnership and was instrumental in the project’s success.

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