We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” (Yes, Mom, this blog post is dedicated to your worthy wisdom!) With all of the hustle and bustle of the coming holiday season, it can be easy to “put off” the things that can wait until tomorrow (or next year!). The same is true for the world of HR Technology. Around this time of year we always breathe a sigh of relief as we finally finish up the handful of last minute Benefits Administration requests that needed to be addressed by Open Enrollment, crushing through our typical timelines.
This year has been no exception.
Over the last few months, several stressed out employer clients and internal account teams have come to us with hopes of our swooping in and “saving the day.” Questions like: “How fast can we get a Benefits Admin system up?” and “What do you need from us to get this moving as soon as possible?” tip us off to quicker than normal expectations. While we recommend to our clients and account teams that there is a preferred timeline, we always “Live Service” – which means stepping in and lending a hand in these dire situations. ‘Tis the season, after all.
For our team, a typical vendor selection and implementation process runs about 6-8 months, from the initial request to system go-live. Projects tend to start in the first or second quarter of the year after the employer’s HR teams have sobered up from the previous year’s open enrollment event, most of which fall between October – November. This OE window gives time enough for the carriers to have cards delivered to participants by January 1st. According to our suggested timeline, this means a Benefits Administration vendor selection and implementation should start around February – March. However, Murphy’s Law guarantees that sometimes clients come to us in need of a new system…with go-live in less than three months—that’s less than half of the average project time!
Not possible, you think. There’s no way can this be done. Alas, some of our greatest success stories have come from projects like these. Call it a Christmas miracle, but we’ve made it happen. Most recently, a few of my teammates have been working with a client to stand up a new HR technology system by the start of 2014. Things get rushed and a bit chaotic, but it gives an interesting end to our year.
When situations come up that leave your team in a “minute to win it” scenario, it can make your team stronger. Even if things don’t succeed the way you might have liked, the effort you go through to help someone in a situation like this can go a long way. We have learned so much from completing speedy implementations; we thought we’d share our favorite lessons of the 2013 season:
- There is a possibility for carrier file feed issues with a short turnaround.
- If a client is going to all new carriers, there could be added issues and ID cards might not be ready on time. Data conversion needs to be addressed right away.
- From the project management viewpoint, it is important to make sure that all parties are committed to the project. The right resources need to be in place and ready.
- Expectations should be set from the beginning so that the client, account team and vendors realize the things that might be sacrificed or expected because of a shortened timeline.
- And most importantly, “stick to your guns” when dealing with vendors, says Maureen, a Project Manager on one of our current short turnaround projects.
Although putting off until tomorrow isn’t the best resolution for your HR Technology system, know that we can help. But if you’re seeking the best HR Tech Karma for your critical project, you might start thinking about how to kick off your Benefits Administration Vendor Selection project sooner, rather than later.