From Cost-Cutting to Value Creation: Andy Donovan on the Future of Enterprise Software

Andy, you’ve spent over 25 years navigating the enterprise software landscape and watching assumptions about Fusion go-lives play out. Where does it go wrong, and what does actual value maximization look like when you get it right?

You’ve advised some of the world’s largest organizations on their software strategies. In your experience, where is the most common ‘value leak’ in an Oracle Fusion implementation that most C-suite leaders completely miss?

That interesting because what they miss is believing that Fusion can do everything they need.  It is a great and powerful system but when the Oracle team tells you it is all covered, ask a simple thing like “How about Treasury or Sales and Use Tax”.  Once you understand Fusion can easily be 90-95% of your solution, you wont fall into the “make it work” trap.

What is the biggest myth regarding Oracle Fusion ROI, and how do you help clients look past the dashboard to see the real financial and quality-improvement truth of their investment?

I love this one.  Oracle will build you a business case showing $20M over 5 years, with an annual investment of $2M on your Fusion subscription.  No brainer, $10M ROI.  Ask the team when will then come in after go-live and perform a value realization study to compare to the pre-sales business case.  The business case “myth” disappears fast.  That business case always shows a breakeven around year 2, rarely year 3.  It takes 5+ years to get your true ROI.  However, improve your business processes and 2-3 years is achievable.

Orbrick’s mission is to free up a billion life hours from corporate back-office work so people can put that time somewhere it matters more. You’ve spent years identifying where organizations hemorrhage capacity inside Oracle Fusion. Where do you think those hours are hiding?

Smoother, faster and more effective business processes lead to more time effective flows directly leading to hours saved.  Now that not “saved” in the real sense, it means the employee can be engaged on more valuable work.

You are known for being a trusted advisor to executive teams. How do you bridge the gap between a CTO’s technical architecture and a CFO’s demand for measurable fiscal results or a CHRO’s people strategy for increased retention?

A CFO, CIO or CHRO do not know anything about Fusion, about Oracle terminology.  They talk their language, Procure to Pay, Hire to Retire, Support costs, renewal fees etc.  Always listen, know your audience and talk their language.  And hugely important, answer their questions as that will earn you the right to add what you “want” them to hear afterwards.

With your background in the Oracle ecosystem, you could have gone anywhere. Why did you decide to join Orbrick?

Orbrick wants to make Fusion customers successful and that aligns with my own personal goal.  Selling software should be 25% of a sales reps role but alas, 75% of the time they sell and move on to the next revenue generating opportunity.  If only they realized that 30% of their number can be earned easily by staying involved.  And can you imagine, you sell Fusion to the CFO and stay involved until they are successful then the CFO leaves.  Who will he want to talk to about a new ERP in his new role?

After go-live (Day 1), most Oracle Fusion implementations are treated as done. You’ve seen what Day 200 looks like inside these environments. What’s usually waiting there?

Change Orders from the SI and alas the “blame game”.  Oracle over sold the solution, the demo was different, the SI didnt deliver as they promised etc etc.  STOP and take a look at the decisions you as the customer made or steps YOU allowed to happen.  Imagine things are running behind schedule and the SI suggests moving something to phase 2 because it gets you back on schedule.  Sure, but now you are here at day 200 playing catchup, the users dont have the processes they need and the ROI is not there at all.  Plan, plan and then plan again and adjust accordingly but do not move the go-live.  Add more resources if you need to.

Your career runs through contract analysis and procurement strategy (and accounting!), not just implementation advisory, customer success, or sales. That’s a different lens than most people bring to Oracle Fusion. How does it change what you look for when you walk into an organization?

It allows me to listen, absorb, analyze and then discuss.  A broad and deep understanding of business processes (KEY!), of a persons role in the customers ecosystem and their problems (read the 10K) all leads to credibility and therefore a completely different conversations.  Lastly, I dont care about how to fit a solution into a customers environment, I care abotu their problem and the root cause which naturally will lead to technology and the potential solution needed.  Which quite often is NOT Oracle.

Last one – and this one is an interview tradition here. If you had a magic wand, what is one thing you dislike which you’d just “wave away”?

Good one …………..  bad losers.  You cant win if you dont know how to lose.