Thinking that moves African institutions forward

ERP value beyond go-live

ERP success isn’t just about going live on time and within budget. The real measure is whether employees use the system consistently, managers rely on ERP data for decisions, and processes run faster. Workarounds erode the value ERP was designed to deliver.

Excel as a second ERP

Spreadsheets are powerful, but when they become the backbone of critical processes, problems arise. Multiple versions of reports, manual reconciliations, and approvals outside ERP create inconsistent information and slow decision-making.

Email approvals vs ERP workflows

Approvals handled through email bypass ERP workflows, leading to delays, poor tracking, limited accountability, and compliance risks. Visibility and control are lost when ERP isn’t the default path.

DIY reports: when employees don’t trust ERP data

If users don’t trust ERP reports or can’t access the information they need, they build their own. Over time, this creates multiple versions of “truth” across departments, undermining confidence in the system.

Outdated processes

Businesses evolve, but ERP processes may remain rigid. Employees create shortcuts when workflows feel too complex, require too many steps, or fail to reflect actual practices.

Training gaps

Training doesn’t end at go-live. Employees need continuous support as roles change, new hires join, and functionality evolves. Confidence drives adoption, and enablement must be ongoing.

System stagnation

ERP should grow with the organization. Without continuous improvement, inefficiencies creep back in, evidenced by poor reporting, missed automation, and unnecessary manual effort.

Leadership shapes usage

ERP adoption is not just IT’s responsibility. When managers accept offline processes, employees follow suit. Leadership behavior sets the tone for how technology is used across the organization.

The adoption cycle: discover, align, enable, reinforce, evolve

Adoption is a cycle, not a one-time event. Discover — run an ERP health check to uncover bottlenecks and frustrations. Align — simplify workflows and align ERP with today’s business needs. Enable — provide role-based training and continuous support. Reinforce — leadership must model ERP usage and encourage standard processes. Evolve — regularly enhance reports, workflows, and integrations.

ERP as a business enabler

ERP is more than software, it’s the backbone of how information flows. When people, processes, and technology align, organizations gain visibility, faster decisions, efficiency, stronger controls, and a better return on investment.

Why ERP transformation matters

SAP ECC has been the backbone of many organisations for decades, but the demands of modern business have changed. Success now depends on agility, real-time insight, and the ability to adapt quickly. Migrating to SAP S/4HANA is not just an IT upgrade but a transformation that reshapes how companies operate, make decisions, and deliver value. If you’re weighing the future of your ERP, this is the moment to consider how S/4HANA can keep you competitive.

SAP ECC: built for yesterday’s business needs

ECC was built for an earlier era, with batch reporting, siloed data, and slower decision cycles. It served its purpose well, but businesses now require speed, integration, and visibility across every process. Holding onto ECC is like holding onto a system that no longer matches the pace of your business.

SAP S/4HANA: real-time ERP for modern enterprises

S/4HANA addresses these needs by providing instant reporting, faster planning, clearer inventory visibility, and predictive insights. In practice, this means less waiting for information and more time acting on it. When you move to S/4HANA, you give your teams the ability to respond in real time instead of playing catch-up.

Key business differences between ECC and S/4HANA

The differences between ECC and S/4HANA are not only technical; they directly affect business outcomes. ECC relies on batch reporting, while S/4HANA delivers real-time analytics that enable faster decisions and greater agility. ECC’s traditional interface is replaced by SAP Fiori, which offers a simpler, more intuitive design that reduces training time and improves productivity. Where ECC depends on multiple data aggregates, S/4HANA uses a simplified data model that lowers IT costs and makes data management easier. Limited automation in ECC gives way to AI-driven processes in S/4HANA, streamlining routine tasks and freeing employees to focus on innovation. And while ECC supports reactive planning, S/4HANA introduces predictive insights that strengthen forecasting and resilience.

Benefits by function

For finance teams, this shift means faster close cycles, real-time profitability analysis, and stronger compliance. Operations teams gain end-to-end supply chain visibility, smarter inventory management, and improved production planning. Executives and boards benefit from sharper insights, stronger resilience, and a platform for growth that becomes a foundation for digital transformation, not just a replacement system.

Why delaying migration costs more

Remaining on ECC increases maintenance complexity, integration challenges, and support expenses, while making it harder to stay competitive. The longer you wait, the more expensive and disruptive the move becomes.

Making the move: business transformation, not just IT

The right time to move is when your organisation has a clear strategy, executive sponsorship, and a roadmap. Success depends not only on technology but also on process optimisation, change management, data quality, and employee adoption. Treating migration as a business transformation ensures lasting impact and makes S/4HANA a catalyst for change.

The next decade

It is clear that SAP ECC and S/4HANA are fundamentally different. The real question is whether your ERP can support the business you want to build over the next decade. Treating S/4HANA as a strategic transformation, rather than a system upgrade, delivers efficiency, agility, and long-term value.

Zimbabwe’s digital economy is entering a new phase where chatbots are no longer just consumer conveniences but strategic assets for businesses. According to Gartner, the global chatbot market is projected to reach $27.3 billion by 2030, with adoption accelerating across telecoms, banking, logistics, and retail. Forrester adds that modern AI chatbots now resolve 60–80% of Tier-1 support tickets automatically, freeing human agents for complex cases. Against this backdrop, Zimbabwe’s leading chatbots — Bud-e, Batsi, Kulibot, Fuelbot, and EcoCash AI Assistants — illustrate how local innovation aligns with global trends.

The SADC regional landscape

Within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), chatbot adoption is accelerating in South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. South Africa has emerged as the hub, with platforms like GotBot (WhatsApp-based customer engagement) and Smart AI Solutions (custom enterprise bots) widely used in retail, banking, and logistics. Zambia is leveraging WhatsApp bots for mobile money and retail customer service, particularly in Lusaka’s fintech sector. Namibia and Botswana are integrating chatbots into hospitality and tourism, where WhatsApp bots help hotels and lodges manage bookings and customer queries. Mozambique and Malawi are experimenting with utility and education bots, focusing on electricity token purchases, school fee payments, and basic customer support.

This regional spread reflects Africa’s mobile-first reality, where WhatsApp remains the dominant platform, and lightweight, low-data bots are the most effective way to reach customers. IDC estimates that AI-driven chatbots now handle over 1.4 billion daily queries globally, and SADC’s adoption shows how this global trend is being localized.

Bud-e

Bud-e operates on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Inbox, assisting with data bundles, line registrations, EcoCash queries, ZESA payments, promotions, FAQs, and shop locator services. Telecoms, retail chains, and utility providers use Bud-e to automate customer service workflows. McKinsey reports that companies deploying chatbots in customer service achieve 25–35% faster response times and reduce staffing costs by up to 38%.

Batsi

Batsi (Steward Bank) leverages Facebook, the Square Mobile App, and Steward Bank’s online platform to support banking queries, account management, and customer support. Banks, microfinance institutions, SMEs, and corporates managing payroll use Batsi for faster account services and loan queries, echoing Deloitte’s insight that financial services are among the fastest adopters of generative AI chatbots.

Kulibot

Kulibot runs on WhatsApp, enabling direct purchases of electricity tokens and airtime. Gartner notes that 68% of utility customers worldwide now prefer digital bill payments, and Kulibot’s success highlights the importance of low-cost, no-data solutions in sustaining productivity.

EcoCash AI Assistants

EcoCash AI Assistants operate on WhatsApp and Econet platforms, handling mobile money queries, fraud alerts, and transaction support. Forrester highlights that 91% of businesses with more than 50 employees globally now use chatbots, and EcoCash AI Assistants embody this shift in Zimbabwe’s mobile money ecosystem.

Chatbots in Africa have shifted from experiments to strategic infrastructure, reshaping how businesses cut costs, scale service, and stay competitive. For business leaders, the question is no longer if but how to apply chatbots in their own operations.

Big data is already being used by businesses to help them develop and automate procedures, with anything from tracking the buyer’s journey to improving the customer experience. Large amounts of data, on the other hand, can be inconvenient to manage and expose firms to hacking vulnerabilities and liabilities.

To keep your business safe while enhancing your bottom line, you’ll need a good data governance strategy if you’re running a data-driven organisation. You’re not only leaving your data unsecured without data governance, your business is also not working efficiently or productively.

Data governance refers to the general administration of your company’s data, as well as how it is accessed and used, while ensuring its integrity and security. When a company creates a complete data governance strategy, it establishes principles for data management and security while taking into account any regulatory requirements.

Data governance not only serves to safeguard your company, it also helps to improve its efficiency. Consistent oversight is required to keep this type of programme functioning successfully while sticking to best standards. A committee should oversee the progress of a data governance programme to verify that it is carried out effectively.

It creates consistency

Your business will face difficulties if everyone isn’t working with the most current and accurate data. Roles like the CEO and CFO should come to the same conclusions about the health of the business based on the data they use. When executives are using different data, it’s impossible to make smart business decisions, such as whether to invest or allocate funds.

It strengthens your ROI

It’s possible that companies don’t consider how data governance affects their return on investment, but doing so can save money while also increasing income. Data governance lowers data duplication and makes it easier to locate the information you require. It can also help you learn more about what makes a prospect become a lead or buyer, so you can tailor your marketing materials to attract more of the same-minded customers.

A company’s ability to operate effectively requires that it adheres to strict data governance standards. The process of creating a robust company foundation that can survive shifting trends in how you use your data is vital.

It helps you retain more customers

Old and present customers are more likely than new ones to make a purchase from you. Existing customers are 50% more likely to try new items and spend 31% more than new customers, according to an infographic on Sailthru comparing acquisition with retention. To figure out how to best serve them, you’ll need well-curated data that’s easy to access and evaluate.

IT project implementation quality assurance refers to the tools, processes, and practices that are independently applied during or after implementing an IT project, to ensure that the project is delivered within scope, budget, time, and agreed quality standards. As the old adage says, “prevention is better than cure” — preventive quality assurance is better than “after implementation” QA.

Quality refers to the extent to which the project is fit for purpose from the users’ perspective. Two quality dimensions matter: the project output and the project delivery process, which are the core concerns of the end user and project management respectively. Process quality is a major contributor to output quality.

The independence of the assurance consultant is key, as it contributes to objectivity and focuses on helping the customer mitigate risks associated with project delivery. Risk-based QA considers the areas with the highest risk, as determined by each organisation. IT project implementation QA is typically made up of the following components:

• Project management
• Technical installation and configuration of the application software
• Hardware and network installation and management
• Skills transfer and stakeholder management

Based on experience with many customers across Africa, IT project implementation quality assurance is an absolute must. The size of the project, technology stack, or application software does not matter. The work can be performed by an external consultant or by internal resources who are not involved in the project. Some large organisations have project management offices that provide QA to their own projects. Effective QA usually requires specialist knowledge of the software and products being implemented, underlying business processes, and testing best practices.

The importance of QA

• Helps customers understand the risks associated with implementing solutions that have complex applications and products.
• Mitigates proactively identified risks.
• Helps ensure successful implementation.
• Provides early detection of unexpected problems that may increase project costs.

Questions QA helps answer

Project schedule and budget. Will the project deliver on schedule? Does the schedule show all key tasks and deliverables in a logical sequence? How do you identify and mitigate risks? Is the budget adequate and available for the project?

Business needs. Is the problem to be solved by the implementation clear? Does the system design support business requirements? Is the system adequately tested? Are there adequate internal controls built into the system and processes?

Stakeholder management and training. Are all key stakeholders aware of, supporting, and committed to the success of the project? How is the change brought about by the project communicated? What training is required? How will the system be supported?

Technical infrastructure. Is the technical infrastructure adequate? Is it scalable? Is security adequate?

With the growing pace of new and disruptive technologies, new IT solutions are being developed at a faster rate than ever. As great as it is to have abundant options on the market, picking the solution that suits your needs is even more challenging, since having more options does not necessarily help in making better decisions.

Here are tips to help you select the right ERP solution for your organisation.

1. Select a team

Before diving into the different solutions and vendors, set up a team with expert knowledge. This can include the ERP implementation project manager, top management representatives (e.g. the CIO), people from the various departments (functional experts), and consultants (external experts), supervisors, clerical staff, QA people, and technical leaders. All can provide relevant insight and help ensure requirements are met and scalable.

2. Create a business case

The business case establishes the ultimate goal of implementing a new ERP system for all stakeholders. Creating it draws the discussion from “what do we want to build?” to “why do we want to build it?” — providing the justification for selecting and implementing an ERP system.

3. Develop your software requirements

These requirements describe the services the ERP solution must provide and the controls under which it must operate. Types of requirements can include business, interface, security, and regulatory/compliance requirements. The combined list is called the Statement of User Requirements (SOUR).

4. Carefully evaluate your options

Consult management and key stakeholders and ask for their input during evaluation. Consider how shortlisted ERP solutions affect integration with your existing office systems and the system’s reporting abilities.

5. Shortlist software vendors

Determine which vendors best serve your industry, requirements, and budget. It’s best to have no more than four vendors and products to evaluate.

6. Cautiously evaluate software demos

Prepare brief demo scripts that point to specific workflows you want to evaluate. This helps finalise your decision and quickly surface any gaps after each demo. Meet with your team to discuss the pros and cons.

7. Get references from vendors

Ask your chosen vendor for a reference with a similar business need and size. Don’t hesitate to ask about challenges they faced with the system and how the vendor addressed them.

8. Compare prices

Once you’ve narrowed your list of vendors, ask for a detailed price quote and compare what each offers in terms of support, training, third-party hardware, and pricing models.

9. Decide

Given everything gathered from the process, decide if the vendor and ERP solution are the right fit for your organisation. Ensure all agreements and requirements are noted in writing from the vendor.

There is a Masai proverb which says “he who is unable to dance says that the yard is stony.” IT projects do not usually suffer from a single point of failure — it is usually a combination of factors that conspire over a period of time until a tipping point is reached. Below are signs worth watching for, to reduce the risk of a project failing to meet the purpose for which it was executed.

1. Unclear project requirements

Requirements aren’t explicit about what specific organisational problems will be solved. Have a documented business case showing what problems will be solved and how, signed off by the affected business unit and formally approved by the project steering group.

2. Poor vendor selection

Doubts among the steering group about whether the vendor will deliver on time, budget, and quality often suggest the selection criteria weren’t properly done. If the project hasn’t commenced, request a third-party review of the selection process. If work has started, increase project governance with a strong focus on risk mitigation.

3. Inadequate stakeholder management

Without adequate stakeholder management, IT projects are doomed to failure. People are what make the proposed solution work — without actively engaging stakeholders to allay fears and establish buy-in, disaster looms. Ensure adequate resources support stakeholder management throughout the lifecycle.

4. Competing projects

Competing initiatives don’t allow timely provision of financial and human resources, and the project isn’t prioritised. Have the project priority formally revised so it gets adequate attention.

5. Wrong people

The assignment of internal staff needs to be handled carefully. Ensure staff assigned are enthusiastic and committed, have the required business knowledge, are willing to learn and teach colleagues, and are respected by their peers.

6. Mismatch of capability to project complexity

There is a strong correlation between project risk and complexity. Formally review the risk of failure against complexity by reviewing the skills and experience of in-house project management, rather than assuming past success with a simpler project guarantees success with a more complex one.

7. Inadequate project budget

A project budget includes vendor payments and in-house costs. Ensure adequate budget is available for the planned scope — a common mistake is having key staff perform both day-to-day and project tasks with little recognition for the added effort.

8. Inexperienced vendor staff

Review proposed vendor staff CVs and validate experience with customer references. Reject those whose experience doesn’t measure up, rather than discovering the gap when work packages fail at testing.

9. Lack of proactive project governance

Proactive governance helps the project team identify risks and take mitigation action in a timely, cost-effective manner. Ensure a process is in place to identify risks and assign and follow up mitigation actions.

10. Ignoring failure signs

When a project is about to fail, it shows signs around scope, time, budget, and quality — usually hidden in plain sight. It’s important to dig deep and understand the real causes behind these symptoms.

According to Prosci, the focus of change management was on improving our collective understanding of human beings — how we experience change and how our human systems interact and react. This provided insights, research, and frameworks for understanding successful change. Change management is now known as a critical component of most projects, with different approaches and methodologies to suit each one. Below are some of the major forces influencing its ongoing evolution.

Technology

As advancements in technology become more frequent in meeting customer requirements and revolutionising ease of doing business, organisations now more than ever need change management programs to help employees learn and adapt. This has influenced some change models to shift toward a bottom-up approach.

Global trade

With the increase in global trade, organisations have to implement changes quicker. To stay relevant, organisations increasingly build internal change agents rather than outsourcing to change consultants, which can be expensive. Having employees trained in change management cuts costs when the organisation next requires change expertise. Global trade has played a role in expanding demand for change management experts.

Culture

Every organisation has its own unique culture, and culture is sometimes not factored into change management processes. Since there’s no concrete way to measure culture, changing it — when necessary — is a real challenge. This has influenced the industry to form frameworks and methodologies that apply closely to an organisation’s context, without necessarily disrupting its culture, or that gently shift culture toward a desired state where needed.

Change management has become integral to any organisation pursuing successful transformation, and for it to remain a useful tool, it needs to continuously evolve its concepts and models to stay relevant.

When you come up with a proposal and realise the work is best performed with a partner as a joint venture, be prepared: preparing the bid as a joint venture will certainly have its challenges. These challenges can be great enough that bid deadlines are missed or submissions come in at poor quality. Here are tips to help you submit a joint venture proposal on time and with quality.

1. Notify your partner early and create a joint venture agreement

Before sharing the proposal you want to work on, select the ideal partner — one with resources, skills, and assets that complement your own. A good starting point is assessing existing professional associates, customers, and suppliers you already have a long-term relationship with. Once that’s settled, draft a joint venture agreement that suits both parties.

2. Send the requirements checklist to your partner

Once the agreement is settled, send a checklist of the proposal requirements to your partner, get their feedback, and agree on a task list of who completes what and when.

3. Keep company documents current and ready

Documents such as company registration, tax clearance, audited financial statements, reference letters, and employee certifications are often required alongside the proposal — make sure they’re available and up to date.

4. Agree on a budget early

One of the most common challenges is agreeing on a budget, since each firm has its own consulting rates. Since the financial proposal is a critical factor in bid selection, agree on it while there’s still time to make changes as you gather more information.

5. Review the bid thoroughly

Once you have a draft, have it vetted by key managers across both organisations who weren’t on the bid team, to get fresh eyes on the proposal. Do this around the halfway point of your deadline, to leave time for changes.

6. Prepare submission logistics

Don’t wait until the last minute to submit, whether by post or electronically. If submitting via postal service, know the delivery time and cost beforehand, to leave room to resolve any obstacles.

7. Follow up on the bid

Once submitted, confirm the bid was received and accepted by the external company. Time management is the critical element in submitting proposals — and even more so as a joint venture, where good communication between the submitting parties is essential.

With the increase of automated collaboration tools in the project management industry, managing multiple projects at the same time is becoming the new norm. Doing it successfully definitely has its challenges, and it can be mentally strenuous. Here are three strategies that are critical to managing multiple projects successfully.

1. Delegate and prioritise

As obvious as it may be that you cannot do everything yourself, it’s tempting as a project manager to want certain tasks completed exactly to your own standard. To determine what to delegate, list the tasks required and categorise them by priority level. This creates a list you can let go of and delegate to team members. Keep an updated task list of everything you’re required to do, including deadlines, so nothing is forgotten and you can quickly see which items are lowest priority. Methods such as Stephen Covey’s priority matrix and MIT (Most Important Task) can help simplify the order in which to complete tasks.

2. Combine all schedules into one view

Combining project schedules into one view helps identify conflicting dates and isolate potential issues in advance. With two separate schedules, it becomes very difficult to pinpoint when you’re expected to be in two places at once. Scheduling tools such as Asana, Trello, and Kanban Flow allow you to combine schedules or view them together for conflicts. Projects seldom follow schedules with 100% accuracy, so combining your schedules is a must to avoid catastrophic overlaps.

3. Communicate

Keep frequent communication with all stakeholders involved — including your project team — about the workload you’re managing. This helps manage expectations and makes it easier to get additional support if needed.

We thought we’d share what the DizTech team loves about project management.

1. You get to travel

Over time, working on projects almost inevitably means travel to new places, locally or internationally, whether for meetings or monitoring project progress. If you like exploring, remember to add extra days to your stay or arrive early.

2. You get to work with other people

Within project management, experts usually keep in touch with each other, and networking might be your key to success. You can meet a key expert for a new project idea, make a good friend, and learn a lot from professionals in different countries.

3. You are always learning

No two projects are the same, so with each one you learn something different — culture, new technology, new markets, products, services, and customers. A project manager’s world is ever-changing and always a learning space.

4. You get to work in different industries

Project management is fundamentally about process management, which means your knowledge applies across industries. This is what makes the role so versatile, letting you apply your skills to a new industry and transform your career.

5. You can work offsite

In some cases, projects can be managed remotely rather than onsite — for short, uncomplicated projects, or when a company can’t afford frequent travel for a project manager. With better collaboration technologies, managing projects remotely is now easier than ever, especially for short, uncomplicated engagements.

For anyone considering a career in project management, we hope these perks give a useful glimpse into an exciting, sometimes unnerving way to learn about business processes, technology, and people.