Implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects, some of which can take over two to three years to set up, can streamline an institution's processes, enhance workflow and establish the foundation for new systems. However, ERP projects require enormous resources to set up. Progressive Universities spend large sums of money (between 1-3 percent of their top-line) to implement such modern ERP projects. Vordurja Education (a 100 percent subsidiary of Kalinga Software), a premium player in the Education software and solutions market, has deployed its flagship product Greycells in all segments � schools, universities and autonomous colleges all over the country. Their product is both cost effective and customizable as per the user's requirements.
Greycells is a software product that automates all key processes of an education institute and interfaces the end-to-end lifecycles involving men, money and material. It effectively takes care of the information, automation and decision support systems of students, parents, faculty, staff and administrators. The ERP software caters to the requirements of all types of education institutes such as pre-schools, secondary/higher secondary school, and higher education institutes. Greycells (which also has key components of Learning Management System - LMS) proves to be a significant tool which assures an institution to improve its academic processes and takes the pedagogy to newer levels," says Srijat Mishra, Founder and Chairman of Vordurja
Adoption Challenges in the ERP Space
When Vordurja started off 10 years ago, the business opportunities were based on latent potential. ERP was more of an esoteric idea, initiated mainly by supply side dynamics. "With regards to the adoption of management automation, today, more than 5000 education organizations in the country would have had tried something in the past," reveals Mishra. However, the process of implementation can be tricky. Vordurja provides end-to-end consulting services that enableclients to get on boarded into Greycells quite seamlessly. Greycells implementation methodology are well suited both for 'virgin' institutes (which have not had enterprise wide automation experience in the past) or 'jilted' institutes who have had a bad experience in the past and are in the lookout for a stable solution.
Despite the presence of a cutting edge product in the market, educational institutes in the country are reluctant to take the step towards implementation as Mishra explains that the main challenge is the buying behavior. The clients in the education industry need more maturity is choosing the right solutions. Decision makers need to understand that ERP purchase is different from a server purchase or construction contractor hiring. "They need to understand the details of change management and evaluate the promises � i.e. from the sales spin from the realistic, doable things. Also, they need to assess the viability of the projects," says Mishra.
Most Valuable Product for Residential School and Private Universities
"Over the years, we have positioned ourselves as a premium player. As we realized, that there are no short cuts to ERP implementation," explains Mishra. He explains that though the company offers numerous affordable choices for their thrifty portion of the clientele, there are numerous risks associated with cost cutting. For instance, if a client chooses to cut costs by 20 percent, then the probability of project failure increases by more than 50 percent. And if costs are cut by 50 percent then the probability of failure is more than 90 percent.
While globally and cutting across industries, the success rate of ERP implementation is at best moderate; some of Vordurja's clients in residential schools and private universities have reaped substantially successes through automation. Mishra explains "Today Greycells arguably, in the best product in the country in residential school and private university space."
Mishra further buttresses the point by sharing a testimonial for Centurion University of Technology and Management, a large, multi-campus university in Odisha. "I am happy to see Vordurja develop an ERP (Greycells) tuned for education. I am impressed with their domain knowledge in education, responsiveness, willingness to listen to customer needs, and ability to customize to our specific requirements. I appreciate their ability to respond to our demanding and diverse needs, and their concern in providing us a solution that works for us. Greycells is in the right direction to become the standard solution for education in India and elsewhere." Prof. Kalyan Banerjee, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Centurion University of Technology and Management.
The ERP solutions provider has clients ranging from top boarding schools in the country such as Doon School, Welham Boys' School, Dehradun; Mayo College, Ajmer, Mayo College Girls' School, Dehradun and Rashtriya Military School alongside higher education institutions of repute such as IIT Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar; NIT Rourkela, Rourkela and. Centurion University of Technology & Management, Bhubaneswar; Rungta Group of Institutions, Chatisgarh.
Vordurja Expanding to Budget Segments
As Greycells has been ideated, designed and developed in-house by Vordurja, the company is able to customize the product as required by the clients. Although Greycells is ideally suited for large and/or branded process driven institutions such as residential schools, private universities and professionally managed B-schools/engineering colleges, there are numerous small institutions benefiting from their low cost affordable solutions.
"While Vordurja has been very successful in ERP implementations and change management in many premium residential schools and private universities who have had the deep pockets to afford highly involved training and hand-holding engagement models, we recognize the needs of other institutes and provided standardized hosted for institutes who are looking for low cost affordable solutions," explains Mishra.
.png){kind=logo}