Data, Pace, & Roadmap:
Three Rules for ERP that Sticks

Transcript (Auto Generated)

00:00:00–00:00:23 Jessica Boucher

Hello and welcome to 10,000 Feet, the Vervint Podcast. I’m Jessica Boucher, Vice President of the Vervint ERP Delivery Team. I’m joined today by Jason Thompson from Marmon Food Service and Karla Rogalski, one of our principal consultants here at Vervint. Let’s start by doing some initial introductions. Jason, why don’t you introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Marmon?

00:00:29–00:00:53 Jason Thompson

Thanks, Jessica. I’m Jason Thompson with Marmon. I serve as Senior Director of Enterprise Applications at Marmon Food Service Technologies. I’ve been with the company a little over three years and was brought in to help lead our digital transformation project for Marmon Food Service Technologies.

00:00:54–00:01:21 Jessica Boucher

Great. Karla, could you give us a brief introduction?

00:00:58–00:01:21 Karla Rogalski

Sure. I’m Karla Rogalski, Principal Application Consultant with Vervint. I’ve been with Vervint for over nine years now and have worked on a number of different implementations. Once Jason joined MFT, he decided to bring in Vervint to see how we could help them with their implementation.

00:01:21–00:01:24 Jessica Boucher

Great. Let’s start with some background for everyone. Jason, can you tell us a bit about what digital transformation means to you and how you’ve moved that forward since joining Marmon?

00:01:34–00:01:58 Jason Thompson

Sure. When I think about digital transformation, for me it sums up as the strategic integration of digital technologies into all areas of a business. I think about technology adoption, process optimization, and also a cultural shift—becoming more customer-centric and making data-driven decisions. That’s what digital transformation means to me.

00:02:04–00:02:12 Jessica Boucher

Great. Can you share something our listeners might not know about the Marmon business?

00:02:12–00:03:34 Jason Thompson

Actually, our website says this—welcome to the biggest small business you’ll ever find. Marmon is a holding company with eleven different businesses underneath it. Our products and services are often behind the scenes for many other businesses—nothing super flashy. We do food service technology, components for medical, water filtration, retail solutions to help customers set up new buildings, layouts, planograms, and so forth. We also offer transportation products like trailers, automotive exhaust systems—unique things in transportation. We have rail leasing, where we lease rail cars, and we manufacture electrical wire. For example, if you go to a Lowe’s or Home Depot and see Sierra Wire, that’s us. We do a lot in refrigeration, metal services, industrial products, and crane services. Many people don’t realize we provide products and services in the background.

00:03:45–00:04:54 Jessica Boucher

So, with that diverse portfolio, where might an everyday person see something and recognize it as Marmon Food Service?

00:03:58–00:04:54 Jason Thompson

Over in my business unit, Marmon Food Service Technologies, our most prominent products are predominantly in commercial kitchen spaces. Most people associate us with drive-thru fountain dispensers at places like McDonald’s—one of our top customers. If you notice the cup dropping from the fountain dispenser, filling with ice and drink automatically, that’s one of our machines. We primarily build fountain dispensers for brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi and work in the McDonald’s sector. We also make warming and heating equipment for food, as well as slicing equipment. You might not see our name unless you look closely at the machine, but that’s what we’re most known for in my business unit.

00:05:11–00:06:45 Jessica Boucher

Can you tell us a bit about Marmon’s history with technology and what the systems landscape looked like when you joined the team?

00:05:22–00:08:56 Jason Thompson

Sure. It’s kind of a two-part question. I didn’t join at inception, but I can give some background and walk through where we were and where we are now. When I joined, Marmon had outdated systems and disconnected applications across six different locations. Each location operated with a separate ERP system and no integrations. Data was inconsistent or missing, scattered across databases and BI tools with no integration—leading to fragmented data, which made accurate, reliable information a challenge. Multiple business units operated in different languages and currencies, and these challenges were noticed by our customers. The fragmented nature of our operations and technology was problematic, and it was clear we needed to address these issues to streamline our processes, improve data consistency, and enhance efficiency. I joined about a year after the company started, but regarding the timeline, we recognized to become a better partner for our customers and vendors, we needed a significant transformation. Our primary goal was to create a vision that would standardize, harmonize, and modernize our fragmented systems. We aimed to adopt cloud technology, modernize our infrastructure, build for a data-driven future, and simplify integrations for scalable growth. The challenge was figuring out how to achieve this transformation, which required essential investments in time and money and coming together as an organization. It was ambitious. When I joined, the implementation project was already underway but troubled—over budget, behind schedule, and generally not in a good spot. That’s when Vervint came in. I’d worked with the Vervint team before and knew their experience could help get us on a better path.

00:09:05–00:10:52 Jessica Boucher

So, your multiple systems and inefficient processes were impacting customers and employees, which became a tipping point for the implementation. Then, a stalled implementation led you to Vervint. Let’s pick up there—Karla, can you walk through the state of play when Vervint joined, what we assessed, and how we approached things from there?

00:09:47–00:10:52 Karla Rogalski

Sure. As Jason mentioned, he had previous experience with some of our consulting folks, so he decided to bring in a couple of us to see where we could help. It was an interesting situation coming in over a year into what they had already been working on. Sometimes bringing in a new consulting partner can be challenging, but everyone worked well together. We figured out how to divide and conquer. I focused on the P2P area, settled in with that team, and looked for ways to move things forward.

00:10:52–00:13:16 Jessica Boucher

Jason, from your perspective, how was the Vervint approach different from what you’d experienced before, or how did it help transform the project and move it forward?

00:11:07–00:13:16 Jason Thompson

I realized early on that I needed to bring Vervint in. Previously, we had one company leading the software side and another leading project management and OCM, but they weren’t operating well together. Technically, there were deliberate rules that should’ve been applied—specifically around our documents, like electronic acknowledgements, purchase orders, bills of lading, and other customer-facing documents. We had a package designed and laid out, but it sat idle for six months before I arrived. Everything was specced out, but no activity had happened. Once Karla and another developer joined, within the first month, we had drafts for all the documents ready to go. Our Senior VP of Finance, who sponsored the project, sat through the process and told me, “You’re right—we needed people who’d been through this before and knew what to do, in the right order.” That validation and seeing traction was a turning point for us and helped us execute on the next steps.

00:13:16–00:16:37 Jessica Boucher and Karla Rogalski

Looking back, Karla, was there a key moment when you thought, “We’re really making an impact here”?

I think, as Jason said, having been through this before, most of us have been there as customers ourselves. We have empathy for what they’re going through. But we just got in there and started doing things. They had all these documents that needed to be done, and no one had gotten to them yet—maybe because they were working on other things. We divided up the work and started showing progress, which was the big thing. There were so many pieces, it was hard to see movement on individual tasks.

Jason: The team needed a win. They’d been at it for over a year, maybe closer to 18 months, and needed to see results. Money was being spent, activity was happening, but the pieces weren’t coming together. That was a big thing—getting traction and showing things were happening. Also, experience was key. The Vervint team had practical, real-world experience working in those functional areas, not just technical know-how. That made it easier to relate and recommend the best way to do things, not just one way. We realized we needed to make the effort smaller, instead of trying to bring up our two largest locations at the same time. I prefer starting with a pilot, learning quickly, and scaling from there. So, we re-architected to get that quick win and show progress. From the time Karla and Robert joined in March/April, we went live by July 1st with the first location.

00:16:37–00:20:46 Karla Rogalski and Jason Thompson

Karla: Once we decided to split out the two sites, that first site was brought up quickly. People were tired—they’d been at it for a long time, sitting in the project room day after day. There was work happening but not the progress toward the finish line. Splitting into two sites helped people feel a sense of completeness and see that things were moving forward.

Jessica: Implementation fatigue is real, especially in ERP projects when people are trying to do it alongside their regular jobs. The longer the project goes on, the worse that fatigue gets. It’s important to push the reset button and get new energy to change momentum and pace. Pairing back priorities and shifting direction helped move the project toward completion. As the project progressed, people started to think about life after implementation and its impact on day-to-day operations.

00:22:07–00:26:03 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

Let’s talk about the goals, results, and post-implementation outcomes that excited your team or that you capitalized on after going live.

Jason: Before going live, I sat down with the president and senior VP of finance and told them to think beyond the next six months or year—to look at two or three years ahead. There would be efficiencies and we’d need to consider shared services and possible consolidation in management. It’s an evolutionary process, but it started internally. One of the first things we focused on was customer service—consolidating it into one group and streamlining processes. Next, we tackled finance in our shared services model, which brought cost savings and performance improvements. As we went through the process, we uncovered “skeletons” in legacy systems—like our TMS—that revealed opportunities for shipping cost improvements. Shared services continued to expand through finance, AP, AR, General Ledger, and legal consolidations. These cascading benefits all stemmed from the original vision, and some value was unexpected—cost savings and performance improvements internally.

00:26:14–00:31:27 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

You mentioned that one main driver for the transformation was customer impact. You just talked about internal benefits—what changes did customers experience as a result of the new system?

Jason: When I first came to the company, I heard a story that helped trigger this transformation. One of our top three customers, who’d been with us a long time, told a salesperson, “You and the other sales guys should share calendars—I’ve already seen two others from your company today.” Back then, we were a collection of brands. Another complaint was that customers had to send multiple POs when purchasing parts or equipment. After the transformation, that same customer was happy to hear we’d moved to shared services. Now, they have one sales representative and submit a single PO for multiple items. We can accept POs electronically and have OCR and web capabilities for online purchases—a big shift from three years ago. It’s been gratifying to hear customers say, “You listened and wanted to be a better partner. It took some time, but you got there.” That’s something to be proud of.

00:31:35–00:32:46 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

Were there any unexpected benefits or outcomes from the project?

Jason: The shared services model went deeper than expected—we were able to merge two businesses into one, consolidating management structures. That happened within the last quarter or two and has made a difference for our customers and alignment. It’s more organizational, but having the foundation in place let us do this effectively.

00:32:55–00:34:12 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

Let’s talk about the ongoing partnership—why Vervint, and how has it made a difference at Marmon?

Jason: What brought Vervint in was a combination of experience and a client-centric approach. Karla and the team had practical experience in different work streams and functions, aligning that with technology. Karla didn’t just say, “Do your documents this way,” but understood why and offered ideas, not a cookie-cutter approach. That understanding of our differences and needs—sometimes our “secret sauce” for customers—helped make the difference.

00:34:22–00:37:33 Jessica Boucher, Karla Rogalski, and Jason Thompson

Karla, what would you say to other companies facing similar challenges?

Karla: The “why” is important. You only know what you know—you were an expert with your previous ERP, but now things will work differently. Change is uncomfortable, and you want to keep doing things the same way. Our job is to understand the “why”—is it just because that’s how you’ve always done it? Is there another way to achieve your goal? Sometimes it’s not just about doing whatever the customer asks. You may push back and say, “I understand your recommendation, but we’ll go this way.” Challenge the task and really understand the reason behind it. It’s one thing to demo functionality, but another to realize someone has to do this 40 hours a week—how can we streamline it for the user?

Jason: I’d add that the Vervint team was unique in focusing on outcomes. Many times, users say, “This is how I want it designed,” but the question should be, “What’s your end result?” There may be easier ways to achieve the same outcome. That challenge—almost like constructive criticism—is important. Understand what you’re trying to accomplish, and let us show you a better way.

00:37:36–00:42:10 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

That really keys into the Vervint approach: being human-centered, leading with empathy and industry experience, and making recommendations that are easy, efficient, and sustainable—even in complex, challenging environments. It’s great that this was successful at Marmon and made a lasting impact. So, what’s next for Marmon on its digital journey?

Jason: As we finish 2025, our focus is on continuous improvement—process and system improvements, expanding business intelligence and data analytics, EDI onboarding with more customers, and supplier collaboration. Out of go-live, you can’t cover everything—there’s never enough time or money. The key is hitting the big things and handling the rest through ongoing improvement. For 2026, we’re expanding functionality, tackling additional modules like PLM (we still have some legacy systems to clean up), consolidating more locations and subsystems, and expanding our e-commerce technology with OrbitView for weights, dimensions, and pictures, plus advanced planning and forecasting. Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, we’re exploring emerging technologies—artificial intelligence for chatbots and diagnostics, predictive analytics for forecasting trends and behaviors, and new business models like subscription-based services. Technology and our customers are evolving, and we’re staying agile to meet their needs.

00:42:27–00:48:48 Jessica Boucher and Jason Thompson

It sounds like the system has really propelled your business, enabling things like subscription billing and predictive analytics that weren’t possible before. As we wrap up, Jason, are there any key takeaways you’d like to share with our listeners?

Jason: There are three main things. First: Data, data, data. As I’ve worked with different companies, I always ask about their data—sometimes it’s fine, but often it’s inconsistent or incomplete. The sooner you harmonize and clean up your data, the easier everything will be. Second: The speed of transformation is delicate. Installing a new business system is not linear—unlike building a factory, it touches every customer, vendor, and process. It’s tempting to go fast, but be methodical and let the organization absorb the changes. You can’t cover everything, so focus on the big things before going live; it’s harder to address them afterward. Third: Roadmap. We had a high-level roadmap, but you need to be realistic about your organization’s capacity and budget. The more aligned your roadmap is with what you can deliver, the better. So, get started on data early and often, be mindful about your transformation speed, and have a realistic roadmap.

00:48:54–00:51:30 Jessica Boucher, Jason Thompson, and Karla Rogalski

I always caution customers to be prepared, commit fully, and begin with the end in mind, breaking projects into bite-sized chunks for quick wins. ERP implementations are big and transformative, and it’s important to do them well.

Jason: Start small—it doesn’t have to be big to be impactful. Proof of concept or pilot projects allow you to learn, refine, and then scale up. We’ve seen more success with this approach than just “go, go, go.” It ties into the roadmap and transformation speed—don’t be afraid to start small, you’ll catch up on the back end.

Karla: People often get hung up on needing to do everything at once and having all the answers before starting. That’s just not the case—start small, try things, tweak, and keep moving forward. Don’t wait until you know everything. Things will change during the project—business may change, acquisitions, divestitures—so your starting roadmap won’t be where you end up. Start small, do a pilot, test, tweak, and then roll out larger. Data is critical, especially when consolidating multiple ERP systems with duplicate or missing data. You can start cleaning data even before the implementation project.

00:51:30–00:52:32 Jason Thompson and Karla Rogalski

Jason: That’s a great point, Karla. I’d also recommend setting up master data governance early. If you ask what we did right by accident, that was one. The company decided early on to harmonize data and make data-driven decisions, treating data like the holy grail. That’s paid off—not just for cleaning and harmonizing, but for adding more functionality and maintaining data standards over time.

00:52:43–00:52:57 Jessica Boucher

Excellent. I’d like to thank our guests Jason Thompson from Marmon and Karla Rogalski from Vervint for joining us on 10,000 Feet, the Vervint Podcast.

00:52:57–end Jessica Boucher

And thank you to our listeners for joining us today. Please connect with us on LinkedIn and keep an eye out for new episodes of 10,000 Feet, the Vervint Podcast. Thanks, everyone.