Strengthened programme control during a critical ERP delivery
Improved business readiness and adoption
Created more consistent finance processes
Reduced migration and cutover risk
Great work, thank you. Mel has been instrumental in this programme.
Anonymous
Define it
Audley Travel, a leading luxury travel specialist, embarked on a significant ERP implementation as part of its Future Finance Programme. The programme was designed to streamline financial operations, improve business insight and strengthen control across the organisation. As the project moved into its final and most critical phases, Audley Travel recognised that successful delivery would depend not only on the technology itself, but on strong programme leadership, effective change management and clear ownership across business and technical teams.
CI Projects was engaged to provide experienced, independent support to guide the programme through its final stages and ensure a successful transition to the new ERP platform.
Key challenges included:
- The need for clear end-to-end accountability across internal teams, third-party partners and delivery workstreams
- Variability in the quality and consistency of business processes, particularly across Procure-to-Pay (P2P)
- A requirement for stronger change management, stakeholder engagement and adoption planning
- Risks around data migration, testing and cutover that required close coordination and assurance
- Limited visibility of how benefits would be measured and sustained beyond implementation.
Improve it
CI Projects provided hands-on leadership and specialist capability to stabilise delivery, strengthen governance and prepare the organisation for go-live. Working closely with Audley Travel, the team established a clear view of the programme’s current state, delivery risks and change impacts across the business. This included:
- Programme Leadership and Oversight – Provided senior transformation leadership, taking accountability for overall delivery and coordinating activities across the Technology Project Manager, system integrator, business analysts, and training provider.
- Process and Business Readiness – A dedicated Process Business Analyst focused on reviewing and optimising key finance processes, initially concentrating on Procure-to-Pay. This ensured that processes were fit-for-purpose, clearly defined, and aligned with how Audley Travel operates.
- Change Management and Engagement – A structured change approach was introduced to build understanding, manage resistance, and support adoption. This included targeted stakeholder engagement, clear communications, and quality assurance for training materials and delivery.
- Data Migration, Testing, and Cutover Assurance – We managed data migration, testing, and cut-over planning, ensuring validation and risk controls were in place for a smooth transition to the new ERP system.
- Benefits Focus – Key measures were defined to track success and ensure the ERP solution delivered against the Future Finance vision, both at go‑live and beyond.
Sustain it
Beyond implementation, CI Projects supported Audley Travel in embedding sustainable ways of working to protect long-term value from the ERP investment. The focus was not only on achieving go-live, but on ensuring that the organisation had the tools, processes and confidence needed to use the new system effectively.
Sustainability was supported through:
- Establishing clear operating procedures by utilising user-friendly Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure consistency across new processes and systems
- Continuous adoption support to help teams build confidence and resolve issues after implementation
- Benefits realisation involving defining performance indicators that track outcomes and identify opportunities for future optimisation
- Strategic alignment, positioning the ERP platform as an enabler of wider business improvement, not just a finance system.
Key benefits
- Maintained control and momentum during a critical phase of ERP delivery
- Reduced risk associated with data migration, testing and cutover activities
- Improved business readiness and adoption through structured change management and training
- Embedded clearer, more consistent finance processes, including Procure-to-Pay
- Strengthened governance, accountability and delivery oversight across multiple stakeholders and suppliers
- Increased stakeholder confidence during a major organisational transformation
- Established a framework for benefits realisation and continuous improvement
- Created a strong foundation for long-term value from the ERP investment and Future Finance Programme
