Even with the best-laid plan, the rolling out of a P-Card might still go south. “Years of experience have taught me that there are certain things that need to be in place for a P-Card implementation to be a success,” says Anita Carolus-Opperman, Nedbank Corporate Card National Sales Manager.
When clients want to implement a P-Card programme in their organisation, Carolus-Opperman suggests that they keep a few dos and don’ts in mind to help the process and ensure success.
The most important dos are:
1. Ensure transparency.
2. Draw up a realistic implementation plan.
3. Have management drive it from the top down.
4. Communicate changes within the company.
5. Ensure enough time for change management.
6. Assign a dedicated card administrator within the company.
7. Implement a small number of cards and run a three-to-four-month pilot to eliminate any obstacles before full rollout.
The most important don’ts are:
1. Do not implement all cards at the same time.
2. Do not exclude important divisions in the company such as IT and HR.
3. Do not assume that all stakeholders within the business have accepted the change without proper change management.
4. Do not expect the card programme to run smoothly and be understood by cardholders without a card policy document.
This list is not exhaustive and is merely a best-practise guideline identified through past implementations,Carolus-Opperman has been involved in. Each organisation has its own structure and requirements, and therefore each new client needs to do an in-depth analysis to ensure that all aspects are covered and the implementation runs as smoothly as possible.
For more information on how a P-Card programme can benefit your company and how to ensure a successful implementation contact Anita Carolus-Opperman at AnitaCarolusO@nedbank.co.za.
