The Missing Link: Why Automation Projects Fail Without Proper Client-Side Project Management

The Situation

In automation projects, it often seems like success depends on choosing the right system and vendor. But automation isn't just about technology and vendors—it's also about how the project is organized internally within the company. Without proper internal organization, projects become unmanageable.

One common scenario: the client has no dedicated project manager. No one coordinates internal work, tracks deadlines, engages users, or makes decisions. Another scenario: there's no proper project team, or the team can only dedicate minimal time due to competing operational demands. The project gets managed as an afterthought, with the vendor's only contact being a functional stakeholder already overwhelmed with day-to-day responsibilities.

Under these conditions, project timelines inevitably stretch. Decisions take weeks, questions go unanswered, system testing crawls forward or stops entirely. What should have been a strategic initiative gradually becomes an endless process without meaningful results.

The Core Issue

Automation projects require active client participation at every stage. Without a dedicated project manager, there's no one to organize people, monitor progress, and make decisions. The project becomes secondary to operational priorities, engagement drops, and control is lost.

Vendors cannot compensate for poor client-side management. They can't explain to employees why they need a new system—nor should they. This requires someone internal with authority and business context.

The Consequences

When no one manages the project from the client side, problems surface quickly:

1. Projects drag on because operational tasks always take priority
2. Decision-making slows without an accountable owner maintaining focus
3. Users remain disengaged from testing and don't understand how the system will work
4. Vendors become overextended, forced to coordinate client activities on top of implementation work, leading to errors and missed details
5. Post-implementation adoption fails — the system goes unused or is used only superficially
6. Project sponsors lose confidence, concluding the system is flawed when the real problem was poor internal project structure

Real-World Example

An automation project for a large international food producer suffered from missing client-side project management from day one.

The CFO initiated the project but assigned no dedicated project manager or team. All communication flowed through the finance department—just three people: the department head and two key staff members. These individuals were simultaneously handling their full operational workload, so this "strategic" project kept getting pushed aside.

In practice: we'd send requests and wait weeks for responses. To move anything forward, we constantly had to push, remind, and refocus discussions on critical project issues. There was no real project management on their side:

• Status meetings were perfunctory with no meaningful questions
• Senior management showed no interest in project progress
• Critical decisions were delayed for weeks or indefinitely postponed

Every client-side task – testing, approvals, process logic – stalled. As the vendor, we could only go so far without internal leadership. The project dragged on and finished only after a firm deadline was imposed.

The system was technically implemented, but its full potential remained unrealized. Why?

• The work was done almost entirely by the external team.
• There was no internal leadership, user involvement, or ownership.

This case perfectly demonstrates that without dedicated client-side project leadership, even excellent vendors and systems cannot deliver success—because no one can make essential business decisions or ensure organizational readiness.

Red flags

1. No designated project owner on the client side
2. All interaction happens through overloaded functional stakeholders
3. No defined group of key users for testing and adoption
4. No internal oversight of project progress or client obligations

How to Avoid This Mistake

Successful automation requires more than selecting the right system—it demands proper internal project structure with clear roles, responsibilities, and executive support:

1. Appoint a Dedicated Project Manager

Someone who will manage internal processes, make key decisions, and coordinate with vendors.

2. Form a Proper Project Team

Include representatives from business units, IT, and finance who will actively participate. Allocate dedicated time for project work.

3. Establish Clear Project Priority

Leadership must communicate that project participation is strategic work, not extra burden. This priority should cascade to the project team and future users.

4. Define Roles and Responsibilities

Document who owns what in project agreements—contracts, charters, and other formal materials should specify each party's obligations.

5. Monitor Team Engagement

Regular internal meetings and activity tracking help identify and resolve issues quickly.