As an ERP expert, it is quite clear to me that even the best systems will fail miserably if they don't possess talent. Don't even bother to select and implement an ERP system if you don't have the "right" people on the bus. Start with executive support and continue on down through every position – everything is a team effort.
We cannot tell you how many clients call thinking they need a new system to support their business when it isn't true! Certainly there is a time to upgrade to a new system - when you've outgrown your old one (often-times QuickBooks with add-on's like Fishbowl), your old system is highly customized and unsustainable or you are in the midst of a merger or acquisition.
ERP systems often fail to live up to their promise - even in the best of circumstances. It is a tough environment - software suppliers are consolidating, the smaller ones can disappear or get gobbled up in a moment's notice, good resources are hard to find, and the list goes on.
If there was ever a subject that couldn't be impacted in a week, it is ERP. With that said, I take that as a challenge and have come up with action items.
ACE(SM) is a tested proprietary process that helps companies align critical success factors with business processes and supplier partnerships to achieve endgame results through improved ERP selection and design.
After partnering with dozens of clients to help them select the “right” system that best fits their business requirements and partnering with many more to design the “right” processes in conjunction with their systems and people to achieve their objectives, it is clear that ERP success has little to do with systems!
Throw best practices out the window! Many systems tout that their system has “best practice processes” and so everyone should conform to it. Not if you want to stand out from the crowd.
I've always focused part of my business on ERP selection projects as these leverage the unique combination of my strengths — understanding the cross-functional and cross-organizational view in combination with the strategic priorities to identify the critical success factors. We then align these factors with the optimal business process [...]
In today's Amazon-impacted world, if you cannot make rapid yet effective decisions, you'll be left in the dust.
Since I've been working on several ERP selection and design projects lately, it has reminded me of how challenging these projects can be. It is no wonder 80% of them fail!
