Although we work with all commercial software applications we have particular experience and knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. History shows that buying, configuring and implementing ERP systems presents particular challenges. Given that a significant number of ERP projects flounder or fail completely, if you’re involved in an ERP system you can use our experience to reduce the risk in your project. So how can we help?
If you’re buying an ERP system you need to know that all ERP systems are not equal! It’s vitally important to understand what you’re trying to achieve with the system and to specify this in an unambiguous way so that potential suppliers can understand your requirements and put forward meaningful proposals. More detail on how we help our clients to be good buyers of ERP systems is all covered by our system acquisition services.
You should also consider your business processes when buying a new ERP system. Implementing a new ERP system without considering the underlying processes is a lost opportunity. There is no point specifying a system to work with flawed processes, or processes that you are going to change. Again, we can help you with this, either facilitating your own team or managing the exercise on your behalf using our process design services.
Having made your choice of system it’s crucial to negotiate a sensible deal. But what is a sensible deal? There are licences to buy, plus maintenance agreements, professional services contracts and a myriad of other things to get right. Here we can bring years of experience to the table. We know from experience the likely pitfalls, what represents a decent commercial proposition and we can negotiate effectively on your behalf. But price isn't everything. As with any IT project you should aim to enter into a robust but balanced agreement with your supplier. We negotiate such agreements frequently and our contract negotiation service is designed to deliver an effective contract combined with a competitive commercial proposition.
Perhaps you have already purchased your system and feel the need for effective project management. Most purchasers don’t have a qualified ‘ERP-aware’ project manager on standby to coordinate internal activities properly and to work with the supplier. Part of being a good buyer of information systems is taking responsibility for the result and that means planning the implementation in detail. Our clients tend to implement systems infrequently and so it’s unsurprising that they could use some help. Our project management service can provide you with an experienced, knowledgeable project manager for just as long as you need it, and no longer.
Maybe you’re part way through an implementation and things aren’t going as well as you would like. Typical symptoms include over-expenditure against budget with the system only partially installed, suppliers losing interest in the project and disillusioned users wishing they had never started the process. Here our project rescue service may be of interest to you. Failing projects can often be rescued with input from experienced consultants and the presence of a third-party, who can stand between the customer and supplier and kick-start flagging projects.
Of course not all projects can be rescued. If you have suffered loss and believe that the supplier has been negligent you may be considering seeking legal redress. In these unfortunate circumstances you will almost certainly require the services of an expert witness. Our deep knowledge of the process of purchasing, contracting for and implementing ERP systems gives us the perfect background to act as experts in such matters. Click here for more information on our expert witness service.