September 2, 2011 at 11:02 am
Hi
We have just started to "explore" possible replacement ERP systems and wondered what experiences you have with Tier 2 ERP systems and vendors (do vendors still sell snake oil?)
Not asking anyone to "name and shame" on a public forum...just a few thoughts for consideration.
for example:
does the system (or module) do what the salesperson / consultant said it would?...or are you faced with a series of workarounds?
does it perform acceptably and is the coding efficient (or is full of "lumps and curses")...particularly vendors "custom code"
do the "consultants" really know what they are doing, or do they spend most of the day in contact with HeadOffice when dealing with problems?
...and so on
There is a huge amount of information available on the web (Google > ERP > 64M results.....I have read a few !)
But I would like to hear from SSC members who may be at the sharp end.
We are fully aware of the size of the task and the required methodologies...spose what I am really asking for is your "ERP horror story"
thanks.
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you can lead a user to data....but you cannot make them think
and remember....every day is a school day
September 2, 2011 at 11:32 am
The most important part is to know what you expect from an ERP in terms of functionality.
Then try to find the vendor that best fit your requirements with the least overhead of "add-ons".
There's at least one vendor out there that designed the modules in a way that it'll meet 80% of your requirements. To get 100% you'll need at least three or four more modules. After a while the sales rep will show up and talk management into another functionality, because "part of it is already installed" (= stuff that came with the additional modules you weren't looking for in the beginning). Once manamgement is convinced, they tell the truth: "Well, the stuff you have will cover about 80% of what you need. In order to have full functionality, you'll need..." you guessed it right: "three or four more modules".
Another issue you'll need to be aware of is the licencing model: There are models available based on total users (whether they logged in once a year or every day), concurrent users or almost any other model you can think of (except flatrates AFAIK).
The next item on the list would be: ask for at least three companies using the same ERP system. The companies should be of similar size using the system to a similar extent. Try to talk to those folks directly without the sales rep being part of it. Talk to end users, system admins (or whoever's responsible in-house to keep the stuff running). Ask the end users if they can do their daily business just with the system or if they're running multiple ACCESS and/or EXCEL solutions aside just because the system is not capable of doing it and the adjustment would be just too costly.
Try to find a way around the usual trap:
Due to the effort and money involved management usually doesn't approve a trial system (nor do the vendors like to provide one). And once the system is in the house, noone will admit it's been a failure, again due to the money involved. Therefore, from my point of view the plain number of customers is a totally useless figure.
Invest the money into the research of lawsuits the vendor has been involved that did or didn't make it to court and the reasons behind it. You might be surprised...
September 2, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Thanks Lutz
Ask the end users if they can do their daily business just with the system or if they're running multiple ACCESS and/or EXCEL solutions aside just because the system is not capable of doing it and the adjustment would be just too costly.
This is exactly where we are now.....hopefully we can minimise such solutions if we change systems...but that is for today, tomorrow the users want something else!
With this in mind, a system that provides unobfuscated access to the underlying schema/data will score higher in my mind.
Due to the effort and money involved management usually doesn't approve a trial system (nor do the vendors like to provide one). And once the system is in the house, noone will admit it's been a failure, again due to the money involved.
I always argue that a trial system is required...the cost of a trial in relation to the woes / additional costs / user apathy etc and potential loss of revenue that result from a poor decision / implementation, are relatively small in relation to the overall project costs.
Also a trial will immediately get more attention from end users, than a consultation with them prior to an ITT/RFI doc, will ever do.
________________________________________________________________
you can lead a user to data....but you cannot make them think
and remember....every day is a school day
September 2, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Wow!
I hope you can continue using this methodology (from unobfuscated access to the trial system to the concept how to involve the end users). It's the right way to go, but rare to see in practice. Good luck with it!! Honestly.
September 2, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Lutz ...thanks for the good wishes….. time will tell whether my views on such a project ever see the light of day 🙂
Project management / managing expectations / business politics / fear of change / ROI / ....yadda. yadda….all play a significant role in such a project.
However, we still need to find a business solution provider that can clearly understand our requirements, our current inefficiencies and provide (at a cost) a solution that delivers what the business deems to be required to maintain sustainabilty and increase profitability over the next n years
I am by nature, sceptical of salespersons promises and sometimes disillusioned by the underlying app code delivered by so called "experts".
For whatever reasons, management buy into a “solution” and then wonder why the so called "wonder system" that they have purchased ..fails to deliver the benefits they expected.....this is a topic in itself ( and not the subject of the post)
...at which point, the responsibility seems to miraculously transfer to my team of ICT support ...ffs !!
..and for these reasons, my post was to ask for some pointers, based on users experiences, of where things may have gone wrong.
________________________________________________________________
you can lead a user to data....but you cannot make them think
and remember....every day is a school day
September 18, 2011 at 9:58 pm
I think it first comes down to requirements and what the 'price range' is. Network with people in your industry within the region and find out what they use and why, recommendations, etc...
Having been on product selections for about 11 years now, I would suggest that you script the product demos in a strict manner. I also recommend a one rep per group if you vote on product selection. We have a manager where I work who will load product selections will all of their team members so that their vote will carry the selection. A solution is an expert panel using the delphi method, which everyone sees the comments on the product, but not the person who posted them.
The first line of code starts with coffee. The last line ends with alcohol.
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