If you are shopping for accounting or enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, I hope you’ve gotten past seeing the sizzling demo and buying from the most insistent salesperson. You know that your company-specific requirements are much more important than seeing flashy elements of what someone else wants to make important to you. I don’t even need to bring that up right?
Here are six additional tips for helping you find the best ERP software reseller:
1. Your ERP requirements are key.
I’ll say it again: Knowing your company’s requirements is a key first step to determining which ERP vendor and product will work best for you. Document your requirements so that you can make your most important needs the focus of any potential vendor presentations.
A good partner will ask about your requirements and present based on those needs. A vendor who does not listen to your requirements or offer the solutions you requested is probably not the right partner.
2. References matter.
Check references in a meaningful way. Talk to the references you are given, but work hard to get your own independent references too. This means that part of your research should be done through tools such as LinkedIn as well as talking to friends or acquaintances who have implemented accounting software at their business.
Get an objective opinion on how the potential vendor can do not only the easy part (financial modules and integrations) but also the more difficult aspects of an ERP implementation, such as project accounting and distribution modules.
3. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Most partners can be rock stars at the financial modules and integrations. That’s the easy first step so don’t be too impressed.
Instead, look for the partners who communicate with written status reports and actually finish the job — in other words, partners who can manage the harder parts at the end, such as distribution modules, screen and report customizations and project modules. This attention to key details and follow-through is what will really help improve your business.
4. Project management can make or break your implementation.
Make sure your potential partner can manage a project well from beginning to end. See Beth Steinkopf’s three-part blog on how to manage a financial software implementation project for more tips on this part of the process.
5. Easier is not always better.
Look for a partner who wants to make your business better, not just bill hours. If you get the sense that the partner is discouraging you from trying anything hard, run away! This is a red flag, signaling a partner who is not willing to do the nitty gritty work to make sure your implementation is successful.
6. Get your own staff involved.
In addition to choosing a high-quality ERP vendor, make sure that you provide adequate internal resources to the project. Your staff can help you select the best partner, and they will be more likely to work with a partner whom they agree is an asset to the process. Plus, the more involved your staff is in the implementation process, the more likely they are to understand the system and quickly become self-sufficient.
Finding the right partner to help you implement your new financial accounting software is crucial to the project’s success. To see if we are a good fit for your organization’s needs, contact us at 763-412-4300 or email info@boyerassoc.com.
