Essential questions to find your perfect ERP partner

Sure, big multinational corporates have their place, but they can also be a little out of touch with our business needs down here on the upside down of the world. Be sure to dig around in the history of your future ERP partner. Figure out where they’ve worked, who they’ve partnered with, and what kinds of projects they have experience handling. 

We really can’t overstate it: Be confident that your ERP partner has enough similar industry experience to understand your business, work seamlessly in your company culture, and deliver the specific kind of support you need. If there’s a mismatch, then you’ll soon notice the friction. 

Find out how many recent sales they have made of the solution. This will tell you if the ERP vendor is still relevant and your business peers are selecting to invest with them. 

They should be able to point to businesses that you recognise and offer up case studies relevant to your situation. 

Always enquire about project management capacity and current capabilities to run this project in relation to other customer engagements. Forgetting this question could mean delays, complications, and wasted time negotiating project details – something that we’d all rather avoid. 

If your partner doesn’t come back with the response you wanted, dig a little deeper to figure out why. Is your deadline reasonable? Are they offering an alternative timeframe? Pay special attention to how clearly they communicate with you, and whether they approach things from a customer-centric perspective. 

Want to take this question even further? Try asking → How will your project methodology and project governance ensure that we stay within our expected time and budget restrictions? 

This will give you a peek behind the curtain about how they manage big projects. For example, at Fusion5, we take a one-size-does-not-fit-all approach – so no matter how complex your needs, we’ll help find the right solution for you.  

Ideally, you want to have locally based technical consultants, functional experts, solution architects, and project managers. They will be more likely to understand regional nuances, regulatory requirements, and provide more comprehensive on-site support during your transition phases. 

While it’s not always necessary to have every representative of the team available on-site every day, a local presence will go a long way over the course of your project. With so many moving parts involved with an ERP implementation, having support on the ground (and in the same time zone!) makes a huge difference. 

Don’t get left hanging when the work is only half-complete! The ERP journey doesn’t end after implementation. Great partners will build in exercises like benefits realisation initiatives and continuous improvement strategies to their ERP support plan. 

Be sure that your vendor or partner is committed to helping you achieve long-term success. There will always be tweaks to make down the line, challenges to address, and crucial decision points to navigate. Having a partner that sees the holistic journey of ERP – and wants to see you thrive years down the line – is going to make your transition so much more valuable for your business. 

Add the above questions to your investigation arsenal and get a better grasp of how your potential new ERP partner works – and whether they have the local experience to deliver long-term value to your business. 

If you’re ready to start talking to the right people, reach out to us at Fusion5. We’ll help you figure out which ERP will work best for your business now and in the future.