ERP Software Implementation is scary!
Posted by Lisa Toner on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 @ 04:38 PM
It’s no secret that implementing business management software is a scary and daunting process. There are so many things that can go wrong. So many questions need to be answered. Which software will fit your requirements? Which vendor will match your organizations personality? How long will it take? And of course the biggest stress, how much will it cost?
The benefits of an ERP system will almost always outweigh the initial fear and stress of the implementation. However, many people will question that and so they should. ERP is infamous. Anything you hear in the news about ERP is about the catastrophic failures that cost companies millions of dollars, ended in law suits and ultimately non-functioning software. These stories are very hard to ignore – and that is why Plus is going to embrace them and use them to our advantage.
According to Gartner, 52.7% of all ERP projects cost 187% of the original estimate. How would you like to know without a shadow of doubt, that the project will not cost you a cent over the original quote? Would you have more confidence in the implementation if you had that guarantee? At Plus, all of our projects are priced at a fixed-fee. We are firm believers in value-pricing. We price a project according to the value it will add to your organization. It could take weeks or months to complete, time is obsolete at Plus. We focus on the results, and the results are what you pay for.
Now what about these law suits. The SAP and Deloitte Consulting lawsuit in 2010 alleged that Deloitte committed fraud and “misrepresented its skills and experience.” – Not very pleasant. In the 2009 Epicor V Ferazzoli Imports of New England lawsuit, it was alleged that Epicor's system never worked as intended or promised. The initial payment was US$184,443.61. To date they have paid US$224,656.42 (including the additional software and services meant to make the system operate properly). That’s enough to put anyone off!
What if I said you could receive up to and including 100% money-back guaranteed should you not be completely satisfied with the service provided – without going to court? Would that instill confidence in you that the company you had partnered with had integrity and stood behind their work? We have that guarantee here at Plus!
In 2010, SAP again, sued by Lumber Liquidators. The Problems appeared to be largely related to employees having trouble acclimating to the new system, versus malfunctions in the software itself. This one could have easily been avoided with full training and support for the client and all of its employees. Ongoing support is a must as employees get used to the new system. Plus has the only fully-staffed telephone support centre in British Columbia for Sage 300 ERP (Formerly Accpac). We have guaranteed response times and our technical support rep is the most beloved employee at Plus – as voted by our loyal customers.
Well I think that might be enough bragging for now, but why not see for yourself? If you are considering an ERP implementation but are suffering from a lack of confidence due to all of the horror stories you have undoubtedly heard or read, why not get the Plus Confidence Boost. It is an ERP Impact Assessment and completely product agnostic.
Before you dive in, find out the value of an ERP system to your organization.
As I mentioned, we price our projects based on the value it will add to your organization. If we find no value, or if we don’t think we would be a good fit, we will tell you. That is our company policy. Honesty, Integrity, Reliability and Confidence that everything is a match for a long-term partnership.
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