A few simple (but often disregarded) tips on buying a new ERP system

A while ago, I came across a saying that in my opinion encompasses the meaning of life: The beauty of things lies in simplicity and purity. Although not equally poetic, the same principle applies to ERP systems as well. But since this is not a philosophical corner, let us focus on our subject that is none other than how you can choose the right ERP system for your business and set the foundations for a smooth and proper installation.

Actually, buying an ERP system is quite similar to shopping for groceries. If you haven’t made a list of all the things you need to buy, then you’ll most probably end up missing some. So, as a first step, prepare a list of the needs that the ideal ERP system should address.

During your market research, make sure to ask all the right questions. When presented with an offer, ask yourselves: Do I really need this product? Is this the right solution for my needs? Will it deliver all that is promising? Will it be easy to use? Do not allow a skilled salesperson talk you into buying a product that does not meet your requirements. Letting a pretty face, a couple of compliments or a friendly approach cloud your judgment can actually cost you a lot.

Finally, do not evaluate the proposed ERP solutions solely based on their cost. If you were buying a car, for example, wouldn’t you care for horsepower, safety, comfort, after-sales service etc? Similarly, when deciding on a new ERP system, you need to come up with a broader set of criteria that will include the cost – obviously – but other factors as well, such as the total amount of time required for deployment, the training process, the human resources that you’ll have to allocate for this project, any disruptions to your business daily operations, how quickly your ERP system will become effective after it’s put into operation, and so on.