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What the ERP Salesman Isn't Telling You.

Sales people always make claims. Know the truth about ERP Selection.

 

We've listed a few of the common ERP sales tactics below. Be prepared to debate these questions with your sales representative to uncover the answers you need to make an insightful ERP decision.

“Let me show you how easy our software is to use.”

    FACT

  • Salespeople or professional demonstrators are trained to present their software to make it appear as easy as possible to use. The truth is that it is impossible to know how easy the software is until you have been using it for over 12 months.

    Ask the customer references you speak to if the system is as easy to use and implement as they originally anticipated.

    • "I will give you three customer references for you to call..."

    FACT

  • Software vendors commonly offer three, carefully selected customer references for you to speak with. What do you learn from speaking to three ecstatic customers? Absolutely nothing!

    A Suggestion:

    Ask for a list of customers in your area that have been using the system for 12+ months, preferably in the same industry (similar requirements) and of a similar size.     From this list you can choose who to speak to, and visit at least one (you might even recognize one). If they do not have customers in your area that meet all the criteria, ask to visit a local customer that is a similar size, and to speak over the phone to a customer in a similar industry (confirming the system has had success in your industry).

    • "Let's schedule a presentation at your facility..."

    FACT

  • All “sales demos” look great. If they didn’t, the software companies would go out of business. The only way to evaluate a system’s suitability is to visit a company that has been using it for at least 12 months.

    Why do you think the salesperson is so anxious to provide a “sales demo”, but not so quick to give you a list of local customers you can speak to?

    • “Our software is being used by thousands of companies....”

    FACT

  • But which trainers will implement the system with you and how much experience do they have? The software may be rated best in the world, but how many companies similar to yours does the VAR
  • have experience with? Would you prefer working with a VAR that could be using your project to gain experience, or do you prefer to work with a VAR that has experience already?

    Also, there may be thousands that own “a version” of the system, but how many are on the version you are being shown? Especially if it is a complete re-write and not tested yet.

    • “We can implement the system for you in three months or less....”

    FACT

  • A software VAR may have an example of a fast implementation, but how much did they pay for services and how complex was that company’s requirements?

    The ERP industry average time to implement is six to twelve months. Ask references how long it took them to implement versus what was promised. The longer it takes to implement, the more it will cost you in lost staff productivity as well as additional training costs.

    • “We have a Fixed Price - Fixed Scope model that you may be interested in....”

    FACT

  • An Enterprise Software implementation should never be a moving target when it comes to budget, but the shear scale of the project makes it very difficult to stick to a fixed price. It is simply unrealistic.

    Often those ERP service companies that offer Fixed Price will either skimp on services as funds decrease or exclude training and other necessary tasks from within the Fixed Price amount. Be very aware when signing these contracts - be certain that all inclusions and exclusions are noted on the contract before signing to ensure that you get what you bargained for.

    • “Our next version has that feature....”

    FACT

  • If the next version does not currently exist, it may never include what you are looking for. Software developers change their Product Road Maps weekly. What is promised today, can change tomorrow, and if the vendors’ next upgrade is a “new technology” complete re-write, the only guarantee you can bank on is that it will be completely different to what you are seeing today.

 

Find the answers and get expert ERP selection advice using the knowledge attained from years of business software experience. For additional information, contact BSA Inc. at info@BSAinc.ca.