There are times, hopefully, in the life of every small company when it has to develop far beyond its current abilities and technology. At the point where the use of independent software packages for business management such as Quickbooks and Excel is inadequate for business needs that something new must be done. And this is where the selection of company resource planning systems must be considered.
The right ERP selection is a monumental interest. Whether you or your staff are good at buying management software or not, you must continue carefully and with existing plans. The ERP you choose will have a long impact on your company's success and future. Hopefully the tips we provide will give you a guide to help you through this process.
Tips #1: Provider
You will want to judge the current and future feasibility of the software provider itself. What are their current financial situations and organizations? Are they and will they compete in the long -term market? And you will want to get some ideas about their abilities and desires to invest in future research and product development and support for their current product suites.
Tips #2: The product itself
The product you choose can not only do everything you need, but can do the things you need later. It must be able to grow and adapt to and with your needs. Also, what services are provided together with ERP products and to help the ability to adapt.
Tips #3: customer feedback
One interesting thing you want to know about the potential of your ERP provider is how open they are to your feedback. Do they listen to their markets and are they open to advice on new products and services, as well as the addition of the current one? This is important because it shows more flexibility for the future.
Tip #4: Vertical Growth
You will want to see how software providers see their own growth, and how he will grow together with customers and IT service industries. Often, a good indicator is when you can find that the ERP system provider takes an active role in the discussion forum and the user group related to their products.
Tips #5: Prices and Features
Obviously, you want to choose a series of software that is competitive. But you also want to see how well the company presents its product. How do they show features and capabilities? This is not only an indicator of how they see their software, but also how they can see the future too.
Tips #6: Direct Support
You will want to know how the company will support you. Because with this and complex system, you will need a constant flow of support, this cannot be avoided and actually, a good thing. Whether the company provides direct support, whether they have certified partners, and how much is related.
Tips #7: Records
This is arguably one of the most important factors to consider. You want to know exactly how the company's performance and its products are. What is their true support for others, are they responsive? Are their delays in improving and patching? The best way to find out this is to find references. There is no better evaluation than what customers already do.
This is part of the selection process that you might have to do yourself. Of course, you want to get an understanding of how ERP software providers will treat you after your initial purchase and installation. This info has been recommended above.
However, this is where your plan must consider the growth that you project and your own future needs. You will want to know what types and quality of training will be available for your staff. You also want to know how many and what type of third party resources are available to help support you.