The first part of a series on how to see through the smoke and mirrors sales tactics in assessing your vendor RFP, vendor selection, and early stages of your SAP, ERP, or IT project. Details of strategies and approaches to neutralize these vendor tactics are defined so that you get the absolute BEST RESULTS from the BEST RESOURCES anyone can provide.
10 steps to reduce the vendor proposal shell games and sales tactics that prevent you from achieving the best possible results. Tactics, strategies, and techniques for getting past the sales pitches to the substance of the proposal and selecting the best possible IT system vendor for the best possible project results.
Your company’s SAP or ERP business case should start before your RFP, not just at a high level. Before ever issuing an SAP RFP, you need to take some time up front to get educated and develop some key understanding. Educated software buyers are more sophisticated in their research, and the more sophisticated you are, the better results you will receive. The more educated you are: The better the quality of the ERP RFI or RFP, The better choice you will make at vendor selection, The more objectiv [...]
In many cases, those pushing for a new ERP system are comparing the worst of the current environment to an idealistic ERP concept. Sometimes the best way to avoid a train wreck is not to get on the train. In other words, do you really need a new ERP system, and if so, is now the right time to proceed? Performing an honest and thorough assessment of business needs and alternatives is an important part of taking ownership in the ERP business case. These questions are not popular to ERP enthusiast [...]
You really have to wonder: Does any organization spend millions of dollars on SAP (or any other software) with the goal of failing? The scope of a typical ERP project impacts almost every aspect of the organization, and the implementation risks are real. Often, an actual project's timeline far exceeds the original schedule. The cost of consulting services alone can grow four to five times the cost of the ERP software (with even greater upside risk potential). However, we have all heard the horr [...]
For years, CIOs have been under pressure to cut costs, improve operational efficiencies, and automate the enterprise. CIOs who implement SAP have largely been effective at streamlining the back office. They have also succeeded at optimizing the extended supply chain because SAP supports execution activities well, therefore reducing costs. However, times are changing. For IT and SAP to successfully grow revenue and profitability, a business needs to understand where technology fits into the puzz [...]
