Advantages of an ERP Partner Over an ERP Professional

Once you have decided to adopt an ERP solution for your organization, the next big question is how to implement it. It should be clear to everyone that implementing ERP at established companies is a demanding task. Some companies have run into losses because of inadequate ERP planning. No company wants to incur losses with a system that is meant to improve profitability, yet this happens when companies underestimate the complexities involved in ERP.

Below are a few points that show where an ERP partner is better positioned than a single ERP expert.

Organizational Competencies

Often it is not the technical aspects but the non-technical ones that create hurdles during implementation. An ERP partner brings the organizational structure and processes that need to be followed for a smooth ERP transition. A partner also has experience implementing ERP across a number of other companies, so it can pass on the rich learnings it has acquired along the way. A hired expert, by contrast, typically does not drive the structural and process changes that need to happen. A partner can view your company from a wider vantage point and guide you on its strengths and weaknesses and how to improve, a perspective that is hard to expect from internal resources alone.

Speedy Implementation

When you hand the project to an ERP partner, you can set documented timelines and even add penalties if those timelines are not met, which is difficult to do with a hired individual. Partners also have quality resources and the experience to complete projects on schedule, so you can be confident the project will run according to the agreed guidelines.

Defined Accountability

When a project gets delayed, a blame game often starts among an organization's IT leaders, executives, and engineers, with nobody willing to take responsibility or fix the issues. With a partner, you have a single point of contact (SPOC) to approach for any issue, so you can be assured the project will run according to your vision.