Choosing the wrong system will lead to almost certain failure. But choosing the wrong implementation team can also kill project success, even if the right system is chosen. And, contrary to popular believe, many times your software vendor’s professional services team is not the best choice for implementation services. This post outlines the reasons why.
One of the most rapidly growing new entrants to the ERP market is Acumatica. In this post we identify three characteristics of Acumatica that are somewhat novel in the ERP world: its OEM strategy, industry editions, and multiple deployment options. Although Acumatica may be unnecessarily limiting itself to small companies, we think buyers may want to give it a look.
Small business doesn’t always mean simple business. Like larger companies, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) need to reach new markets, develop new products, satisfy customers, and control costs. The main difference is that SMBs need to do these things with fewer resources. In recent years, software vendors have announced new products to address the challenges facing small businesses. This post outlines two of them.
Traditional providers of ERP systems typically sought to expand their functional footprint to include complementary applications outside of core ERP. Now cloud ERP vendors are adopting a similar strategy, bringing significant benefits to buyers.
Oracle took another step in its strategy of growth by acquisition by announcing a bid for NetSuite. But apart from helping Oracle in its race with Salesforce.com to get to $10 billion in cloud revenues, what are the benefits of the deal to Oracle? How does it help NetSuite, and what does it mean to the broader marketplace? Looking at the big picture, there are certainly benefits, but there are also several concerns.
Plex Systems, a long time cloud ERP provider, primarily to automotive and industrial suppliers, has recently been expanding its focus to the food and beverage sector. This post outlines the capabilities of Plex for food and beverage manufacturers along with steps that it is taking to better serve this industry. Selective in Industry Focus Starting […]
Deming wrote, “Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.” By this he meant that business leaders should engage employees positively in continuous improvement. But when it comes to business leaders themselves, fear can be a powerful motivator. And, nowhere is a healthy fear more needed than in ERP implementation.
When implementing new enterprise systems, business process improvement should be done in parallel. Doing all of one before the other—whether process improvement first, or system implementation first—will result in failure. This post explains why.
Earlier this month, the jury reached its verdict in the Oracle v. Rimini Street lawsuit, a closely-watched case involving third-party maintenance (3PM) in the enterprise software industry. Assuming the jury’s verdict stands up against potential appeals, the case sets an important precedent for how 3PM providers should operate to ensure they are not violating the intellectual property rights of the software owners. We expect customer use of third-party maintenance will increase as a result of this verdict.
Sage is one of the world’s largest providers of business applications for small and midsize organizations. Now in the cloud it has taken a big step forward, launching Sage Live, a built-from-scratch accounting system on the Salesforce.com platform. This post outlines key features of Sage Live, the challenges it faces, and recommendations for potential buyers.