How to find best Independent ERP Consultant?

ERP projects are continuously run by project managers with little ERP implementation expertise. Many of those project managers refuse to contract with ERP consultants or ERP implementation firms.

As an end result, organizations struggle to implement new  ERP (enterprise resource planning) software. They could struggle to distinguish between numerous ERP vendor proposals, or they could discover it tough to understand the ERP business benefits they expected.

Whatever the struggle, it’s clear that project managers might use third party steering. However, discovering the perfect ERP consultant is not a straightforward task.

7 Tips for Finding the Best
Independent ERP Consultant ​

1. Ensure the Independent ERP Consultant is Technology Agnostic

An independent ERP consultant has no monetary ties to a specific ERP vendor or ERP solutions. The implementation associate is just within the client’s business transformation success.

Preferred partners, however, are tied to particular vendors. In different words, a most popular associate’s revenue model relies on promoting or servicing specific techniques.

This is usually the case with any VAR or large consulting firm specializing in only a few ERP techniques. These ERP software consultants cost primarily based on how lot of financial savings they negotiate on your behalf. This is a rigged strategy that’s simply gamed by ERP vendors.

While it’s your decision a big ERP system, like SAP, Oracle or Microsoft Dynamics, Odoo you shouldn’t rule out different techniques that meet your small business necessities. You’ll by no means know what you’re lacking except you rent an ERP consultant with the liberty to suggest any system.

Another advantage of hiring an independent ERP consultant? Independent companies sometimes have a confirmed ERP negotiation methodology developed from years of expertise with a whole bunch of ERP vendors.

Independence additionally helps guarantee you’re implementing in a method that is smart in your group – not what’s going to generate extra software program gross sales in your consultants.

2. Understand the ERP Consultant’s Methodology

ERP projects include a complex web of non-technical challenges that may make or break your ERP project. Therefore, when evaluating ERP consulting companies, you must perceive their methodologies and where those methodologies come from.

Many consulting companies use canned methodologies from numerous enterprise training organizations. These consulting companies haven’t taken the time to leverage their studies into their very own methodologies.

Your consultant’s methodologies ought to holistically concentrate on people, processes and technology. As more organizations pursue digital transformation reasonably than conventional ERP implementations, the necessity for a holistic strategy is becoming clear.

Organizations are actually partaking in ERP consultants and ERP implementation firms with experience in areas like change management and enterprise process reengineering as a substitute for hiring purely technical consultants who’re specialists in a selected vendor.

However, simply because an ERP consultant says they’ve change management experience, doesn’t imply you need to take their phrase for it. Some ERP consultants have a really myopic view of change management, and they’re more comfortable with actions like software selection.

You also need to think about whether the advisor’s methodology is flexible enough to suit your needs. For instance, some organizations need a business process management strategy that focuses on enhancing particular person processes.

Others want an enterprise process management strategy that focuses on streamlining end-to-end processes. Panorama has experience in each approach.

Does Your Consultant’s Methodology Include These Activities?

• Creating an enterprise case to assist justify the ERP venture
• Obtaining govt and end-user buy-in
• Engaging end-users in software necessities gathering, process mapping and designing future state processes before selection
• Viewing your processes from an outdoor, unbiased perspective to determine alternatives for enhancement
• Helping you ask the proper questions to ensure you’re getting the perfect product match for your enterprise
• Helping you set a sensible project finances and timeline
• Providing sources to make sure your workforce is prepared and capable of make modifications to their everyday routines

3. Look for a Consultant with an Innovative Mindset ​

An ERP project is a good opportunity for innovation. In reality, we’ve discovered that organizations now anticipate more from their technology and need a revolutionary consultant with expertise beyond choice and implementation.

The proper ERP independent consultant will hunt down great concepts and translate them into constructive change. They have open thoughts and a seasoned eye for revolutionary concepts that may be translated into provide chain efficiencies and ROI.

Too usually, consultants fall again on “best practices” they’ve witnessed over the years. Just because it has at all times been done that method, doesn’t essentially mean it’s the easiest way to perform a process.

4. Ensure the ERP Consultant has a Wide Breadth of Industry Experience

A key part of each request for proposal is the section on “prior industry experience.” You may discover the consulting agency has expertise with organizations just like yours, or conversely, you might discover that the agency focuses on just one market, like manufacturing and distribution.

The greatest consultants have a “chameleon” mentality. That is, they’ll blend in and adapt to no matter setting during which they’re working. They are able to do that because they’ve hands-on expertise tackling identical challenges throughout a wide range of industries.

This mentality permits consultants to recommend the greatest practices from outdoors your business that might deliver aggressive benefit to your enterprise.

5. Determine the Level of Diversity Within the Consultant Team ​

People with totally different backgrounds strategy issues from totally different views. However, many consultants deliver the same staff of sources to each presentation, no matter the cultural match. Everyone on the staff has laboured in the same firms and views the world via the same eyes.

Where are the differing opinions and abilities crucial to transform your organization? Where is the worldwide understanding wanted to enhance your aggressive benefit?

You won’t discover it in lots of consulting groups. In distinction, the top ERP consultants use various project resources who collaborate face-to-face to assist every group to achieve it’s strategic imagination and prescience.

6. Find Consultants who’re a Good Cultural Fit

An agency could very effectively have a “proven methodology,” an “engaged process” and even declare to be ERP Implementation consultants. Their references could try, they usually could have an expert website that claims all the proper issues.

But what concerning the individual consultants who might be staffing your project? The boots on the bottom? The individuals who might be shifting in, organising store and dealing side-by-side together with your workers for months at a time? Shouldn’t somewhat extra about them and their cultural match?

In order to uncover landmines that could be hidden behind an agency’s stellar references and lengthy checklist of {qualifications}, it’s necessary to insist on a resume from everybody who might be concerned in your venture – particularly those that might be on web site.

Then, Google them, try their Facebook page, their LinkedIn profile and their Twitter account. Talk to earlier clients, not simply concerning the agency however concerning the consultants who had been staffed on the venture.

7. Ensure the Consultant has Knowledge of the Selected ERP System

If you’ve already chosen an ERP system, it’s necessary to search out an ERP marketing consultant with implementation expertise associated with your specific system.

While it might seem apparent, selecting an agency that understands the latest model of your software program is vital. For instance, there’s a massive distinction between understanding the way to implement Odoo and having expertise implementing Odoo ERP, despite the fact that they’re each a part of the Odoo portfolio.

Similarly, you’ll want to discover an agency that understands techniques integrations and the best way to combine your ERP system with third-party bolt-ons. For instance, it’s possible you’ll be contemplating a third-party customer relationship management(CRM) system. This ought to combine seamlessly together with your essential ERP system to make sure a constructive customer experience.