Key Considerations while selecting an ERP Implementation Partner
Choosing the right ERP partner for the implementation of an ERP system is as important as selecting the right ERP solution in the first place. The success and failure of your ERP implementation depends on your partner’s capabilities and experience. Following are the few key considerations while selecting your implementation partner. Partner Competency When choosing a partner, make sure the partner’s competencies are aligning with your business needs. It’s important that they understand your problem and have the right resources to design and deliver a solution. Customers should select a Partner who has an impressive track record of Successful ERP implementations with a right pool of resources. Industry Experience Partner’s Domain Experience is one of the most important criteria for selecting an implementation partner. Having a partner with experience in your specific industry enables a successful and a swift implementation. Partner must understand how your business operates and how the new system will support your goals and objectives. With an understanding of your industry’s best practices and problem areas, your partner can do a better job at suggesting relevant process improvements and designing solutions.
Service Offering Customers should look for a partner who has a strong service portfolio and experience of working on a complete Microsoft Stack. Your criteria for partner selection should just not be based on your current needs but also be aligned with your future roadmap. It gives customers the flexibility to implement and experiment with new solutions and processes whenever they want. Customization & Integration Capabilities Every business has a different process and implementing Out of Box ERP solution is not always sufficient to meet the exact business requirements. Thus, Customers need customizations to make their ERP solution fit to use. Always choose a partner, who offers customization services and has experience in integrating the ERP solution with other 3 rd party services. Involvement and Participation Some partners actively participate in consulting the management, improving user adoption and imparting training to the end-users, whereas others delegate these aspects to the customers themselves. Choose a partner who can help and guide in optimizing your processes and train your employees to use them. Communication & Support Prompt responsiveness and transparency are essential characteristics of a good implementation process. Communicating on a regular basis not only builds trust and maintains transparency but also nurtures an overall healthy relationship. Select a partner who has a quick turnaround time for your queries with dependable support services. Relationship with Microsof Partner’s relationship with Microsoft strengthens the credibility over Partner’s expertise. Microsoft has defined various levels as per the partner’s competencies (Microsoft Gold Partner, Silver Partner, Inner Circle, Partner of the year, Partner of the region etc.). Choose a partner who has been recognized by Microsoft at various levels.