Organizations generally struggle to unlock the value of their ERP implementations or digital transformations to their full potential. For many, it can be hard to deliver much more than mere incremental improvements as part of their transformations. This problem isn’t necessarily due to lack of software capabilities. Though many are lacking the maturity of past […]
The big ERP vendors and their systems integrators seem to be having a field day lately. Forced upgrades, shifting customers from one-time payments to recurring revenue models going into perpetuity, and a larger share of IT spend are just a few of the things lining the vendors’ pockets. In other words, they are partying like […]
Big ERP vendors can sell software and services like nobody’s business. Companies such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, Infor, and others have created monstrous machines capable of turning even the biggest skeptics into converts. But it all comes at a cost. In their quest for technology dominance, the vendors and their respective ecosystems have – presumably […]
I have spent the better part of 20 years trying to help clients crack the code on why ERP implementations fail. It first started to click 12 years ago when I was engaged for my first ERP expert witness engagement for one of the highest profile lawsuits that the industry has seen. In this and […]
As Pink Floyd once said: “Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.” For all we know, they could have been talking about the future of digital transformation when they released the song 40 years ago. The dark side of digital transformation As a recovering Big 5 SAP consultant, I have seen the dark side of […]
Trends in the ERP software space are a lot like politics. One minute a certain political party is firmly in control – then a few years later things change, and a new party is in control. With each shift comes hope and promise that the not-so-new answer will solve the problems of the “old” way […]
Organizational change is a key component of any SAP S/4HANA transformation or implementation of any of the top ERP systems. But too often, organizations limit their scope of change to myopically focus on end-user training. When we are close to the day-to-day details of a digital transformation, we assume that we just need to train […]
Earlier this week, I met with the CFO of a client that we recently helped select ERP software for and are about to start implementation with. He mentioned that he is generally excited about his upcoming transformation – until he reads one of my blogs or watches one of my videos on my YouTube channel. […]
I’m always fascinated by how digital transformations that look so similar on the surface can end with such different results. I’ve spent the better part of my career as an independent ERP consultant and ERP expert witness studying the nuances that define success versus failure. The other day, I read a Wall Street Journal article […]
In the US, we celebrate our independence every July 4. While this is not a recognized holiday in most parts of the world, it is worth striving for independence in certain facets of business and digital transformation. The ERP software and digital transformation industries have long been ruled by incumbents that we should be striving […]
Sometimes I get the feeling that people get tired of hearing me talk about some of the recent string of high-profile SAP failures. But then I post another article about the SAP failure at Revlon, Lidl, Haribo, or any of the others, and the article inevitably goes viral. Still, I don’t feel right dissecting these […]
I have recently been listening to some of the classic hits from REO Speedwagon. As they once said in their heyday, “you’re under the gun, so you take it on the run.” I heard this particular song (“Take it on the Run”) while I was writing my recent blog about Revlon’s SAP failure, so I […]
Eric is known globally as a thought leader in the ERP consulting space. He has helped hundreds of high-profile enterprises worldwide with their technology initiatives, including Nucor Steel, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Kodak, Coors, Boeing, and Duke Energy. He has helped manage ERP implementations and reengineer global supply chains across the world.
Third Stage Consulting Group is a global thought leader in business transformation, ERP software systems, operational change management, and business advisory. Let us take your organization’s digital transformation to the Third Stage.
