Top 5 Change Management Metrics to Measure
As the world continues to struggle through unprecedented economic uncertainty, the pressure for organizations to justify expenses intensifies. IT budgets and funds spent on technology initiatives are scrutinized closer than they have been in recent history. Change management, as part of an overall data transformation initiative, plays a critical role in guiding organizations through the […]
What’s in it for Me? The Value and Challenges of Employee Involvement in ERP Initiatives
It’s important to have employees at all levels of your organization involved in your ERP initiative. In a recent blog, we reported that employees dedicated to these initiatives have 30% greater turnover than employees not directly involved in an ERP project – which got a lot of reaction. In this blog, we’ll explore what can […]
Digital Transformation’s Greatest Hits
If you have followed my work over the last decade and a half, you may have noticed that I love rock and roll. Classic rock, to be more specific. Many of my articles and YouTube videos have been named after classic rock songs or quotes. Both Third Stage Consulting and the consulting firm I started […]
The Honest Truth About Budgeting for Your First Digital Transformation
We have talked a lot recently about making the move to your first inclusive ERP solution or building your digital transformation strategy. Whether you are moving from QuickBooks, Excel, or another legacy platform – this is a big move. You have considered the benefits and done some research, but now you begin to realize the […]
ERP Software Customization: The Ultimate Sin of Enterprise Software?
Customization of software doesn’t have to be a controversial topic. It’s reasonable to assume all but the simplest companies will need some customization to the software they’re purchasing. The amount of customization, however, can be a salacious topic worth dissecting further. As we advise clients, customize selectively and typically only the secret sauce of what […]
Top 10 CRM Systems for Digital Transformations
Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a powerful set of tools used by sales organizations throughout the world. These systems have the ability to automate sales processes, better manage sales teams, and grow top-line revenue growth. They can be an integral part of an organization’s long-term digital transformation strategy and roadmap. Unlike the top ERP […]
Five Common (and Inaccurate) Myths of ERP Systems
ERP implementations and digital transformations are plagued with failure points perpetuated by ERP software industry hoaxes. Some of these are self-serving, while others are based on In this blog we’ll talk about five myths, and it’s my hope that’s there’s a couple that will be covered you haven’t thought of. At Third Stage Consulting we’re […]
The Three Stages of Digital Transformation
If you have been following Third Stage for any length of time, you have probably heard reference to reaching the “Third Stage” of your digital transformation or seen the below graphic: This is a graphical references of the three stages of a rocket launch in comparison to a digital transformation, suggesting that the third booster […]
10 Steps to ERP Implementation Success
Despite decades of history and lessons learned, most organizations still haven’t figured out how to achieve ERP implementation success. In fact, our research over the years shows that most implementations still fail – despite lessons from history and advancements in technology. (For more on this, see our 2020 ERP and HCM Report). The more things […]
Five Movies to Watch Before Implementing New ERP Software
We often look for third party guidance when heading into an ERP software implementation or other forms of digital transformation. We read blogs (thank you), we search online for success stories as well as failures, and we ask our network for tips on what has worked in the past. We too strongly recommend researching and […]
Why Tier 2ERP Software Might be Right for You
In ERP world there’s no shortage of software solutions and a variety of pricing. Software is sometimes described as Tier 1 solutions (examples include SAP and Oracle) and Tier 2 solutions (software companies like IQMS or NetSuite) and the list goes on. The concept is the lower the number the more sophisticated the system. Tier […]
Digital Transformation Is Dead
Digital transformation is dead – or at least it should be. The brutal truth is that most ERP vendors, consultants, and analysts have been far too focused on the “digital” in digital transformation and not focused enough on “transformation.” It’s high time that we put the outdated modes of digital transformation to rest for good. […]