What Private Equity Firms Want from Digital Transformation
Over the years, we have worked with quite a few clients backed by private equity companies. These big private equity firms want unique things from their digital transformation. Even for those of us outside that industry could learn quite a bit from their endeavors. As a broad generalization, private equity firms are hyper-focused on creating […]
What is the Best ERP Software?
Growing up my teachers used to tell us that there are no stupid questions. I’m sorry to disagree, but this is a stupid question. This is also the most common question asked in the independent ERP consulting space, and we receive it in one way or another on a daily basis. The most recurrent response […]
Comparison of Microsoft Dynamics 365 vs. NetSuite
Our recently release ranking of top ERP systems for 2019 triggered some interesting discussion and comparisons of leading enterprise software. Microsoft Dynamics 365 and NetSuite were both in our top 5 (#1 and #3, respectively), which leads to an interesting comparison of these two systems. Microsoft Dynamics 365 and NetSuite are often on ERP shortlists […]
How Important is Industry Vertical Experience in a Digital Transformation?
“Do you have direct experience in our space?” As consultants, we hear this question every day. Clients often want to know how important industry vertical experience is to a digital transformation or ERP implementation. Recently, I have been asked if we have experience with: Baby food manufacturing Tier 2 defense manufacturing Public, Fortune 500 pharmaceuticals […]
Should We Adopt Our Parent Company’s Tier I ERP System?
Over the last few weeks, we have helped two companies navigate a common challenge: whether or not to adopt their parent company’s tier I ERP system. Tier I ERP systems traditionally refer to products such as SAP S/4HANA and Oracle Cloud ERP. Some might say that Microsoft Dynamics 365 and/or Infor CloudSuite should be considered […]
Why Oracle Cloud ERP and eBusiness Suite Isn’t Among the Top Digital Transformation Technologies
The other day we published our list of top ERP systems for 2019. The ranking is intended to provide a general, technology-agnostic comparison of the leading digital transformation technologies. Many were surprised that Oracle Cloud ERP and eBusiness Suite were not among the top digital transformation technologies. Oracle as a vendor generally ranks #2 in […]
Have You Done Your Homework to Prepare for Your Digital Transformation?
By Stuart Robb, Maddison Ward Limited Shall I tell you a secret? A big digital transformation trade secret… Whilst all the consultancy firms will bombard you with their papers on the top 6, the top 10, the top 15, and the top 61 reasons why ERP programs fail, the truth is that there is only […]
Top ERP Systems for 2019
Disclaimer: Third Stage Consulting is an independent ERP consulting firm. Third Stage has no financial ties to ERP vendors, either directly or through parent companies or affiliates. Accordingly, the below analysis is completely technology-agnostic and 100% free of vendor bias. As we enter the home stretch of the year, many of our clients are knee-deep […]
Why Every CIO and ERP Project Team Should Attend the Digital Stratosphere Conference
It seems that it is impossible to learn everything there is to know about digital transformation success. Although I have been an ERP consultant for over 20 years and recently published lessons from over 1,000 ERP implementations that I’ve been involved with, I am still constantly learning. Other cases in point: recent SAP failures at […]
Independent Comparison of SAP S/4HANA vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365
In years past, most of our larger clients would hone in on SAP vs. Oracle as their primary focus during their ERP selection processes. In more recent years, we saw an uptick in organizations considering SAP S/4HANA vs. Oracle Cloud ERP vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 as more evaluated the three industry leaders. Even more lately, […]
What is Digital Transformation?
When I first heard the term “digital transformation” a few years ago, I didn’t like it. The buzzword reminded me of a throwback to the 1980s when digital watches and first-generation digital computers were first hitting the scene. The term didn’t resonate as a description of modern enterprise technology. It also begs the question: what […]
Why Cloud ERP Has Finally Reached the Tipping Point
I’m a skeptic of buzzwords, broad over-generalizations, and biased opinions. But it’s time for me to finally admit it: cloud ERP has finally reached the tipping point of adoption. Over the last several years, I have blogged about how cloud systems are overrated. I wrote about how on-premise still had its place for the foreseeable […]