How to Spot (and Fix) a Failing Digital Transformation
Here’s the hard truth: most digital transformations wobble, and many fall. Across studies you’ll see the same pattern, roughly 70% of large-scale change efforts miss their goals, only 20–30% hit full business value, and over half run late or over budget. ERP programs are no exception: independent benchmarks routinely show fewer than one-third deliver on-time, […]
Welcome to the Jungle: Why Digital Transformations Fail (and How to Avoid It)
At Third Stage Consulting, we’ve spent years studying both the successes and the failures to answer one simple question: why do so many digital transformations go off the rails — and what can leaders do differently? ERP failures are nothing new. For decades, organizations have been sold the dream of best practices, off-the-shelf systems, and […]
Why RFPs “Suck” — And How To Use Them Without Getting Burned
Requests for Proposals (RFPs) are a staple of big technology decisions. They create structure, documentation, and a paper trail that legal and procurement teams appreciate. But they also create blind spots that can tank your transformation long after the bid is awarded. This is your guide to using RFPs as one data point—without letting them […]
From Hollywood Casting to IT Staffing: Why the Right Talent is Everything in Digital Transformation
When you think of Hollywood, IT staffing probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But the leap from casting television shows to building digital transformation teams isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. In Hollywood, the job of a casting director is simple to describe but difficult to execute: find the right person for […]
From Value Creation to Value Destruction: The PE Digital Transformation Trap
Private equity firms don’t invest in companies for fun — they invest to create value. But what happens when your digital transformation strategy backfires? When instead of improving EBITDA, your tech initiative drains capital, disrupts operations, and adds risk to your exit timeline? That’s not a hypothetical. It’s what we see far too often in PE-backed companies […]
Unlocking the Third Stage Consulting Digital Transformation Playbook: 10 Steps to Success
Since founding Third Stage Consulting several years ago, we’ve refined and elevated our methodology through experience with more than 400 clients around the world — and counting over 1,000 implementations across our team’s collective background. Today, we’re lifting the curtain on the 10-step playbook that has become the backbone of our client engagements and digital […]
Why Software Vendors Get Your Digital Transformation Timeline Wrong
When embarking on a digital transformation, it’s easy to get swept up in the enthusiasm vendors bring to the table. They offer glossy demos, confident digital transformation timelines, and an implementation roadmap that seems simple and straightforward. But here’s the truth: those timelines are usually wrong.Not because the software doesn’t work—but because your organization isn’t […]
Root Causes of Digital Transformation Failure: It’s Not Just the Tech
When organizations struggle during digital transformations, they often point fingers at the most visible culprits: a buggy system, an unhelpful vendor, or rising costs. But the reality is more complex. These common complaints are often symptoms, not root causes. To understand why digital transformations truly fail—and how to fix them—we have to dig deeper. Why […]
What’s the ROI of a Dancing Panda? Why Every Digital Transformation Needs a Clear Strategy
Spoiler alert: It’s not about the panda. It’s about purpose. We live in an era where nearly anything is possible with technology. AI. Automation. Real-time data lakes. Predictive analytics. Virtual assistants. You name it—someone’s already building it. So the question is no longer what you can do in a digital transformation. It’s what you should […]
Has Your Business Outgrown QuickBooks? Signs It’s Time to Scale Your Technology
From QuickBooks to Scalability: The Inflection Point for Growing Businesses Small businesses often launch with minimal tech: QuickBooks, spreadsheets, and a handful of manual workflows. But what happens when your customer expectations begin to mirror Amazon’s—and your internal systems can’t keep up? That’s the inflection point where many companies find themselves today. Customers expect real-time […]
Tyler Technologies: The Public Sector ERP Powerhouse You Shouldn’t Ignore
What Is Tyler Technologies? A Public Sector ERP Giant Tyler Technologies is one of the leading providers of ERP software specifically built for public sector organizations. While it doesn’t have the name recognition of SAP or Oracle, Tyler powers thousands of municipalities, counties, and state agencies across the United States. Unlike traditional ERP vendors that […]
How ERP Software Almost Killed Gummy Bears: Lessons from Haribo’s SAP Failure
By Eric Kimberling, CEO of Third Stage Consulting Yes, you read that right—ERP software nearly ruined gummy bears. Several years ago, Haribo, the beloved German candy company behind those colorful, chewy bears, ran into a digital disaster during their SAP ERP implementation. The failure wasn’t just an inconvenience—it led to major supply chain issues during […]