Who Is Winning the ERP Implementation Battle: US vs. Europe?
Makes for a good soccer (sorry: futbol) discussion, as well, but today we’re talking about ERP implementations. Who’s leading the race? Where does an ERP implementation have a better chance of success: the US or Europe? To evaluate, we will consider the following factors: Availability of software, availability of resources, adoption of organizational change management […]
Best ERP Executive Steering Committee Ever?
As ERP consultants that help some of the world’s leading organizations through their digital transformations, we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly among client team members. Some are well prepared and wired for a successful implementation. Others are misaligned and ill-suited to handle a transformation of this magnitude. Most are somewhere in […]
What Causes ERP Implementation Delays?
As Pink Floyd once said: “every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time.” This classic rock lyric is true for ERP implementations as well. ERP implementation delays are one of the most common problems with digital transformations. Your software vendor or systems integrator assures you that you can do it in that […]
Walmart and Accenture: Implications of hiring a “Big-Box” Consultancy to Manage your Digital Transformation
The idea of getting everything you need in one place is tempting. Whether shopping for household goods or for an ERP implementation, one-stop shopping has become fairly commonplace. But is it always the best idea to get your car fixed at the same place you buy your lettuce and toothbrush? There are striking similarities between […]
Lessons from the 2020 ERP and HCM Report
The digital transformation landscape is changing at a breakneck speed. Technology is shifting to the cloud, new functional capabilities are being added at a record pace, and companies implementing these technologies are themselves going through unprecedented changes as well. Against this backdrop, we recently published our 2020 ERP and HCM Report. This annual report captures […]
What is an Agile ERP Implementation?
I have experienced and seen plenty of successes using agile development methodologies in various types of projects. Agile addresses many of the failures that have often plagued waterfall projects and can be a powerful approach. Then again, I have also seen agile used very poorly, as essentially just an excuse to have no structure for […]
A Perspective on Data Migration in Digital Transformation
Data migration is one of the most difficult and complex portions of any digital transformation. To better understand this, I recently interviewed Daryl Crockett, the CEO of ValidDatum, which is our technology-agnostic data migration partner at Third Stage. She is a leader in the industry, so we work with Daryl and her team to help […]
The 4 Pillars of ERP Implementation Success in 2020
We have seen a recent rush of requests for ERP implementation assessment and project recovery. Despite vendors’ use of accelerators and ERP software best practices, ERP implementations are becoming more and more difficult. Reasons for this include the complexity of system capabilities, the number of integrations needed as well as an absolute onslaught of data. […]
The ERP Go-Live: Three Key Considerations
Through our years as digital transformation experts, one common area of concern in nearly every ERP initiative is that of Go-Live readiness. It’s a huge subject and critical path for any organization implementing any form of enterprise software. In fact, lack of go-live readiness is a key driver of recent ERP failures. Companies such as […]
Common ERP Organizational Change Management Challenges
When I’m speaking with executives at our clients, one of the most common things I hear is: “our people are ready for change, so ERP organizational change management isn’t going to be an issue for us.” This is one of the most challenging perceptions to overcome. Employees may be tired of the old legacy systems […]
How a Good ERP Consultant is Like a Utility Infielder
Utility infielders are critical pieces of a successful baseball team. They are not everyday players and often are not even starters. They play many positions and roles, many of which are only consistent if there is an immediate or urgent need created by an injury to a starter. So, what makes them so important to […]
Are Big ERP Systems Integrators Best for Your Organization?
We have been stressing the importance of vetting your ERP Value-Added Reseller (VAR) or Systems Integrator (SI) for some time now, and the message seems to be hitting nerves across the industry. One common error we are seeing companies make is jumping to a conclusion regarding the size of the SI that is needed far […]