Big ERP Systems Integrators Exposed
Disclaimer: This article contains quotes from multiple sources, which we have not cited for confidentiality purposes. Third Stage Consulting is an independent, technology-agnostic firm that is not affiliated with any of the ERP software vendors or systems integrators mentioned in this article. After the French Revolutions in the 1800s, a famous French writer once wrote: […]
Should We Upgrade from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA?
This is one of the more common questions across the industry with no clear answer: should we upgrade to SAP S/4HANA?With limited case studies of successful migrations, companies looking to upgrade their SAP ECC platforms have a tough decision to make. With the available speed of HANA and integration of emerging technologies to provide competitive […]
Summary of Findings from the 2019 ERP Report
A few weeks ago, we released the 2019 ERP Report. Unlike similar studies of years past, this one digs deeper into the statistical root causes of success versus failure – and the findings are very eye-opening. Overview of the 2019 ERP Report The study examines ERP implementations over the last 20 years, with a particular […]
What To Do Before Beginning Your SAP S/4HANA Implementation
Once you have selected your SAP system integrator, it’s easy to get steamrolled into letting the army of consultants show up on site, start the meter running, and just start doing stuff. Despite pressure you may feel from Deloitte, Accenture, Capgemini, or most other integrators, this is a terrible idea that goes against your best […]
Your Business Blueprint Should Dictate Your SAP S/4HANA Implementation – Not the Other Way Around
At the moment, our team is helping about half a dozen larger organizations manage their SAP S/4HANA implementations. The biggest lesson so far? Your business needs should dictate how S/4HANA gets deployed – not the other way around. Myths and propaganda from SAP S/4HANA system integrators If you talk to a sales rep from SAP […]
How to Avoid Losing Control of Your SAP S/4HANA Transformation
Over the last 20 years, I have seen plenty of organizations lose control of their SAP implementations. These projects tend to be bigger and more complex than many organizations can handle, which is why there are so many SAP failures like those at Lidl, National Grid, Haribo, and other publicized challenges in recent years. Common […]
My Name Is Eric, and I Am a Recovering Big 5 SAP Consultant
My first job when I graduated with my master’s degree was with one of the big system integrators. I was a Big 5 SAP consultant focused primarily on organizational change management at some very large, multi-national organizations. Though colleagues and I have written about being Accentured and the dark side of the digital transformation, I […]
Selecting your SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud, or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Implementation Partner
There are plenty of articles and blogs circling the internet, providing tips and best practices for selecting the appropriate ERP software, and with good reason. Choosing the wrong system can be devastating for a business. What is not so highly covered, however, is the importance of selecting the right SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud ERP, or […]
ERP Request for Proposal (RFP): What Do You Want Your New Software to Achieve?
By Sam Graham Perhaps more frequently known as a Request for Proposal (RFP), an Invitation to Tender (ITT) or a Statement of User Requirements (SOUR), a written statement of what a new system is required to deliver is essential to achievement of a successful project but is one of the hardest things to do. The […]
How to Negotiate an SAP S/4HANA Contract
It’s not every day that most of us negotiate multi-million-dollar contracts with significant cost implications for the future. When we do, it’s important to get it right. Before embarking on an SAP transformation or bringing SAP S/4HANA consultants on to your team, it is important to understand how to negotiate an SAP S/4HANA contract. We […]
How to Get Your SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics System Integrator Under Control!
We recently posted an article about the many companies we have seen get “Accentured” over the years. The article created quite a stir, a slew of comments, and great discussion. What it Means to be “Accentured” The premise of the article is that big system integrators are masters of selling, keeping an army of consultants […]
Have You Ever Been “Accentured”?
What does “Accentured” mean? Very different than being “delighted,” this term has become increasingly popular among boutique consulting firms and independents. More importantly, it is a term we have heard clients use to refer to their experiences with the large SAP, Oracle, and ERP system integrators. To be clear on a couple of points: First, […]