What are the Big ERP Systems Integrators Going to be for Halloween?
System integrators (especially the big ones like Deloitte, Accenture, and Capgemini) may have to reinvent themselves. Oh my, that could be scary. We’re talking about an industry that’s been a cash cow estimated to be in excess of $220 billion dollars. They’ve been selling the same big business customized architecture applications for decades. Yet, they […]
The Top 10 ERP Systems for 2020
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 or compensation. As we enter the home stretch of the year, many of our clients […]
Why You Should NOT Implement a New ERP System Now
Growing up in the ‘80s, I was used to hearing the phrase “just say no.” It was a term coined and used often by the US President Reagan’s wife Nancy as part of her anti-drug campaign, so the saying became ubiquitous and associated with the ‘80s. CIOs can’t seem to say “no” to drinking the […]
Your ERP Project Isn’t What You Think It Is
You are about to embark, on or are in the middle of a major ERP project that’s going to change the way your company does business. You know how critical this new technology is to your organization’s future. You understand that nothing is more important than identifying the software with the best and most advanced […]
Executive Misalignment: The #1 Threat to your ERP Implementation
We see it more often than not. Any reasonable business advisor or strategy book will tell you that you need it and you can find endless blogs and articles on the topic, yet executive misalignment is ever more prevalent in today’s business environment. While a company could potentially survive for years with some degree of […]
The Biggest ERP Failures of All Time
The enterprise technology landscape is riddled with ¬ERP failures from the last twenty years. Some are more extreme than others, but all have stories behind them. More importantly, they all contain important lessons that can help us in our digital transformations going forward. Overview of ERP failures I used to dislike writing about ERP failures. […]
NetSuite vs. Salesforce: An Independent Comparison
NetSuite vs. Salesforce are two extremely popular software options. The origin or how these two evolved is very different, yet we find similarities, and both are targeting similar client demographics with similar offerings. Many organizations embarking of ERP software selection processes feel as though they need to focus on the “bigger” ERP systems. But the market is […]
Defining ERP Strategies for the 2020’s
Executives and project teams have a lot of issues and curveballs to navigate as they define their digital strategies for 2020. Whether you are considering ERP, CRM, HCM, cloud, on-premise, AI, industry 4.0, internet of things, predictive analytics, asset management, or any other set of technologies, the decision process can be overwhelming. This is true […]
Manufacturing ERP Software in 2020: The Digital Manufacturer
The 21st century has introduced a lot of technological innovation and businesses have felt the positive effect. New digital transformation manufacturing options have been strong and diverse. Some (but not enough) manufacturers have taken advantage. The advances in manufacturing ERP software have improved not only productivity but opened businesses to a whole new world of […]
Leaving Panorama Consulting: Reflections on the ERP Software Industry’s State of Chaos
Although it’s been nearly 18 months since several from my team and I separated from Panorama Consulting to form Third Stage Consulting, I still get daily inquiries from people unaware we are no longer with the old company. As discussed below, it took my favorite rock star’s death to finally motivate me to tell the […]
How to Create Your Digital Transformation Change Management Strategy
Organizational change management is the #1 determinant of ERP implementation success vs. failure, yet most organizations misunderstand or underestimate the importance of change management. Too often, organizations and project teams fail to have a cohesive or complete change management strategy when deploying a digital transformation or ERP implementation. An effective change management strategy is critical […]
Hey Siri: What Does Artificial Intelligence Have in Store for ERP Systems?
If you’ve ever watched Iron Man movies, you’ll notice Tony Stark’s different artificial intelligence (AI) partners. From helping him create a new element to helping him do chores and run tests, AI in the Marvel Universe is extremely advanced and helpful. So how much of this is fiction and how much is possible? Let’s discuss […]