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How to successfully implement ERPs: Hire consultants before buying software

Only 28% of ERP/Business Operations systems are successfully implemented when businesses try to execute them themselves or use the implementation services provided by the software provider. As a result, businesses are very reluctant to move to modern technology as evidenced by nearly 90% of businesses running on desktop software and other legacy solutions.

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Hire software consultants before buying software

Strategic software implementation can make any business more successful. Whether it’s inventory and warehouse management, marketing software, or accounting tools, implementing new systems can help streamline internal processes, save thousands of dollars, and boost team productivity. 

 

But our research shows that only 28% of ERP/Business Operations systems are successfully implemented when businesses try to do it them themselves or use the implementation services provided by the software provider. As a result, businesses are very reluctant to move to modern technology as evidenced by nearly 90% of businesses running on desktop software and other legacy solutions.

 

The key to getting the most out of any new software is hiring independent software consultants. With a well-qualified, experienced implementation consultant or coach, almost any of the well-known ERP/business management solutions can be successfully implemented.

 

In fact, our research shows that 72% of ERP/Business systems are successfully implemented when a business hires a software consultant. See the table below for details. Moreover, over 85% of new implementations across all systems in 2022 where very successful or successful when implemented by consultant versus only 67% when self-implemented including software provider assisted implementation.

The Coachbar team works with coaches that have successfully implemented countless systems across a range of industries. There are 10 systems that software consultants can implement more successfully than the software providers:

  • Cin7 Omni
  • Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR)
  • Finale Inventory
  • Inflow Inventory
  • KatanaMRP
  • Lightspeed
  • Linnworks
  • MRP Easy
  • SOS Inventory
  • Zoho Inventory

Your first step: Choosing the right software coach

The most important and first decision a business should make is selecting a software consultant. The right software coach can make almost any system work well for your business, whether that’s accounting software, inventory software, or a customized package of solutions. 

Our coaches have the experience to know which systems sound great when demonstrated by software salespeople, but don’t implement well. And they will be able to share that expert knowledge with you, so you know you’re investing in the right tools for your business.

We truly believe that businesses are more successful when they find the right software coach first.

By taking the risky shortcut of buying software first, you’ll waste countless hours and thousands of dollars figuring out how to implement it, training staff, and attempting to use it, only to end up abandoning it down the line.

  • Save thousands of dollars on self-implementation, training, and change-overs. 
  • Get expert knowledge on how to use your new system so you don’t have to spend hours learning the ropes. 
  • Skip the daunting task of finding the right tool for your needs – our experts can figure that out for you. 
  • Get the most out of any new software by understanding every tool, service, and feature on offer. 

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Consultants can make almost any software package work well, whereas only a few systems can be self-implemented

How to read this table:

Only 5 of the systems are successfully self-implemented, whereas 13 of the systems are successfully self-implemented by consultants.

 

This means working with a software consultant to do your implementations, your odds of being successful are high for 13 of the systems.

 

More remarkable is that 10 of the systems that don’t work when self-implementation is tried, do work well for implementation by software consultants.

 

Essentially, by picking a software consultant first, you can get good results on 13 of the 18 systems.

 

But, if you go with self-implementation on a few systems (5) work well for self-implementation.

Software SystemSelf-implementations including vendor assist are often successfulSoftware consultant implementations are most often successfulSoftware consultants are successful where self-implementations fail
Sage Brightpearl
Cin7 Omni
Cin7 Core (formerly DEAR)
Finale Inventory
Fishbowl Inventory
Inflow Inventory
KatanaMRP
Lightspeed
Linnworks
Microsoft Dynamics
MRP Easy
Netsuite
SKUBana
SKUVault
SOS Inventory
Unleashed software
VendHQ
Zoho Inventory
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