Trend On Co-Host Heidi Feemster
Trend On Co-Host Tamara Leigh
Although a Hired Gun is an expression with a connotation of doing some sort of dirty or dubious work, when it comes to ERP, that is, Enterprise Resource Planning, hiring a Big Gun to do objective consulting for your company’s ERP implementation, is worth the investment and more than beats shooting yourself in the foot by not seeking out the outside opinion and expertise.Considering the scope and cost of an ERP implementation, an unbiased ERP consultant can help you identify your company’s requirements and decide if a particular solution will meet them. This ERP Hired Gun should not be the same individual or company as the ones implementing and providing your ERP — they of course have a vested interest in your ERP system and purchase, therefore objectivity would be more difficult (though not necessarily impossible).
It’s also hard for someone within your organization to take on the objective ERP role. Even if your own people are knowledgeable on ERP, it would still be harder for them to be unbiased and/or not influenced by the company’s bottom line or financial objectives.
So the Hired Gun — the Independent ERP consultant — should be the one who is:
* objective
* knowledgeable about all the solutions on your list
* have experience with ERP in your industry.
SMART & SWEET SUITES!
The other value an Independent ERP Hired Gun can help you with is making your ERP implementation Smarter. ERP packages are sold as suites, but you don’t necessarily have to buy them that way. Instead customize your ERP by creating a Sweet ERP Suite tailored to your company needs — purchase just the modules necessary for an optimal ERP system. The modules are integrated as you deploy them whether that’s in the initial installation or several months down the road.
An independent consultant can give you that valuable information and perspective — which makes it money well spent as part of the ERP process.
Heidi Feemster’s Business Minute as heard on Heidi Feemster and Tamara Leigh TREND ON Steve and Michelle Moore, 7/11/12:
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