Most business people only select enterprise grade software once or twice during their entire lifetimes, if at all. Companies hire consultants to help with the Request for Proposal (RFP) and to guide them through the search process. Selection teams create extensive RFPs that cover the most minute details of functionality. They consider a multitude of other factors, both tangible and intangible. The final choice can make or break a career, so people take it very seriously and ensure they cover every detail. The ERP selection process is rigorous. There are thousands of search consultants vying for the chance to help. The process has given rise to more than 10,000 books on the topic available on Amazon. The process is well defined. And it’s all wrong.
The ERP selection process described above focuses on minutia, and it skips over some of the most important factors that contribute to long term success.