Episode 12: (11:43)

Selecting enterprise software is a complex process and deserves careful planning and attention, especially when beginning efforts to evaluate the short list of vendors.

This podcast episode is part two of a series offered by Ultra’s Founder and CEO Jeff Carr. The first part of this series looked at the short list evaluation process and was shared by Jeff in a podcast all about moving to the short list of ERP vendors.

As Jeff describes in this episode, it is confusing to engage ERP vendors when looking to replace your old legacy system.

As an independent ERP consulting firm, the topic of paring down ERP vendors comes up often as project teams look to Ultra to understand the best way to work through enterprise system selection.

Listen and Learn

This episode takes a deeper look at what it takes to evaluate the short list of vendors.

After you have analyzed your current state and defined your future state through our comprehensive ERP readiness assessment, your team will be poised with the confidence you’ll need to objectively evaluate software options and navigate the competitive vendor landscape, which will ultimately lead to the best enterprise software selection decision for your company.

During the process of moving from the long list to the short list of vendors, listen as Jeff discussed the importance of assessing the short list of vendors by:

Features & Functionality

Does the software meet the future state industry and process needs of your business? Will your users find the software intuitive and easy-to-use? Does the software have advanced industry functionality to support your dynamic business needs?

Any technology evaluation when looking at short list of vendors must assess:

• Database structure
• Operating software
• Integration tools
• Development tools
• Reporting And Business Intelligence

Vendor Synergy

Does the vendor understand your business? Will they stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest trends in the industry? Do they have the necessary experience in your industry? Do they listen to your questions and concerns? Do you matter to them? Do you like them both on a personal and professional level?

Implementation Considerations

In this podcast episode, Jeff also addresses the importance of assessing the short list of vendors in terms of their implementation offerings.  Are there robust project management and change management processes and resources available?

More Resources to Evaluate the Short List of Vendors

Efforts to evaluate the short list of vendors can be a challenge for the ERP project team.

For a deeper look at ERP evaluation, download the paper “A Strategic Approach to Setting ERP Strategic Decision Drivers.”

Looking at ERP?  Contact Ultra for the best way to get started.