2021 has moved many teams to the Cloud where companies have found that dialing into on-premise server-based systems can be painful. Here are the 10 Steps AJC recommends to selecting a new system.
WATCH A VIDEO VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE – LUNCH AND LEARN ON SYSTEM SELECTION
- Assign a Core Team that can represent all departments expected to use the system, *and* Project Manager
- For a CRM, this could be Sales, Marketing, and Accounting
- For an ERP, however, this will include all Operations departments, Customer Service, Accounting, possibly Quality, Sales, or more
- Decide: In the Cloud, or On-Premise?
- Document all system “Need to Haves” and “Nice to Haves”
- If you have not yet documented your operational processes, return to Step 1 and do that with the Core Team first!
- Prioritize your MUST HAVE CRITICAL Top 15-20 Requirements
- First Pass Research/Solutions List Generation
- Use online searches, ask industry colleagues, talk to trusted advisors, etc.
- Conduct Phone/Email screens to reduce list
- Schedule Demos to reduce list further – ideally to a Top 3
- Obtain comparable decision-making information for the Top 3:
- % “Need to Have” Requirements in base system
- Implementation fees (vendor)
- Ongoing fees (vendor)
- Integration and/or Customization fees
- References
- Nuances (e.g., % “Nice to Have” Requirements in base system)
- Core Team Recommendation to Decision Makers at company
- Select System, and negotiate contract
Is your team up for doing this on your own? Here are two resources to review before you begin:
- AJC’s article “Has Working Remotely Accelerated Your Team’s System Pains?“
- AJC’s article “DIY Your Own Process Improvement” – comparisons are very similar to discern if your team can Project Manage this on your own
- Watch the Lunch and Learn on “ERP Selection with Andrea Jones Consulting and Aldrich Technology” by AJC and CSG Pro for more tips.
- Read our 3 Tips for Setting Systems Implementation Expectations with your vendor