Needs Analysis
We found ERP Advisors Group by searching Google for an “ERP selection firm” and we immediately came across their website. After reading the testimonials on their page and doing some competitive research, we felt EAG could be the right advisor to help us with our project.
Leading up to this project, there were two main drivers that made it clear we needed a new ERP solution. One: our current software was not meeting the needs of the business; and two: our system has been in place for 15 years, and was outdated, and becoming counterproductive. There were also new lines of business we were pursuing that were difficult to manage using our existing software, and a more modern system could potentially help bring in more revenue in a much more productive manner. We knew we needed a more flexible and efficient system to meet our needs.
As part of our IT security roadmap, we’ve been actively migrating as many of our on-prem resources to the cloud as possible with our ERP system being the last major component to migrate. The future state is extremely important to us and our people, and we knew EAG would help us arrive at the best software solution.
EAG did a terrific job of including everyone and valuing their needs and wants. They went to each department and asked every member about their existing processes and what they would like to see change in our new ERP solution. We hadn’t done a company-wide discussion around our processes since the implementation of the current system, and it was eye-opening and very helpful to see this new perspective while receiving strong feedback to help us with our search.
We would strongly recommend ERP Advisors Group to anyone in the process of looking for new ERP software. Their interview process was well done, the slide decks they put together were extremely thorough, and the consultants were genuine working with us. They never came in with the expected “let me tell you how it is” mentality; instead, they approached us by saying, “I’m here to find out what you know from you. I’m here to listen to you.” There were no weird sales or fancy upselling - just valuable discussions and an abundance of transparency. In addition, their deliverables had all the information we could ever need during this process – it was impressive! The consultants were very detailed with notetaking, and had it not been documented to their high standards, we would have glossed over some key details without knowing. They held an extreme level of professionalism from start to finish and made this process smooth and enjoyable for our entire team.
Selection
Our legacy ERP solution worked, but it was coming to end-of-life and is extremely outdated. There were certain business processes we needed to add that were too difficult to achieve in the legacy system. Additionally, we saw a need to offer access to a modern ERP system in order to attract and retain new talent. We realized how unattractive a 15- to 20-year-old system was to potential new hires. We’d reached the point where we needed a new system to meet our needs now and in the future.
I had previous experience with changing ERPs with selection firm assistance, but this time was a bit different as we were going with an unknown like EAG. We went through a pretty thorough due diligence process and in the end, it all went very well. We were happy with the communication, and the understanding of our business. That combined with an explanation of the benefits of partnering with EAG and how their process worked was very helpful. Ultimately, we learned about solutions and met partners we would not have discovered on our own. The process was vital in helping us identify the right solution for our business.
The way the software demonstrations were staged was very good. Having gone through the process of evaluating different SaaS products before, I have attended a number of vendor demos, and what I appreciated about EAG's approach was it was set up in two phases. First, we got to see the out-of-the-box functionality for each vendor. Then EAG assisted the vendors in putting together a targeted, Komori-centric demo utilizing our unique system requirements. By doing so, we received demos from the vendor that were geared toward who we were and how we wanted to do business.
EAG took us a step further by organizing a third round of deep dives into specific modules that we felt weren't covered in the first or second demo. EAG understands the demo process, the vendors, and companies like ours. They knew what needed to happen in the demos so that we did not purchase the wrong product because it was misrepresented or inefficiently vetted. It is so easy to make the mistake of purchasing a product that is not right for your business, especially when you do not hire a selection firm. EAG’s demo structure helped prevent that from happening to us. It helped us avoid that dilemma altogether.
We learned that the best ERP vendors would do a discovery session with you to understand your business and put their best foot forward. This led to the second piece, where we could evaluate how well they listened to our needs and determine if they really understood what we were looking for. That was another deciding factor that this process absolutely helped uncover. In previous selections, we did not have the opportunity to vet the partner in advance as we did with EAG. EAG’s methodology and expertise allowed us to meet with and hear from the actual implementation teams, not just sales. I was impressed with the other solutions on our shortlist, even the ones we did not select, so it was very valuable to meet those resources before making a selection. We could not have gotten that depth or value without EAG’s guidance and process.
Their expertise was also very helpful during contract negotiations, especially since they see these kinds of contracts all the time. Software contracts can get quite complex, so it was beneficial to have an experienced partner, like EAG, who could ensure we were getting the best deal. The contract expertise and guidance from Dennis and Shawn alone were worth the money we spent.
Thinking back on the process, we were grateful for the transparency and communication from Shawn, Zach, and Aidan. I would absolutely recommend ERP Advisors Group. The value proposition we received from EAG compared to previous experiences was unmatched and very hard to beat. I would recommend any company undergoing this process utilize a selection consultant because you will not get the same value doing it by yourself.
