The Software Itself Is Only As Good Your Implementation Partner
The goal of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is to make everything easier for your business. However, without the right partner to implement and support your ERP system, you may not get to experience the platform’s full range of benefits.
While the initial cost of implementing ERP matters, it’s essential to keep your business’s bottom line at the forefront. Not all ERP implementation partners have the same amount of experience using a particular ERP system. While ERP implementation partners with greater expertise may cost more upfront, their knowledge will help your business save more money in the long run, especially when it comes to system design, implementation, and support efficiencies.
Likewise, you’ll want to choose an ERP implementation partner with a clearly defined process. ERP systems have many moving parts and need reliable access to your business’s critical data. If you’re choosing the right partner, they should outline their implementation strategy from the beginning of the process and answer any questions you have about the implementation.
When it comes to ERP implementation partners, experience matters—select an implementation partner who is knowledgeable about the specific ERP system you have in mind. In your initial sales and discovery conversations, be sure to ask important questions.
Implementing ERP software for your business
Above all, your ERP system should help you streamline your business processes, manage your resources, and boost your bottom line. When selecting an ERP implementation partner, ensure they’re helping you gain access to all the benefits promised by the ERP software manufacturer.
Need to back things up a bit? Learn more about the basics of ERP software.
Why Choose an Implementation Partner?
ERP software systems are complex. Due to the sheer scale of implementations, most ERP software manufacturers recommended working with an experienced implementor to ensure the system meets expectations.
Cloud-based ERP software
Cloud-based ERP software systems, like Acumatica, offer quick implementations and agile, yet customizable, out-of-the-box solutions. This idea of packaged solutions and ERP toolkits helps streamline the implementation process. Instead of narrowing down specific ERP tools within the system, the package provides a ready-to-use framework based on industry expectations. All companies are unique—while the packages help make implementation easier, they still require expertise and customizations. Implementation providers help customize ERP solutions, like Acumatica, to serve your business better.
On-premise ERP software
On-premise ERP software solutions are complex and often require more in-depth knowledge and implementation experience than your standard software deployment. The highly specialized and customizable solutions, like Microsoft Dynamics, require dedicated support, customization, and management. In many cases, they also need ongoing consultations and optimizations.
Choose an experienced ERP implementation partner
Cloud-based and on-premise ERP solutions alike typically require custom reports and integrations.
Whether you choose a cloud-based ERP solution, like Acumatica, or an on-premise solution, choose an ERP implementation partner with experience in supporting businesses like yours that offers ongoing support to help make the ERP software system work for you.
ERP Implementation Process
High Touch follows a defined implementation process to ensure we complete ERP software implementations quickly and effectively. From the discovery phase through implementation and support, our thorough process ensures you’re getting the most out of your ERP software experience.
Introduction
We work alongside you to understand your business and its current systems, goals, and timelines. An introductory phase of the implementation helps us determine the best solution for creating business efficiencies and improving your business’s profitability.
Design
During the design phase, we blueprint your company’s overall data workflows using the ERP software system as the master record. We also establish secure testing environments for your ERP software system.
Testing
Once we’ve established the design and have begun implementing your ERP software system, testing is critical. During this phase, we ensure advanced integration components work correctly and data flows between systems as designed. We also test integration between the ERP system and other software within your organization.
Calibration
Your ERP software solution is optimized to meet the specific needs we uncovered during the early stages of implementation and testing.
Training
High Touch provides your business and employees with instructional support for the ERP platform.
Support
We provide support and testing as needed to sustain the system. Over time, you may need to develop custom software integrations as your business’s organizational needs evolve. We also provide support as your ERP software needs change.
ERP implementations need a plan
With a well-defined implementation process, your business can count on an efficient, high-functioning ERP software system. Learn why accounting software customers are ditching QuickBooks in favor of ERP software systems like Acumatica.
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing an ERP Partner
Ensure you’re choosing the right ERP implementation partner by asking them these 10 questions.
- What ERP software systems do you support? A knowledgeable ERP software system provider should be able to support multiple solutions, helping you discover what works best for your business, not just what’s easiest for them as an ERP implementation partner.
- What industries do you support? ERP needs vary significantly by industry. Manufacturing ERP needs are much different from lawn and landscape industry needs. Choose an ERP implementation partner that has experience supporting businesses like yours.
- How much experience do you have working with ERP software? With ERP software systems, you need experience. Complicated data flows and software require years of expert knowledge and hands-on training to support.
- Can you support multiple office locations? Multi-location businesses have specific needs when it comes to ERP software systems. If your company has multiple locations or a remote workforce, ask potential ERP implementation partners if they have experience working in that space.
- Do you provide on-site assistance? Especially during the testing and training phases of the implementation process, on-site assistance is key to a successful ERP implementation. If having an on-site resource is essential for your business, be sure to ask providers if it’s an offered service.
- Do you provide ERP software training? Not all implementation partners offer training as part of their process. If training is important for your business, make sure you’re working with an implementation partner that is prepared to provide training.
- Do you provide ongoing training and support? ERP software systems are complex and typically require some level of ongoing support and interaction with your implementation partner. Choose someone who can answer your questions and provide proactive technology support.
- Do you provide a comprehensive implementation plan? During the introduction and design phases of your ERP software implementation, your implementation partner should provide your business with a detailed plan for the implementation from start to finish.
- Can you scale with my business? As your organization streamlines its operations and grows financially, your ERP software solution should be able to adapt. Be sure to ask about ERP system flexibility over time.
- How much does an ERP software solution cost? Ask about the cost of implementing your ERP software system. Due to the complexity of the software, good ERP implementation partners will need to learn more about your business and its needs before just throwing a number out there.
We Help Make Things Easier.
High Touch has been helping businesses grow and succeed using ERP software for over 20 years. Contact us to learn more about the ERP, Microsoft Dynamics, and Acumatica software solutions that can help make things easier for your business.