IMPLEMENTING NEW ERP/CRM-SOFTWARE? BETTER SHORT THAN DISCOUNT!

Organisations that implement new ERP/CRM-systems make more money on a short implementation period compared to large discounts on implementation services. Nevertheless, a lot of companies still concentrate on getting their discounts! So, time for a change!

During a software implementation companies have to deal with extra costs. Key-users are (partly) taken out of their function. As a result you’re core processes are under pressure. And you have to hire extra capacity in order to continue the regular work. On top of that, there is double costs of maintenance and system management on both hard-  and software for the old and the new system. And finally the absence due to illness because of the stress is oftentimes higher than normally.

You thus would expect that organisations do their utmost to keep this period as short as possible. But that’s not what happens! When the implementation runs, speed often has no priority at all. Even worse, the operational use of the new software solution is postponed for months without hesitation. Or lifted over the holiday periods.

You need a different attitude during the negotiations! Don’t ask for discounts on services, because than you will get medior or even junior consultants. While there is a quick return on the higher fees of senior consultants as they can prevent a delay in the start of the operational use. Ask your vendor not to pay their discounts in cash (smaller investment) but in extra consultancy days. On top of the number of days they’ve already offered. That will give your project a quality impulse! You can also consider to offer your vendor an extra fee for every week the implementation is finished ahead of the planning. While maintaining quality, of course!

The smart purchase of implementation services is not about the lowest price. It’s about the impact on the quality and the length of the implementation period.