Both the cloud and ERP are now considered essential tools for business. But that does not mean every cloud ERP solution will deliver the benefits enterprises hope for and the opportunities they expect.
The quality of cloud ERP is closely linked to the quality of the company that provides it. The best ones will help enterprises to leverage ERP in deep, exciting, and unexpected ways. The worst ones will turn the potential of cloud ERP software into an expensive and confusing disaster.
Before you commit to any cloud ERP solution, it is essential that you vet the provider carefully. Follow these tips to get the insights you need:
- Estimate the Implementation Timeline – You don’t want to wait forever for your solution to get up and running, but you also want the provider to approach the implementation carefully and comprehensively. Find out how long the process will take and exactly what it will involve. Look for a company that is eager to adapt its offerings to your needs.
- Judge the Scalability – The cloud ERP you need now could be drastically different than the one you need down the road. The cloud is a naturally flexible and scalable solution, but ask your provider just how quickly and extensively you can scale your capabilities, and at what cost.
- Look for Operational Harmony – Your goal is to introduce new capabilities but without new setbacks or disruptions. That means your ERP should reflect or adapt as much as possible to the way your teams work already. Look for a provider that is willing to adapt what it has to offer to the specifics of your business, now and moving forward.
- Evaluate the User Experience – The whole point of cloud ERP is to eliminate the kinds of inefficiencies and confusions that lead directly to lost time, money, and opportunity. That means the ERP you rely on should be as intuitive and feature-rich as possible. Spend as much time as it takes to determine whether a cloud ERP product helps your team do things better or simply do things differently.
- Consider App Offerings – The sophistication of ERP has now evolved to a point where users can take advantage of an ecosystem of apps to expand the convenience and capability of the ERP. Find out what kind of apps are available to you and what kind of cost and confusion would be involved with implementing them.
- Factor in Service and Support – At some point, and likely at many points, your team will need help with your cloud ERP solution. The level of support that a provider is willing to offer tells you a lot about the quality of that provider overall. Look for one that is available for more time, in more different mediums, and to provide a deeper level of information and assistance.
- Research the Reputation – The reputation of a cloud ERP provider can tell you some things but not everything. Look into the past and track record of any provider you’re considering, and seek out opinions that are both objective and anecdotal. A provider who works with companies similar to your own is often an asset.
You may be eager to get cloud ERP up and running. But the more time you spend vetting the options out there, the more likely you are to find a company that can meet your goals over the long term. As you are considering options, don’t just think about the immediate or short-term benefits. Look for a company that seems eager and able to become the ERP partner you turn to for years to come.
