Over the last few years, ERP solutions have changed. Not just because they are now delivered from the cloud. They have also changed because the whole processes around selecting and implementing them has evolved. Enterprise Times spoke to David Stephans, Chief Revenue Officer at Rootstock Software about this. Stephans has worked on all sides of ERP implementations for decades. He has been a user, a consultant, implemented them from within a manufacturer and now works for Rootstock, a modern SaaS ERP vendor.
A conversation of five broad themes
How do companies need to align their business strategy with the technological decision, and not the other way around? Stephans argues for a customer-centric approach. He said: “In an ERP project, it’s really a microcosm of the overall business. So, you need to work from that customer differentiation backwards to derive your objectives, to derive your scope.” He also highlights the objectives for a business in an ERP Strategy.
We speak about who should be involved in the process. Stephans notes that the team, especially external members, may change over the life of the project as different skills are needed.
What process should organisations take for the implementation. Stephans advocates a hybrid approach. Once that is not pure agile, or pure waterfall.
How does one go about selecting a solution. The market can seem confusing to misquote George Orwell: “all cloud ERPs are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
Finally, we discuss whether implementing a modern cloud solution should ever be completed.
This podcast has some interesting insights and tips that makes it worth a listen to by organisations at every point in their ERP journey.
To hear what else Stephans had to say, listen to the Podcast.
Where can I get it?
You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the player below. Alternatively, click on any of the podcast services below and go to the Enterprise Times podcast page on these platforms.