The Love-Hate Relationship with ERP Software: Why It Drives Me Crazy
ERP software is often seen as a game-changer for organizations looking to streamline operations and improve efficiency. But here’s the reality—ERP implementations are notorious for cost overruns, business disruptions, and failed expectations. After 25 years in ERP consulting, I have worked with every major ERP system—SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, NetSuite, and more. And while […]
Digital Transformation in a Family Business
The digital transformation space provides a lot of opportunities for technical advancements, improvements, and overall transformations to your small business. This is also applicable to small family-run businesses, where most entrepreneurs will see their business needs outgrow the capabilities of their basic accounting software at some point. When that happens, it can be a stressful […]
Best Software for Small Business Digital Transformations
I have always had an affinity for small businesses and entrepreneurs. My father and his brothers worked at a chain of gas stations that my grandfather started when I was a small child. Despite not having a college education or wealthy upbringing, I was in awe of their entrepreneurial spirit for as long as I […]
Top ERP Solutions for Ecommerce Business
Ecommerce integration is quickly becoming one of the most critical factors in selecting an ERP. The numbers vary depending on which research you follow, but the total number of online purchases are staggering and growing at exponential rates. Additionally, with the burst of online business during the COVID-19 crisis, we have set a precedent for […]
ERP Software Customization: The Ultimate Sin of Enterprise Software?
Customization of software doesn’t have to be a controversial topic. It’s reasonable to assume all but the simplest companies will need some customization to the software they’re purchasing. The amount of customization, however, can be a salacious topic worth dissecting further. As we advise clients, customize selectively and typically only the secret sauce of what […]
Is It Time to Thank Your ERP Vendor?
We certainly like to bash them. It’s fun, easy to do, and they usually deserve it. But every now and then software vendors actually do go out of their way to make your business better. And when that happens, they deserve credit. I know, the first thought going through your mind is “isn’t that what […]
Five Common (and Inaccurate) Myths of ERP Systems
ERP implementations and digital transformations are plagued with failure points perpetuated by ERP software industry hoaxes. Some of these are self-serving, while others are based on In this blog we’ll talk about five myths, and it’s my hope that’s there’s a couple that will be covered you haven’t thought of. At Third Stage Consulting we’re […]
Organizational Change Management Considerations for Small Businesses
When discussing digital transformation with small business owners, the mention of organizational change management is (OCM) followed by blank stares. As a small, tightly-knit group where everyone knows each other and has direct access to leadership, OCM may not seem like a top priority while implementing one of the top ERP systems for small businesses. […]
What Is the Most Common Cause of Digital Transformation and ERP Failure?
Digital transformation and ERP failures are caused by a number of things. Poor project management, lack of internal alignment, and poor organizational change management are just a handful of reasons by transformations so commonly fail. Behind these and other common symptoms lurks a deeper root cause: lack of independence and objectivity. Simply put, ERP vendors […]
The Most Important Roles on ERP Implementations and Digital Transformations
When planning for an ERP implementation or digital transformation, most people seem to intuitively understand the importance of a good project manager. They typically also understand how important the CIO or IT Director’s role is. These are two examples of roles that are very important to the success of any digital transformation. Surprisingly for many, […]
10 Steps to ERP Implementation Success
Despite decades of history and lessons learned, most organizations still haven’t figured out how to achieve ERP implementation success. In fact, our research over the years shows that most implementations still fail – despite lessons from history and advancements in technology. (For more on this, see our 2020 ERP and HCM Report). The more things […]
The Convergence of ERP Configuration and Customization
The words configuration and customization can be equally challenging to understand. As related to ERP software – the challenge comes from the fact that every software company builds and defines their software a little differently. Configuration typically refers to the ability of a software to natively perform a certain function. A general way to think […]