10 steps to reduce the vendor proposal shell games and sales tactics that prevent you from achieving the best possible results. Tactics, strategies, and techniques for getting past the sales pitches to the substance of the proposal and selecting the best possible IT system vendor for the best possible project results.
On their first attempt, few companies see dramatic transformations with Key Performance Indicators. Many businesses or organizations eventually abandon the efforts because they start out with poor alignment between what they are measuring and the business value proposition or their underlying competitive pressures. Some companies eventually develop some great reports and a dashboard for their executives or senior managers. However, few companies effectively use a Key Performance Indicator in a [...]
Your company’s SAP or ERP business case should start before your RFP, not just at a high level. Before ever issuing an SAP RFP, you need to take some time up front to get educated and develop some key understanding. Educated software buyers are more sophisticated in their research, and the more sophisticated you are, the better results you will receive. The more educated you are: The better the quality of the ERP RFI or RFP, The better choice you will make at vendor selection, The more objectiv [...]
Modern technology allows international outsourcing, greater agility, quicker product design to market, and specialized focus on niche markets, lowering the barrier to entry for new competitors and causing more market specialization. On the flip side, customers have a wide variety of information from sellers and the Internet about products, design, services, options, pricing, and availability. Business is more dynamic than ever. Because of the pace of change, focusing on internal process improve [...]
Since I started in the SAP and ERP arena in 1994, I have heard experts passionately declare that a key criteria for IT project success is executive participation. That mandate applies to any large scale project, whether through ERP, CRM, APO, SOA, BI, or other solutions. Many implementation companies wrongly believe that executive participation is only important because the executive brings authority and visibility to the project. However, a more overlooked yet crucial reason is the senior exec [...]
When implementing or upgrading SAP, too often I encounter vendors and consultants who believe they are more qualified than they actually are. Think of backyard mechanics who changed the oil on someone's cars and checked the tire pressure a few times, then somehow think that qualifies them to do engine overhauls on Formula 1 race cars. Similarly, why do you expect old-style implementation vendors and consultants to transform your business into a competitive powerhouse by only addressing cost-foc [...]
