Select an ERP Implementation Partner | Info-Tech Research Group

Enterprise application implementations are complex, and their success is critical to business operations.
Selecting the right software implementation partner is as important for the success of the ERP initiative as selecting the right software.
System implementation often thrusts the product into the spotlight, with the implementation partner being an afterthought, and all too often organizational needs are ignored altogether.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

ERP implementation is not a one-and-done exercise. Most often it is the start of a multi-year working relationship between the software vendor or systems integrator and your organization. Take the time to find the right fit to ensure success.
The conventional approach to ERP implementation partner selection puts the ERP vendor and systems integrators in the driver's seat with little regard to your specific needs as an organization. You need to take an eyes-wide-open approach to your organization’s strengths and weaknesses to properly select and manage the implementation partner relationship.
Self-assessment is the critical first step in a successful implementation. Every organization has a unique combination of critical success factors (CSFs) that will be required to unlock the potential of their ERP. You must find the right partner or partners whose strengths complement your weaknesses to ensure your success.
Before you start knocking on vendors’ doors, ensure you have a holistic request that encompasses the strategic, tactical, operational, and commodity factors required for the success of your ERP implementation.

Impact and Result

Use Info-Tech’s implementation partner selection process to find the right fit for your organization.
Understand the enterprise application CSFs and determine the unique requirements of your organization through this lens.
Define your implementation partner requirements separately from your software requirements and allow vendors to respond to those specifically.
Use our assessment tools to score and assess the CSFs required to select the right software implementation partners.

Select an ERP Implementation Partner Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should focus on selecting the right implementation partner, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

1. Identify your strategic needs

Review the CSFs that are of strategic importance. Evaluating the gaps in your organization's capabilities enables you to choose a partner that can properly support you in your project.

2. Review your tactical, commodity, and operational needs

Review the CSFs that are of tactical, commodity, and operational importance. Evaluating the gaps in your organization's capabilities enables you to choose a partner that can properly support you in your project.

3. Build your RFx and evaluate the responses

Review your RFx and build an initial list of vendor/implementors to reach out to. Finally, build your evaluation checklist to rate the incoming responses.

Member Testimonials

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.

9.0/10

Overall Impact

$51,000

Average $ Saved

19

Average Days Saved

Client

Experience

Impact

$ Saved

Days Saved

Testimonial

RCL Group Services (Pty) Ltd

Guided Implementation

7/10

$16,000

5

Natco Home Group

Guided Implementation

10/10

$13,700

5

Vitalant

Workshop

10/10

$123K

47

The collaboration, education and inclusion with all the functional units was highly valued.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Table of Contents

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 6 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Identify your strategic needs

Call 1: Evaluate ERP strategy to identify partner selection information.
Call 2: Define strategic partnership requirements.

Guided Implementation 2: Review tactical, operational, and commodity needs

Call 1: Define tactical partnership requirements.
Call 2: Define commodity and operational requirements.

Guided Implementation 3: Build your RFx and evaluate responses

Call 1: Review draft RFx and evaluation tool.
Call 2: Identify sources for potential vendors.

Authors

Lisa Highfield

Robert Fayle

Chad Shortridge

Contributors

Gloria A. Epizitone, Lecturer, Durban University of Technology
Paula Minnikin, Partner and Principal, Minnikin Resources, Inc.
6 anonymous contributors
209 LinkedIn survey respondents

Search Code: 98198
Last Revised: December 22, 2021

TAGS:

vendor selection, systems implementor, systems implementer, erp rfp, erp rfi, erp rfx

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