Updated · Originally published
By Jim Hickey,
As vice-president of a company that is a Microsoft partner specializing in and , I’m in a position to look beyond the software applications and see the bigger picture. And I can tell you that we are witnessing a growing trend in how companies are approaching the . Companies are abandoning the traditional process of creating a short list of vendors, providing an RFP and sitting through countless software demonstrations. In its place companies are following a process that aligns the following factors:
- Client industry competitive landscape and market trends
- Strategic objectives of their business with
- Core business drivers
- Economic value
The reasons for the shift are fairly straightforward. First, the maturation of ERP and CRM applications is such that core functionality is safely assumed. Second, the above approach results in key business metrics which provide measurable results. These results are critical in justifying the required investment. Lastly, this shift also reflects a growing trend of companies placing greater value on the who is implementing and supporting the solution than on the solution itself.
When they , the execution of this process is as follows:
- Conduct a workshop with key members of the management team
- Develop a strategic solution roadmap that quantifies the positive business impact.
The results of this process allow companies great insight as to whether there is truly any value in undergoing an implementation and determining their critical success factors.
Submitted by Altico Advisors, for and . Your