Convincing your Boss to Invest in a New ERP System
Unlike the modern ERP system, it is very annoying to work with an outdated and old accounting system. Be it manual data entry, managing spreadsheets or relying on untrustworthy or dark data, it is no less than a nightmare when you need obsolete systems to keep up with you in these highly competing times. No matter how difficult your current enterprise resource planning system is, if your management does not understand the need of a new ERP system, they will not support you. So how to achieve the impossible? How to convince your boss that a robust and intelligent ERP software is the need of the hour?
Do not wait until it is too late!
Good decisions can be made when there is no pressure or limitations. Thorough research is more helpful in finding the right solution rather than waiting until the last minute. Do not wait until your old system crashes or becomes obsolete/inoperable. If you do so, you are at the verge of losing all the data and it might cost you in thousands.
Read also: 3 Flashing Signs your Enterprise Software needs a Reboot
Focus on benefits, costs and ROI.
The inefficiencies of existing systems and processes may be painful for you especially if you are a part of the sales team, but it is not necessary that the management will realize the same sense of urgency. They might be concerned for costs and overall organisational benefits. It may involve reducing hard costs such as business processes / maintenance costs or may include soft costs like intangibles incurred on behalf of the client. Whichever is the case, the benefits of the right ERP system should be conveyed to the boss to do this, you can ask the ERP vendor to send across contacts of clients who are willing to give testimonials to your management. A strong testimonial does have a strong effect.
Bring support to build a strong case
If you are a part of the IT department or could just talk to your IT team, your case will get a better support from others. You can talk to your boss about cost-savings and other IT benefits available through ERP software. You can get your sales and marketing executives on board for the taken initiative. Moreover, it will provide further potential support for ERP implementation when required the most.
Consider the alternatives to your recommendation
Generally, superiors prefer to go through a variety of options while making a new purchase. Hence, you might need to present a demo to your boss to prove that you have carefully chosen the new ERP system and have considered all the possibilities associated with it. Do not hesitate to search for more options and compare your recommendations with other options. This will either provide you with better options or fortify your recommendation to be more reliable.
Focus on the “how”, “what” and “why”
You will first need to prepare a full report focusing on the need for the system along with the advantages of proposed system and ensure how to get on the right path. In other words, a well-planned strategy and analysis can be done for the implementation to be successful. The executive and management team can clarify the doubts such as how you suggest managing and mitigating risks, how you will leverage organisational change management and how new business processes will be defined.
No matter how big or small your business is or what industry you belong from, ERP software is a business process management tool that will scale with your business. To know more about Sage ERP software for your business, contact us here. You can also drop us a mail at sales@sagesoftware.co.in for free demo and consultation.
