Hiring an ERP Consultant: Pros and Cons

ERP or enterprise resource planning system is a robust business solution suite that integrates finance/accounting software, HR, payroll, purchase/sale processes into a unified system. With all the critical businesses processes imparted on a single system, you just cannot play hit-or-miss when it comes to choosing an ERP system for you. This is why it is advisable to get aboard an ERP consultant to help you sail smoothly through the selection, implementation and adoption of ERP software for your business.

Irrespective of whether a business is plunging into the world of ERP afresh or is looking to upgrade the existing system, questions are bound to arise when it comes to buying outside help i.e., whether to hire an ERP consultant or not?

This blog will discuss about the pros and cons of hiring an ERP consultant to help businesses especially SMEs make a sound and well-informed decision for optimum ERP implementation and adoption. This is extremely important to SMEs, because they tend to play pretty to close to the chest due to budget and resource constraints.

So without further ado, let us glide onto the pros and cons:

 Pros:

• • Unmatched Expertise: ERP consultants boast of extensive proficiency when it comes to helping businesses choose and implement EPR solutions. In addition, if history has proven anything, it is that optimum implementation has led to sure-fire ROI. Expert ERP consultant can swiftly evaluate business needs and suggest a tailor-made ERP solution that fits business preferences.

• • Boosts Adoption Rate: Company-wide adoption tops the wish list for every ERP implementation. This is where an ERP consultant comes into picture as the perfect retort. Since consultant performs a comprehensive assessment of your business needs, it helps in optimum user adoption.

• • Right Guidance: A consultant with the right and substantive guidance can help you avoid running from pillar to post in search of the perfect ERP system. No need to run after features, functionalities and modules that you do not require.

• • Prolific Training: Most importantly, consultants provide extensive and sound training to your staff to excel at utilizing the system. This results in seamless transition to the newly implemented systems across the company.

• Priceless Hand-holding: Last but not the least, a good number of ERP consultants today offer amazing hand-holding and support services ensuring smooth operations. So no worries if you are stuck amidst some complex operations in the system, since your consultant is just a call away.

Cons:

• • Soaring Cost: One of the adverse aspects of hiring an ERP consultant is the cost associated with hiring one. Good things come at a cost and this is not an exception with ERP consultant. Hence, businesses aspiring to hire a consultant to help them get through ERP implementation should buckle up for shelling out good money.

• • Click-baits: Yes, several novice consultants are operating out there that take businesses for a ride. Therefore, finding the right ERP consultant is no less than a task. Whilst careful references and research can help you freeze a reliable and expert consultant, it is highly possible to fall prey for an inexperienced consultant.

• • Evangelists of Losers: Many ERP consultants tend to show their penchant towards a specific vendor/brand or product. In this race, they might misguide you to a solution that might not fit your needs.

• Substandard Communication: Communication gaps do tend to occur when dealing with ERP consultants. Always remember that a consultant with substandard or poor communication is of little use and you as a client may face the disaster.

Conclusion:

Though ERP consulting is a costly affair, we cannot deny its essence in unfolding successful ERP implementation.  ERP project, be it of any size, stage or complexity, it definitely requires the push of a consultant. With careful research and right planning when choosing a consultant, you can greatly save the implementation from being a disaster.

Hope this article alleviates all the doubts and qualms associated with hiring a consultant for ERP implementation. To know more about successful ERP implementation, click here.