The document discusses strategies for engaging enterprise software vendors, focusing on the importance of aligning business and technology through effective sales processes and careful vendor selection. It outlines different vendor tiers and costs, emphasizing the need for clarity in contract language and the benefits of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions. Key recommendations include understanding organizational readiness, leveraging external expertise, and addressing business processes before implementing new technology.

1. How to Successfully Engage
Enterprise Software Vendors –
Software Selection
July 12, 2012

2. Housekeeping
Phones are muted
Use the question block for
questions
Copy of presentation
available upon request

3. About Your Presenter
• Sr. VP KeyedIn Solutions Consulting Group
– Helping companies align their business and technology
– Focus on people, process, and then the technology
– Subject matter expert on business process management
– On-going research into next generation of technology for
enterprise systems
• 25 years experience in enterprise systems
– USAF Research Project (1985)
– Founder of enterprise quality software company (1988)
• Trusted advisor to global organizations, government
agencies, and professional groups
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johncachat

4. Thought for the Day
Winning is a habit.
Unfortunately, so is losing
Vince Lombardi
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5. Today’s Discussion
• It All Starts With The Sales Team
• It Doesn’t Do What We Want
• Vendors Tiers And Costs
• Finding The Right Tier
• Contract Language
• SaaS Alternative

6. It All Starts With The Sales Team
Old School What You Want
Focused on the sale. Period Focused on providing a solution that
meets your needs.
Clueless on the product
Knowledgeable on the product and
Post order implementation is the your industry.
consultants problem, not mine.
Carefully documents the sales
process in order to provide a
comprehensive packet to the
consulting team.
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7. It Doesn’t Do What We Want
• Software “configuration”
– Add-ons
– Emails, triggers
– Report writers
– Form designers
• Options
– Change the process
– Customize the app
– Develop a workaround
– The KeyedIn approach
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8. The KeyedIn Approach
• Use the ERP as is out of the box
• Create user models that sit on top of the ERP
• Have the vendor demo your process, not their software
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9. Vendors Tiers
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4
Description Large Midsize Single Site Accounting,
Enterprise ($20-$200M) HR, inventory
Typical Multi-site, Single or few Single Site Less than
Clients multi- sites in one looking to $2M, startups
national country grow
Examples SAP Epicor INFOR – Visual QuickBooks
Oracle QAD MS Great Plains
MS Navision
INFOR - Syteline
It is important to play with someone in the same league.
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10. Vendors Tiers Costs (example)
Tier License Implementation Support Total First
Fee Fees (1 to 1) Year
1 $400K $400K $88K $888K
2 $200K $200K $44K $444K
3 $100K $100K $22K $222K
4 $20K $20K $4.4K $44.4K
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11. Where Is Your Company At Today?
Not all organizations at in the same place
Greenfield No current system in place. Users are happy with
anything. Few obstacles and constraints.
Brownfield Have and existing system with existing issues. Company
is used to doing things in certain ways. User resistance,
data migration, etc. are common obstacles
Blackfield Crashed and burned. New software will not solve the
problem - do not lead with technology. Business
alignment, people, culture, business processes all need
to be addressed before looking to technology – get
outside help!
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12. Finding The Right Tier
• Consider building a house analogy
– I have not even picked out the land yet
– Floor plan and general design provided
– House comes almost pre-built
– Here are the keys, move in
• Time frame, budget, resources
• SaaS alternative
– No hardware to buy
– No software installation, maintenance, or upgrade
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13. Contract Language
• Contract review
– Define business expectations / requirements
– Define deliverables
– The more specific, the higher probability of success
• If you do not have the expertise, get outside help
• Plan for contingencies
• Agree to change request process
• Agree to project reporting frequency and content
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14. SaaS Alternative
• Low cost of entry
• Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Elimination of capital expenditure
• Dramatic reduction in internal IT costs
• Vested vendor interests - if your not happy, the
vendor loses the customer revenue opportunity
• Much lower risk - faster implementations and
outsourced expertise dramatically lower risk
• A more powerful and secure IT infrastructure - few
organizations can match the infrastructure and
security investments made by SaaS vendors
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15. Things to Remember….
• Know your organization and
play in your league
• Contracts can make or break
your plans
• If you need help, ask for it
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16. About KeyedIn Consulting Group
Experts providing solutions to specific problems
– Project Rescue
– Project Management & Virtual PMO
– People and Process Alignment
– Business and IT Alignment
– Enterprise Software Selection
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17. Follow KeyedIn
Corporate Website: www.keyedin.com
www.twitter.com/keyedinsolution
www.linkedin.com/company/2434133?trk=tyah
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18. Free Whitepapers
Download
@
www.keyedin.com
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19. Upcoming Webinars
7/17/12 Business Processes: Can’t Live With ‘Em, Can’t Live Without ‘Em
7/19/12 Support for the New System: Go Live Is Just The Beginning
7/24/12 Selecting Consultants: Just Like A Marriage–For Better Or For Worse
7/27/12 Enterprise System Implementation Strategies and Phases
7/31/12 Project Teams: People Issues, Roles and Responsibilities
Register at
www.keyedin.com
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20. Questions & Answers
Q A &
Copy of Presentation Future Webinars
Contact:
Shelly Bird Visit:
sbird@keyedin.com www.keyedin.com
952-835-1041 ext.163