Beware, Choose Your Enterprise Software Wisely!

I hate to say it! It is frustrating but true.

The Enterprise software industry is full of BS!

I have encountered a customer who needed enterprise software for hospitality services. The customer was led to a path of buying a midtier ERP (for Finance), a POS product and another hospitality management software. Believe it or not, these three products do not talk to each other. There is no integration. After nine months and over $400K, the customer gave up.

Another customer selected a specialist software with a money-back guarantee. Unfortunately, it was another wasted effort too!

Mansions are not made on sand pits! Enterprise software (ERP) is the digital backbone of your business. ERP implementation is one of the significant digital investments. To de-risk, this investment, ensure that you choose your enterprise software wisely.

Seek specialist professional help for software selection if you have to. But, don’t make the costly mistake of choosing the wrong software. It is not fun to fall on your face and smile because others did the same too. So, let’s learn from their mistakes and choose your enterprise software wisely!

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When my wife wears a different piece of jewellery, my girls are the first to spot it. As men, we don’t pay that much attention to jewellery. I guess girls can see any changes in jewellery very vividly. At any point in time, the world around us is the same; however, we...

Observe little kids playing. You may witness the height of imagination during their play. To them, their imaginary world is real. Their imaginary world is free of constraints, rules of the physical world, and other boundaries. As we grow older, we lose touch with our...

The end of the week can be tiring. We may lose motivation and get a little slack on the planned tasks. It may be because of hard work, a few sleepless nights, and stressful work. When it is Friday, our body and soul ask us to slow down. But we must ask ourselves if we...

Expert knowledge is readily available with AI tools, easy access to books, and online resources. So, making recommendations may add limited value to our staff and teams. As leaders, we add value by driving change and implementing our recommendations, motivating our...

The ability to change our minds (decisions) is a privilege. If done right, it gives us options, helps us manage risk, and opens new opportunities. Here is the thing: We make decisions based on our current knowledge, conditions, and environment. After we decide, our...

In the Project team, we may fill different roles. The role I am serving is not a testament to my experience, background, knowledge, or skills. Instead, it is my commitment to deliver on the demands of the given role. It is about the value I add consistently throughout...

Recently, I have been listening about the great men in history. I learned that the great men had to deal with familiar, worldly problems. What made them great was their mindset and attitude towards the challenges. There is a massive difference in how they face their...

Little improvements are capable of making a big difference! Little improvements are awesome. They are quick, relatively easy to implement, and do not cost much. Still, they have the potential to make a big difference. For example, a firm handshake, eye contact, and...

I may find people make me a target, embarrass me, shame me, or insult me. I may feel people around me ignoring my opinions. The more I try to show others my weight, the worse it gets. Chances are that I am taking myself too seriously. Forgetting, I am not a big deal....

We generally know what we need to do to improve basic things like losing weight, running effective meetings, prioritising, managing relationships, etc. We know how to be more effective. But the problem appears to be making and sticking with improvement decisions....

Sometimes, we know what needs to be done. We have done it enough times. We have experienced others doing it, too. To us, the path is straightforward. Someone needs to follow simple steps. However, we repeatedly fail to explain the steps to newbies. We offer lectures...

Realization is often magical, when and if it ever happens. It is mind-boggling how our lives suddenly change with a little realization. Nothing changes in the outside world, yet it transforms us instantly. No one knows how or when the next realization will manifest...

Here is the best way to kill creativity within the team. As a leader, tell them what you want them to do step-by-step. So they don’t have to think about anything. They follow the ‘best way’ to undertake the work (a tried and tested method with predictable results)....

What is the cost of free? In the material world, too much is free—for instance, free trials, software, information, training, search, etc. It does not stop there. The loyalty programs offer free loyalty points, birthday gift coupons, and other free goodies. Regarding...

On weekends, I often observe myself rushing through too many things. I seldom find a calm and slow weekend. Partly, it is due to the young family commitments. However, I reckon the main reason is my lack of focus. For instance: not knowing the end goal and what...

We learn from our parents not so much what they preach but what they do. If we really want to follow and learn from a leader we admire. Merely following their preaching is not sufficient. We must also thoroughly observe their lives in light of their teachings. For...

We are so used to average that we often assume it is all we have. For example, waiting long on the customer service call, projects that never properly start or end, and average quality products. There is no reason to settle on average, however. Once we taste good and...

There are two types of players. The one who plays to win. The others play to play. The players who play to win have set targets. Their happiness and satisfaction depend on meeting their selected goals. They are serious about the game and focus on winning. They learn,...

The quality of our decisions is directly proportional to the quality of the questions we ask before making our decisions. For example, if the host asks us, would you like a Coke or juice? We may ask: Thanks. Do you have other drinks in the fridge? Or, I am dieting. Is...

I can have a varied level of success, but I can’t have a varied level of winning. Winning is absolute. Either I win or I don’t. I may do all the right things, miss on a little thing, and not win. Getting an agreement, signatures on a proposal, and approval on a...

I am tired because I may have worked too hard. At least, this is likely to be my excuse. The reality could be that I have worked too long. There is a subtle but profound difference between working hard and working long. Working hard is not a factor of time. Instead,...

It is always good to introspect why we do certain things. For example, why do we celebrate specific festivals or special events, and what is the reasoning behind a few rituals? This introspection helps us understand why we do certain things instead of mindlessly...

Access to fancy food, alcohol, tobacco, relationships with influential people, material possessions, personal traits, and numerous other dimensions that feed our pride can be a slow poison to our social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being. In the glory of...

Many of us tell ourselves that we are not complete. We fill our emptiness by hoarding stuff, acquiring professional certificates, and running away from ourselves. In transforming into someone else, we often ignore who we are. We get so carried away by wanting to...

We may pretend to follow a logical enterprise software (ERP/CRM) selection process. The reality is that emotions, gut feelings, and individual preferences drive our decisions. The sales teams know it quite well. You and others in the selection process are under their...

Teachers, parents, managers, and leaders often have a choice. Some of us choose to please, and others choose to lead. The ones who please tend to look at themselves. They may want to please others to avoid conflict, difficult situations, or even hard work. The ones...

How can I become a leader that everyone respects? How can I gain the trust and endorsement of my teammates? Which words should I say that attract people around me? How should I present myself as a leader? There may be many other similar questions we have about...

During enterprise software (ERP/CRM) selection, we often bog down in comparing software products. We compare their features and costs, and we assess their value for money. Here, it is essential to note that the product comparison is just one aspect. Along with this,...

Imagine a busy doctor who prescribes medication with a minimal diagnosis. He confidently makes decisions with gut feelings and random guesses. Does that sound dangerous and awkward? Well, this is precisely what many of us do daily in executive meetings and board...

I may be the most famous singer. It does not necessarily imply that I am the best singer. I may be more popular among the larger population than other singers. My fans are unlikely to be all music critics. So, my popularity does not always equate to my skills. There...

We are stepping into a world where software writes for us. We just provide a brief. When we circulate the document, the reviewers may feed it to the software with a brief to review and provide feedback. At every step, such software will actively assist in project...

Let us talk about amateurs and experts! Most amateurs can tell what to do to get from A to B. However, the experts understand us (as their customers). Then, illustrate the customised plan, monitor us on the way, give us plenty of options, and lead us to our...

What is common among Panadol, Amazon, Nescafe pod coffee machines, and McDonald's? All of them are extremely user-friendly, consistently deliver the same experience, and are relatively cheaper. This could be the exact reason for their popularity and success. For the...

You and I can work on the same thing, but with a very different approach. Our approach can depend on our previous experience, education, background, and various other factors. In my experience, the key differentiator in the approach is our motive behind undertaking...

We are all blind. As a result, we cannot see simple things that are pretty obvious to others. Our blindness can be due to multiple reasons. Our blindness can be due to excessive consumption of food, alcohol, and drugs, which hinder our focus. We cannot see how much...

Sometimes, I don’t stand up for myself. I let go of things because I don’t think they are that important. I tend to be flexible and adjust so we can move on with life. I may even bear insults just to avoid conflict. I may not make material decisions to prevent...

It is possible that, despite my best efforts, I remain unsuccessful. There can be many hypotheses to explain this. For example, I may be ahead of my time. I am at the wrong place and at the wrong time. I am too unique, or I am too unlucky. Irrespective of any such...

I do not get strong by consuming high-quality food. My body's strength depends on how efficiently I utilise the energy source. So, how well I exercise, rest, sleep, and eat determines my strength. Similarly, merely consuming more information does not make my business...

I may take pride in my work. I may have high standards, too. I may be working hard and putting in long hours. As a leader, it is who I am. However, I may lose credibility and respect by expecting my team to live up to my standards. My leadership should help my team...

On the surface, it makes sense to have repeatable processes. So, we all follow the same process. There is limited confusion and very little communication overhead. Yes, it makes sense. However, standardisation has its tradeoffs. Mindlessly following the same process...

There is a big difference between vendors selling solutions and those understanding the problem before formulating the solution. The former focuses on how I can convince you that my solution will solve your problem. The latter focuses on understanding the problem...

As customers, we deserve to have options. Perhaps there are options with pros and cons. As B2B decision makers, we must do our due diligence before making decisions. Vendors may push us to decide on the only option they provide. They may manipulate options so that we...

The whole journey of leadership is to make ourselves redundant. Leadership is about enabling our people to take ownership of the tasks we have been performing (delegation). It is about developing new capabilities (automation and training). Leadership is about holding...

As adults, we assume that we know it all. We do not receive direct feedback like kids do. Even if someone provides feedback, we will likely deflect rather than accept it. We do not necessarily grow in our learning with age. Instead, we develop rigidity and...

A conscious decision—"I do not need more!"—can be very liberating. Often, I find myself stretched thin, pursuing too many things. They can be material things, health goals, business, improvements and many other dimensions of life. With limited resources, seeking more...

A Project plan often gives the impression that we know the steps we will take to achieve the given outcome. In practice, a Project plan is merely a logical sequence of tasks. It does not imply that we know all the tasks that the project team needs to execute. Further,...

Any substantial change is full of risks. If things go pear-shaped, an executive is ultimately accountable. However, if things go well, you will likely give credit to the transformation team. So, if you plan to sponsor or lead a transformation within your organisation,...

What is the one thing that has the potential to fundamentally transform us? In my experience, it is our environment. I operate very differently, working from home, in a client office, or in my own office. The environment affects my mood, motivation, and even the style...

Perhaps the first question we should ask before doing anything is: Why am I doing it? With repetition, we stop to think about why we are even doing specific tasks. Likely, we do not need 200 reports; maybe half of the month-end processes are unnecessary, and we may...

"Life is short; I want to be at the top of the ladder before I am 40." "Acceptance is blissful. I need to practice accepting life as it happens." "Life is uncertain; my family is my priority." "Money is not everything. I will live for passion, not money." "I will be a...

Our final destination is the same: death. Only our journeys and milestones are different, however. Even with them, we have minimal control. The questions are: What do we want our journeys to be? What are our expectations from the milestones? What are we prepared to...

I need to put in more hours to deliver the pending work. Vs I need to find a way to outsource the pending work. In the first statement, I am pressured to complete the work. And I am a constraint. However, according to the second statement, I will find a resource....

Our current situation is due to our environment and the decisions we choose to make. For instance, I may have been born into a wealthy family. My environment may have taught me the importance of wealth. My decisions continue to support me in acquiring more wealth....

The first thing is to establish if someone has already resolved this problem. If the answer is yes, we just need to reach out to others who have already solved it. Even paying them to learn about the solutions makes sense. We frequently view complex business issues as...

Often, we make broad judgements and label people with GOAT (Greatest of All Times) titles. In my view, we cannot make a reasonable comparison across time. With time, way too many variables change. Therefore, how can we compare and logically give someone a GOAT title?...

In a battle, actual fighting is a relatively small component of the overall initiative. Many things outside of direct engagement with the enemy may decide the win or loss. Similarly, implementing technology projects is a small component of the overall Digital...

I have often benefited from what I didn’t have. For instance: I am not a very quick learner. This problem helped me work hard and take time to learn things at my own pace. It also helped me to reflect on a deeper perspective. I always wanted to be a tall guy. Research...

"I know my stuff. I put much effort into my work. My quality standards are pretty high. I go beyond my role's expectations to ensure the project's success." All of the above is well and good until I do not compare and belittle others. My hard work does not give me the...

These are common complaints about Business software. Senior stakeholders often use these exact objections against investing in technology. "In my previous organisation, we spent too much money on the ERP, and no one used the system." "It takes too long to enter...

Customers often ask how long it takes to transform the organisation. So, we have all these projects; how long would it take us to deliver? The truth is that no one knows precisely. Anyone can make a rough guess with a ton of assumptions. Further, any estimates require...

A few thoughts on the journey of life, goals, and destinations! The best way to ruin your journey is by impatiently waiting for your destination. The perfect way to be alone is by making life of fellow travellers difficult. The final destination is death. Any goals in...

We may want to think that we have control over our lives. However, the reality could be different. We are being controlled by: Our genes Wiring on our brain and decision-making Hormones Habits Conforming to social norms Human Psychology Our unique way of viewing and...

A problem can have multiple viable solutions. It is often easier to solve a known problem with the familiar methods. However, people with an open mindset are also curious to find other ways. They qualify multiple approaches and make an informed decision with the best...

Imagine I get my house painted, upgrade my car, and get the garden cleaned every five years. However, I do not do any improvements or maintenance work. I am too busy, so when things break, I must seek immediate help to restore them. Now, think of the pathetic...

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