Podcast Episode: The ERP Vendor Long List

ERP Insights Podcast from Ultra Consultants

Episode 10 (8:54)

Listen as Jeff Carr, Ultra Consultants Founder and CEO, reviews the steps to identify and manage the ERP vendor long list with an eye toward setting the short list. The Podcast helps you understand how to identify the vendors that fit your business.

As your team researches ERP vendors to replace your old legacy system, you are going to find a lot of choices and a lot of confusion.

We guide manufacturing and distribution project teams to shortcut the difficult process of identifying the right vendors and the right partners to evaluate.

Why Move from the ERP Vendor Long List to the Short List?

Without guidance, we find ERP selection teams often identifying as many as 12 to 15 vendors. Having too many vendors in the list results in a lot of wasted time.

In every vertical market the educated buyer need only put about 3 vendors on their long list which reduces your efforts significantly.

Listen as Jeff shares the steps to get to the short list. How to get to it and how big should it be?

It’s Wise to Avoid the RFP

In the podcast, hear why Jeff warns teams against taking time to move through the traditional Request for Proposal or RFP process.

A speedier and more effective selection process follows when there is an understanding of how the software performs necessary activities that meet well-analyzed future state requirements – a critical understanding not addressed by a traditional RFP.

Instead, he walks through the value of the “Request for Information” which involves:

• Thorough vendor interviews and research
• Setting strategic decision drivers. By setting this decision driver, the project team could then analyze any required customizations or integrations needed to meet this specific requirement.
• The team is then better able to evaluate the software against future state business process models – enabling the team to make the best decision to support long-term needs.

Move from the Long List to the Short List – A Fast Listen

The Ultra independent ERP consultant team places a high priority on providing education. Take a few moments to hear Jeff Carr share his expertise as to how to move from the long list to short list of ERP vendors.

Considering an enterprise technology project? Contact Ultra to speak to an expert ready to help.