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Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 2
Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 2

Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 2

By Bill Wood|May 16th, 2011|

Now, we move into the live ERP or SAP sales process. After you complete your RFP and as you entertain all of those proposals, you will see the sales games, scams, and shams really kick in. As the process unfolds, beware of the many tactics, schemes, tools, and tricks that ERP system integrators use to gain access to your checkbook. Like a magician, they have a bag of tricks-- but also a potential million-dollar deal or more on the line. The show begins. Software integrators load up on tricks, s [...]

Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 1
Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 1

Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 1

By Bill Wood|May 9th, 2011|

ERP software integrators and their salespeople are quite skilled at creating a "fog" around key selection criteria. Because of the amount of money at stake and the potential for huge commissions many of them will do almost anything to “get a deal.” For years, SAP consultants have dealt with the frustrating messes that software salespeople make. They promise anything, no matter how unrealistic, just to make a sale. Then the consultants have to deliver that promise. With these kinds of sales mode [...]

Tips to Overcome Sales Tactics by ERP System Integrators
Tips to Overcome Sales Tactics by ERP System Integrators

Tips to Overcome Sales Tactics by ERP System Integrators

By Bill Wood|May 2nd, 2011|

This is the beginning of a series reviewing some of the typical tactics and sales scams many software vendors use to gain your business. This way, you can create a selection process that filters out such vendors.Rather than competing on merit, many vendors resort to various strategies or techniques that prevent you from gaining the critical insight you need to make the best possible decision. Their strategies and tactics deflect you from discovering any of their weaknesses, or even deceive you [...]

Scams, Shams, ERP System Integrator Tactics
Scams, Shams, ERP System Integrator Tactics

Scams, Shams, ERP System Integrator Tactics

By Bill Wood|April 25th, 2011|

I read two articles that I wanted to summarize and review here. The articles provide two opposing viewpoints of consulting and some lessons learned for service buyers. This article on CIO about “7 Dirty Consultant Tricks (and How to Avoid Them)” [FN1] caught my attention. In particular, I was interested in the part about ways consultants try to “extract money from their clients…”: IT consultants are among the most slippery of the bunch. Among their favorite tricks: Using "scope change" t [...]

Will Next Generation IT Finally Transform Business
Will Next Generation IT Finally Transform Business

Will Next Generation IT Finally Transform Business

By Bill Wood|April 18th, 2011|

New IT Value Propositions – Moving from Operations to Customers and Innovation Throughout everything I do as a consultant, I try to categorize my activities into the three key areas of business: operations, customers, and innovation. Even though I have been working primarily in the supply chain areas of SAP since 1994 (SD – Sales and Distribution, MM – Materials Management, and PP – Production Planning), I have been focusing more on the key value areas of customers and innovation. I focus on cu [...]

Do You Know When To Do SAP Custom Development?
Do You Know When To Do SAP Custom Development?

Do You Know When To Do SAP Custom Development?

By Bill Wood|April 11th, 2011|

Use SAP Best Business Practices For Commodity Processes But More Carefully Evaluate Competitive Processes The debate and discussion around SAP best business practices usually assumes an “either-or” mindset. Either you use the SAP best business practices as they are, or you abandon them (for more background on SAP's "Best Business Practices," see What are SAP Best Business Practices Anyway). Several commentators suggest you should not do a software vendor’s “best practices” because you adopt the [...]