When managing a portfolio of enterprise applications, choosing the right support option presents a chronic strategic dilemma. While vendors offer unmatched expertise for new product offerings, their commitment to past versions of the same software can fade fast. Meanwhile, third-party support providers introduce opportunities for more customization (and broader cooperation across different applications and projects).
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Eventually, your ERP will need to be replaced. Whether your vendor ceases support or your current software fails to meet your evolving needs, your legacy platform won’t last in our increasingly complex, data-driven business environment – at least not without some changes.
For most manufacturers, the top two considerations for a replacement are cloud-based ERP platforms and Tier I on-premise solutions. There is a third option, however – augmenting your existing ERP with cloud-based, niche functionality-specific add-ons. Following are a few of the pros, cons and critical considerations of each option.
Read MoreTags: Enterprise Planning, Enterprise Application Support, ERP
Implementing and maintaining a sophisticated ERP system is a complex task that involves a significant investment in both time and money. But it doesn’t stop there. Just because an organization makes the decision to invest in ERP doesn’t guarantee success. What else is needed is the discipline, planning, and commitment to make it work.
When an ERP implementation fails, company management often concludes that the software didn’t work or the system was just too complicated to adequately handle the company’s unique environment. But experience tells us the real reason for ERP failure is typically one or more of the following issues:
Tags: Extending ERP System Life, Enterprise Planning, Enterprise Application Support, ERP
The decision on whether to outsource support for enterprise resource planning and other business systems can be a difficult one, depending on the complexity of the overall IT environment and whatever vendor support agreement may or may not be in place. Often the decision revolves around money – in most cases you would be spending significantly less with a third-party support company. Although cost is always a top concern and the driving force behind many decisions to outsource support, if you are considering outsourcing support, there are other areas besides cost to consider to improve your system support ROI. Support should be more than an insurance policy, it should be one of the elements in your foundation for success. If that is not what you are getting now, perhaps a third party solution should be a consideration.
You probably already know the benefits of utilizing a managed service provider (MSP) to manage your IT infrastructure. But that’s only half the story – your IT department still has to devote time and resources to monitoring and maintaining the business applications that run on it. Combining the management of your IT system AND the enterprise software that runs on it with a single managed service provider can make your entire IT system more effective and efficient and reducing downtime – saving you time and money.
Tags: Managed Services, Enterprise Application Support, Enterprise Application Services
