The 5 Hidden Costs of Low ERP Implementation Quote Estimates

Your company is growing. You’ve researched your options for a new business management solution and are working through the ERP selection process. As you get quotes back from vendors you’re delighted with the low cost of implementation services. But should you be?

One of the mistakes growing small-to-midsized enterprises (SMEs) sometimes make is not considering that low ERP services quotes often come with hidden expenses. Here’s are a few unexpected costs to keep in mind if you’re going to partner with a small and inexperienced ERP partner to save you from paying more than you bargained for.

1) Changes to the Initial Project Scope

Over the course of an ERP implementation project, changes in scope can happen. But when an ERP vendor doesn’t clearly outline the scope of the project, this can result in in substantial overhaul that will cost your business time and money. Consider that if the plan your prospective ERP partner shared with you isn’t very detailed, chances are there’s a good reason why. The ERP vendor in question, may not have a formalized methodology for ERP implementations or the necessary quality assurances in place. The consequences can be catastrophic when a business is expecting a go-live by a certain date or is timing their ERP integration of a subsidiary to meet an upcoming window of opportunity.

At Vision33 our consultants will work in partnership with you to provide a wealth of experience and knowledge, ensuring outcomes meet requirements and best practice learning is applied; from the Pre-sales stage through to implementation and post project analysis.

2) Company Track Record

Small ERP vendors may not have the experience to handle your complex business implementation. This is your business in their hands – are you confident that it’s in safe with them? Do you have any idea about the success the vendor has had with other businesses? If risk factors are not adequately managed for the project or if the company’s track record of successful implementations is spotty – the cost to your business could be substantial.

Vision33 is consistently recognized by the industry and SAP for its notable growth and dedication in helping customers achieve success. The company has received many awards and accolades in each region it operates and consistently holds the title of largest global ERP partner for SAP Business One. Vision33 has decades of experience in IT and management experience with SME to large enterprise ERP implementation projects. In fact, we have the largest team of SAP Business One consultants globally.

3) Employee Training Costs

Did the vendor include training costs for your employees as part of the implementation costs? An important part of adopting new ERP software is ensuring that your employees know how to leverage the software. Vision33 offers turnkey solution to employee training on ERP systems through the world-class Vision33 TOTAL Care customer support program.

Vision33 TOTAL Care is the unique, industry-leading support program offered to educate and assist users of SAP Business One. It allows customers to take full advantage of all SAP Business One functionality and maintain long-term value.

4) Additional Software Maintenance Costs

Did your ERP implementation estimates include annual software maintenance costs? Top-tier ERP solutions are updated annually and will require system updates to ensure that you have access to the latest features and functionality. Is the company up-front with you about how much these costs will be?

When you chose an implementation partner like Vision33, you can modernize your business and reduces IT admin costs by moving into the cloud and managed services model. Vision33 works with its customers to find the right fit of technology solution and services tailored to fit their small business budget rather than prescribing a single one-fits-all solution.

5) Experience of Executive Sponsorship and Project Team

Does the ERP vendor have senior resources capable of ensuring a successful implementation? Do you know the credentials of the team? Are they a senior enough resource to manage the project? If not, how might this affect the implementation project’s timelines and add length to the tight timeframe the vendor is projecting that the implementation will take?

Vision33 consultants have expertise across diverse industries and organizations and are proficient in analyzing business processes to implement tailored SAP Business One solutions. By leveraging SAP Business One as a foundation to customize a tailored solution for the customer, Vision33 consultants work with each customer to align technology with their business processes and goals.

Other Important Considerations

Beyond low ERP implementation estimates, Vision33 has identified important considerations when selecting an ERP solution and vendor for implementation. Check out our ERP selection guide and many other useful resources in the Vision33 Beginner's Guide to ERP. 

Learn More in the Beginner’s Guide to ERP

For fast-growing businesses, the time to shift from small business accounting software (e.g. QuickBooks) to an ERP platform may already be upon you. But how do you know for sure and where do you begin sorting through your options?

These are challenging and often complicated questions to answer, and in most cases, the available resources online don’t clarify anything. For that reason, we consolidated all our early stage ERP resources in one place.