ERP Consulting Firms

How We Ranked the Top ERP Consulting Firms

When choosing the right ERP software vendor, many businesses opt for a specialized company that can professionally implement the system and prepare the client for active use. This is particularly true for companies dealing with ERP systems for the first time, given that their business environment will undergo structural changes with the introduction of this new factor.

While sometimes the software developer is the one that can provide those services, more often than not, you will need to hire an enterprise resource planning consulting company to guide you through the whole process. That’s why we ranked such outfits following a detailed examination of their services, expertise and skill set, along with their reputation, previous results, and pricing.

Scroll down to see which criteria we took into account.

Services Offered

The bigger the number of services offered, the better for the client, as it allows for a more comprehensive package. What follows is the ERP specialist services we expect reputable companies to offer.

Application Consulting

To make sure your company is getting the best out of an ERP system, you can enlist application consulting services and make informed choices about which system to use, how to customize it and establish relevant internal processes.

Process Consulting

Process consulting services are meant to provide advice on how to optimize company processes by examining the current state, setting goals, and determining the changes that need to be made for the improvements to be visible.

Technical Consulting

For technical advice on database setup and optimization, data migration, security, etc. you may need to look for a top enterprise resource planning company that offers technical consulting services.

Management Consulting

Management consulting services can help you pinpoint specific issues related to people or company organization and find ways to resolve them so that your business can grow without interruptions.

Company’s Reputation & Track Record

Just like you care about your company’s reputation, you should care about the reputation of your business partners. Sometimes that can even be the tipping point whether or not you choose to go into business with someone.

To help you make the right decision when choosing the best enterprise resource planning consulting company for you, we consider this criterion as well. We go through their past and current clients, read customer reviews in directories and social media, check their history of solving problems, and verify the availability of their support. We make sure they have a lot of experience in dealing with specific systems, and various industries, and are knowledgeable about the current technologies.

Technology Expertise

It’s unimaginable for any of the ERP consulting firms on our list to not have complete command of various ERP systems like Odoo, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft, Acumatica, etc. We make sure that the companies we evaluate have the necessary understanding of these platforms so that they are able to provide the best possible service to their clients.

Project Management

Having an experienced project manager in charge of such a complex project as ERP system implementation or migration can be crucial. A top enterprise resource planning consulting company would generally provide such services, demonstrating that it is committed to its clients’ projects. We therefore also consider that in our ranking process.

System Integration

System integration requirements are another factor we consider when drafting our list of ERP consulting companies. Simply put, you need to consider how difficult it will be to integrate the ERP system with your own existing systems and company processes.

That said, if your company has just started out and you are looking to implement an ERP system early on, this might not be as important as it is for some other companies. Also, if your niche is highly specialized, this may also present an issue for ERP consulting firms as it may necessitate third-party customization as well. A widely used system (or a more popular one) meanwhile will be integrated more easily, which is something to consider if you want to avoid slowing down or completely halting day-to-day activities.

Migration

An expert enterprise resource planning specialist team will be able to move an existing system to a new platform without any information losses, executions delays. That’s why it’s important to find a partner who can do that efficiently, economically and to your satisfaction.

Support

Having 24/7 availability and knowledgeable staff you can contact however you are comfortable with (live chat, email, call, ticket) goes a long way in preventing and resolving problems. That’s why ERP consulting companies that offer continuous support always rank high in our lists. Regular system maintenance that includes installing big or minor updates, bug fixing, patching security or other issues and keeping the system in an overall optimal condition — these are all actions of a true business partner that will keep your processes running smoothly.

Training

Enterprise resource planning implementation companies not only need to install your system, they also need to make sure you know how to use it without their help. You should therefore know how much training is required for uninterrupted business process flow. The more user-friendly an ERP system is, the less employee training it will require, as is the case with the more popular solutions on the market. That said you still need to check if your potential ERP service provider will hold initial training sessions, make materials available in various formats (blog post, eBook, webinar, tutorial video, etc.), and/or hold Q&A sessions.

Relationship With the Development Company

Many of the top enterprise resource planning consulting companies work closely with the software developers. This makes training and support easier in the long run — the closer their collaboration, the more expertise they will have. This also means they will be better equipped to handle the maintenance of the system, including:

• Performing system implementation quickly and smoothly
• Knowing when to expect major updates and how to deal with them
• Knowing which issues to anticipate and prepare solutions for
• Knowing the pain points for the end-users, etc.

Such companies tend to be better service providers as they create a link between their clients and developers and have the necessary expertise to resolve system-specific issues. That is why they are considered top ERP consulting firms and as such, get better rankings on our list.

Pricing

One of the ranking criteria in our methodology is the price. Rather than going for the cheapest options, we look for pricing models that fall within the industry standards and provide good value for money. In the consulting industry in general, prices vary on a number of factors, such as whether you require only one or a service package, the variety of the services you want to commission, and for how long. Some companies further offer special package deals — both in terms of services and payment — based on your business size, so take that is yet another factor to consider.

Tips for Hiring the Best ERP Consulting Company for Your Business

When looking for your next business partner, it’s crucial to find the one company that suits your exact needs without compromising your financial well-being. That’s why we not only rank the companies you can choose from but also provide you with advice on how to choose the best fit for your business.

Define Your Needs

The first step is making sure you know the extent of your business needs. Don’t go for a large ERP consultants service package if you run an SMB or if you don’t really need all the services, because the costs will outweigh the benefits. You therefore need to be familiar with all the processes in your company, especially those that could be improved by an ERP system.

Industry Experience

While most of the top enterprise resource planning consulting firms can successfully cater to a variety of industries, always take into account those that offer specialized services as well, especially if you operate in a highly specific field.

Also, some aspects of the system may need to be specially customized for your (type of) company, so before making the final decision, be sure this can be done seamlessly to avoid additional costs and operating difficulties.

Define Your Budget

The final step is determining how much money you are willing to spend. This will further help you narrow down the number of ERP consulting firms you are considering. At the end of the day, if they cost an arm and a leg, it’s highly questionable how helpful these services will be to you, and how satisfied you will be.