Why Choosing the Right Business Solution Matters
A business system (ERP, CRM, SCM, HR, etc.) is the foundation of every organization's daily operations. Choosing the wrong system can lead to:
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Increased operating costs
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Reduced productivity
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Low user acceptance
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Poor return on investment (ROI)
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Deterioration of competitive performance
Situations where implementing a new system becomes necessary
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Migrating from outdated on-premises servers to cloud platforms (to reduce maintenance costs and increase scalability).
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Meeting new functional requirements from customers or industry regulations.
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Eliminating the risks associated with outdated, unsupported, or unsecure systems.
Additional research
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Panorama Consulting (2023) → 51% of ERP projects failed to meet expectations.
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CedarCrestone → 30–40% of companies chose the wrong ERP system, leading to implementation problems and financial losses.
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Gartner → Up to 75% of ERP implementations fail to meet expectations—not only due to poor system selection, but also due to poor practices and poor change management.
Preparation Before Starting the Selection Process
(a) Management Approval and Budget
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Before you begin exploring solutions, ensure that decision-makers approve the project and allocate a realistic budget.
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Explain the challenges and costs (e.g., server upgrades, remediation of recent security incidents, system limitations).
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Securing management approval in advance prevents wasted effort in the future.
(b) Review Current Processes
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Document and analyze existing workflows.
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First, identify what is required to implement the Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
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Focus only on the elements necessary for Phase 1.
(c) Prioritize Essential and Desirable Features
Essential → Critical features from day one.
Desirable → Features that can be implemented later.
Warning: Adding all desired features in Phase 1 makes projects too expensive and time-consuming.
(d) User Acceptance
Clear communication with employees is important. Just because a feature is marked as desired doesn't mean it's ignored—it can be added later. Gaining user trust and acceptance is crucial for successful implementation.
Scalability Considerations
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Assess whether the system can grow with your business at a reasonable cost.
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Some cloud systems charge higher fees when storage or transaction volume exceeds certain thresholds—understand these costs upfront.
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Check whether the system has a strong partner ecosystem. This allows you to fill functionality gaps with industry-specific applications rather than requiring extensive customization.
Choosing a Business Solution and Implementation Partner
(a) Microsoft Dynamics Partner
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Finding the right implementation partner is just as important as choosing the system. A good partner should:
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In-depth industry knowledge and a proven track record of delivering on-time and on-budget implementations.
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A company culture that aligns with yours.
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A commitment to learning about your business and supporting you long-term.
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A willingness to guide you through challenging project phases while maintaining a collaborative approach.
(b) Demonstration
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System demonstrations are essential.
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Provide your partner with a checklist of requirements to present during the demo.
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Keep your demos short and to the point – attention spans are limited.
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Ensure key decision-makers are present and actively involved.
(c) Cost
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Break down your costs into two categories:
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One-time investment→ Implementation, training, configuration, development, hardware, travel.
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Ongoing costs → Licensing, maintenance, support.
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Beware of excessive customization. While this may seem like a one-time expense, each upgrade cycle will require testing and updating custom code, leading to hidden recurring costs.
(d) Post-launch Support
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The relationship doesn't end with launch.
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Choose a partner that offers solid, ongoing support – ideally with a local or industry-experienced team.
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For complex issues, Level 2 and Level 3 support may be required.
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As your business grows, you'll need a partner who can help you implement new features and scale the system.
Conclusion
Choosing the right business system is a strategic, long-term investment, but choosing the right Microsoft Dynamics implementation partner is equally important. The system improves operations, performance, and scalability. The partner ensures successful implementation, user acceptance, continuous improvement, and maximum return on investment (ROI). Together, they form the foundation for sustainable company development.