Difficulty in Selecting ERP Package:

It has been observed that the selection of an appropriate ERP for the enterprise is complicated by the internal people as most of them lack experience in an ERP project. Hence, help of external consultants is needed. The biggest problem in selecting an ERP is because of several interacting and some conflicting objectives which each available ERP provides.

For instance, an ERP package takes a lot of time in implementation. Some of the companies have faced difficulties as they lack objective, validated information on the vendor products and services. Because of this, they are forced to rely on what the vendor says and the literature provides.

This is a common practice to form an ERP steering team or task-force for the initial selection and implementation stage. Top executive or CEO has to play very important role in this. It would facilitate the decision-making in selection.

These days, there is actual shortage of really knowledgeable consultants. In this industry, one may locate many self-imposed, ill-trained and badly experienced consultants. Hiring such persons would definitely ruin the very purpose of the entire project. Another problem in hiring a consultant is related to his personal bias. A consultant, who has handled a specific vendor, would prefer the similar vendor because of his individual ease with the product. ERP is a complicated product. One ought to spend several years on a product to understand its weaknesses and strength. Considerable knowledge about most of the products in the market is not simply possible for any individual consultant.