Good consultants are worth far more than you pay them. They bring a ton of value to the table. You are able to accelerate your own learning, or leverage their knowledge, and get more done as a result of their work. Here we take a look at five key reasons to hire an ERP consultant.
The Right Solution
Because of their experience and expertise, an ERP consultant will be able to recommend the solution that best fits your company’s needs. Sometimes, this means activating features of your current solution that you aren’t using; sometimes, it’s using those features differently. At times, you might add in a third-party product, or you might want to build something to custom. These solutions aren’t just full systems implementations – sometimes, your consulting team can find you quick solutions to problems you thought were much bigger. Leveraging their expertise saves you time and money in the long run, and has a major impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of your accounting department.
Big Picture Observations
Your consultant partner should look at all of the systems you have in place and all of the processes you might affect by whatever changes to your systems you are proposing. While “just changing this one setting” might look safe and user-friendly, taking the time to understand the impact of that choice up front can save you days or weeks of cleanup if there are unintended consequences to changing that setting. They will also be happy to help paint a big picture view of your capabilities and future needs. Technology evolves at a rapid pace, and with a growing business, it is important to know the system you’re implementing will work for you now, as well as in the future, without your team having to spend a ton of time and energy staying on top of the changes.
Outside Advice
An internal team member may not necessarily have the full picture in mind. They are often excellent at pointing out areas that need improvement, but not necessarily focused on a combination of return on investment and impact across your entire system. They can bring a valuable, different perspective to the table.
Faster Implementation or Change Process
Time is money, and the faster you can get your system up and running, the lower the investment of both time and money. Your consulting team will help you stay focused on an implementation or change process, quickly respond to diagnosing issues along the way, and help make sure that you meet your goals on time.
Improve Your ROI
A relatively small investment in a consultant can save you a great deal of money in the long run. They will help you find the solution that best fits your company, speed up your implementation, and in many cases, provide continued support for your system. An ERP system is an investment and hiring a consultant can ensure you get the best return possible.
