{"id":6808,"date":"2020-05-27T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2020-05-27T04:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gtm360.com\/blog\/?p=6808"},"modified":"2022-03-23T15:57:11","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T10:27:11","slug":"when-erp-projects-get-derailed-by-silly-reasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtm360.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/27\/when-erp-projects-get-derailed-by-silly-reasons\/","title":{"rendered":"When ERP Projects Get Derailed By “Silly” Reasons"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the popular narrative, a software product should be highly customizable so that it can meet the customer\u2019s specific requirements.<\/p>\n

Often times, when customers say customization, they have in mind labels, forms and reports. Certainly all leading COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) software products do support customization of this nature.<\/p>\n

But when customization enters the realm of business constructs, processes and workflows, things can get tricky.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As Handelsblatt<\/em><\/a> says, “Altering existing COTS software like ERP \/ SAP is like changing a prefab house. You can put the kitchen cupboards in a different place but you can’t move the walls”.<\/p>\n

When customers ask for “shift the kitchen cabinet” kind of changes, most software vendors and implementation partners will gladly make them.<\/p>\n

But when\u00a0customers ask for “move the wall” kind of changes, most vendors will stonewall them.<\/p>\n

(See “#2. RIGID V. FLEXIBLE” in Product Versus Services Selling \u2013 Part 1<\/a>\u00a0for more insights into the behavior of software product vendors.)<\/p>\n

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ERP vendors have always urged customers to avoid customizations & adopt "best practices". Which is why it's a bit strange to see Oracle terming customizations as "past best practices".https:\/\/t.co\/WpMYdHUIbV<\/a><\/p>\n

— Ketharaman Swaminathan (@s_ketharaman) December 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n