You may think size and stability are old school evaluation parameters, and you would be correct. But the way we think about size and stability are different today than they were 10 years ago or even 2 years ago. In the past larger publishers used size and stability concerns to create fear, uncertainty and doubt and to discredit small companies entering the market.
Over the past 20 years we have seen new entrants into business management software, and what we have seen it takes that long to become a stable and viable ERP system. Some entry level products have been viable in a shorter time frame, but patience and some level of technology expertise is usually required to survive the bugs and growing pains. We first became authorized to represent SAP Business One in 2003, but did not actively promote it until 2008. Even with tremendous investments from the #1 business application developer, it takes time to make a feature rich and stable product. This means that if you are considering an ‘up and coming’ ERP (enterprise resource planning), you should consider where they are in their VC’s road map and business cycle.
In selecting a new platform for your business to run on, you want something that will be there beyond your current planning horizon.
Over the years our company has represented Microsoft, Sage, Advanced Software and SAP. We started with Sage back in 1999 when it was State of the Art and Sage 100 was called MAS90. It was one of the top packages then and it continues to perform well after 30 years on the market. We dropped the smaller publisher for a number of reasons and replaced them with SAP because of its strong financial position and it’s ability to invest heavily in market research and execute on developing new technology to both meet and create customer expectations.
The Small to Mid-Sized market has never been dominated by one or two large players, but consolidation has increased as evidenced on the ERP Graveyard. Changing ERP systems is hard, so partnering with a leading provider provides you confidence that the system will continue to serve your needs, generate a return on your investment, and last the test of time.
For more information call one of our solution architects at 678-627-0646 x230, or e-mail a sales representative at sales@i-bn.net.