Independent ERP consulting can be worthwhile precisely when neutral, process-oriented advice is required and no hidden vendor interests should be involved. Especially when it comes to ERP selection and ERP implementation in SMEs, vendor-neutral consulting offers great added value: it helps to clearly define requirements, objectively select the right software and successfully implement the project strategically. This article shows when and why external independent ERP consultants make sense, which methods they use and how companies - for example from the wholesale or service sectors - can benefit from them in concrete terms.
An ERP system forms the digital backbone of many business processes. Errors in ERP project planning or an unsuitable system selection can have serious consequences - from inefficient processes to project abandonment. According to Gartner, up to 75% of all ERP projects fail due to excessive costs and fail to achieve their objectives. Medium-sized companies in particular rarely have up-to-date ERP market know-how; more than half are still working with outdated systems because they lack an overview of modern solutions. This is where the relevance of external experts comes into play: independent ERP consultants bring best practices and market knowledge to keep projects on track and prevent wrong decisions.
Without neutral advice, ERP projects run the risk of going in the wrong direction right from the start. Typical challenges are
Lack of objective evaluation: ERP systems are not one-size-fits-all products. Consultants with hidden agendas may recommend a system that lacks important functions - the company then has to live with expensive adaptations and workarounds. In the long term, such a poor choice reduces the hoped-for business benefits.
Cost overruns and low profitability: Biased recommendations often underestimate the effort and cost of implementation. Hidden license costs or complex adaptations can blow the budget. The result: the project costs many times more than planned and the benefits fall short of expectations.
Resistance and loss of trust: An ERP implementation needs broad support within the company. If a project fails due to the wrong choice of system or poor advice, the trust of employees and managers in such initiatives decreases. Future digitalization projects then encounter mistrust and acceptance problems.
Weak negotiating position: Without independent experts, the company often lacks the experience to negotiate with ERP providers on an equal footing. Implementation partners or vendor consultants usually have their own interests; as a customer, you risk suboptimal contract conditions. An independent consultant, on the other hand, can act free of vendor interests and negotiate advantageous conditions.
These risks illustrate why it makes sense to call in external expertise for critical ERP projects. Experience has shown that independent ERP consultants minimize project risks, accelerate selection and implementation and increase the success rate ultraconsultants.com.
An independent ERP consultant acts as an advocate for the customer throughout the entire project. Free from vendor ties, they can represent the company's objectives exclusively. Typical roles and responsibilities of such a consultant include
Process analyst and architect: first, the consultant analyzes the company's existing business processes and IT landscape. Using an enterprise architecture approach, he looks at the overall architecture - from applications to data flows - and identifies gaps and optimization potential. This creates a clear picture of the requirements and interfaces for the new ERP system.
Neutral evaluator: Based on the process analysis, the consultant formulates a detailed requirements profile (specifications). He knows the ERP market and draws up a longlist of potential solutions, which he evaluates on a vendor-neutral basis. In workshops, he moderates in a system-open manner, asks critical questions and ensures that provider demos specifically address the customer's requirements - not just glossy presentations.
Project planner and moderator: The consultant supports the internal project team in the realistic planning of budget, resources and timeline. With experience from many ERP projects, he can provide transparent insights, realistic timelines and honest risk assessments. During implementation, he moderates between the parties involved (specialist departments, IT, providers) and keeps track of open issues, tests and milestones.
Stakeholder and quality manager: In contract negotiations and during the ERP implementation, the independent consultant strictly protects the customer's interests. He checks the providers' performance commitments, accompanies acceptance tests and ensures that agreed quality criteria are met before the system goes live. If problems arise, he addresses them openly and drives solutions forward - without sugarcoating or sales pressure.
Through these roles, independent ERP project consulting creates trust, transparency and a clear focus on the benefits for the company.
Independent ERP consultants work according to structured methods in order to maximize project quality and added value for the customer. Three central aspects should be emphasized:
From process analysis to enterprise architecture
The first step is always a precise process analysis. The consultant records the actual processes in all relevant areas of the company - from sales and logistics to finance. Unlike purely technical consulting, independent ERP consulting focuses on how the company works and where weaknesses lie. For example, it documents which processes are currently manual or duplicated, where there are media disruptions and what requirements this places on a new system.
In the next step, the consultant translates these processes into a target concept: which processes should be supported or automated by the ERP system in the future? The enterprise architecture concept is incorporated here - in other words, how the ERP fits into the overall IT landscape is considered. This architectural thinking ensures that the new system integrates seamlessly into existing applications (e.g. CRM, e-commerce, accounting) and takes future extensions (e.g. for business intelligence or production control) into account. The result is a holistic ERP development plan concept that maps processes, functions and interfaces. Ultimately, independent ERP consulting always combines process expertise with enterprise architecture consulting in order to optimally align both the processes and the system architecture.
This process-oriented approach differs significantly from a purely feature-oriented approach. Experience has shown that ERP projects often fail when companies only make decisions based on feature lists and neglect the process requirements of the specialist departments. Independent consulting ensures that the business processes are optimized and standardized first and then the ERP system is selected as a suitable tool - not the other way around. Market studies show that experienced ERP consultants work with precisely this process focus and always see the technology as a means to an end.
Supporting the implementation - representing the customer
Once the software has been selected, the decisive phase of ERP implementation begins. This is where independent consulting pays off in particular: The consultant takes on an active role in project management, often acting as an interface between the internal project team and the implementation partner. Experience has shown that ERP implementation brings with it a new set of challenges - from data migration and system configuration to end user training and change management. A good ERP consultant knows these hurdles and has tried and tested methods to overcome them.
Specifically, the independent consultant provides support during the implementation phase, for example in test management: a test concept is created that covers all critical business processes. The consultant coordinates integration and acceptance tests, ensures that errors are systematically recorded and rectified, and maintains an overview of test progress. During the cutover, i.e. the transition from the old system to the new ERP, he also takes the lead in developing a solid migration plan - including data transfer, parallel operation phases or fallback scenarios. Neutrality is important here : the external consultant assesses objectively whether the system is ready for the go-live, without internal whitewashing or external go-live pressure.
Throughout the entire implementation project, the independent consultant only takes the customer's perspective. He critically scrutinizes the ERP provider's proposals if they do not match the agreed objective and, if necessary, calls for improvements. This consistent representation of the customer's side significantly increases the chances of success: the project stays on time and on budget, and the company ends up with exactly the solution it needs - not one that a provider wanted to sell.
Note: Would you like to ensure that your ERP implementation runs smoothly? Arrange a non-binding initial consultation with an independent ERP expert to find out how you can best prepare for test planning, data migration and go-live.
A practical example illustrates the added value of independent ERP consulting: A medium-sized group of companies from the construction industry (six sister companies in development, installation, service and consulting) was about to replace its old ERP system. The internal IT was challenged by the group's complex process landscape - or conversely, the business had a lot of work to do with the complicated IT processing - each company had slightly different processes and requirements. The decision was made to bring in an external independent ERP project consultancy to support this strategic project.
The Dreher Consulting ERP consultants started with a holistic process mapping across all companies. This identified duplication of work and processes with media discontinuity, for example in the preparation of quotations and service deployment. Workshops with all specialist departments resulted in a joint, optimized process map. All industry-specific requirements were taken into account. (TGE, tender portals, technical specifications, standards, VOB etc.). Based on this, the consultant formulated a consolidated requirements document for the ERP selection, which took into account both the common core processes and company-specific features.
Using an enterprise architecture approach, the consultancy also developed a target image for the group's IT landscape: some stand-alone solutions (e.g. separate planning tools) were to be replaced by modules of the new ERP, while other special applications were to be connected via standardized interfaces. This system architecture planning prevented later integration problems and created clarity from the outset as to what role the ERP would play in the overall structure.
The ERP selection was then strictly objective: the consultant filtered out a shortlist of solutions from a longlist of ERP providers based on the requirements. These three providers had to present their systems to the Frimen Group in demo workshops using real process scenarios. At the end of the selection process, there was a clear favorite that was both functionally suitable and offered the best price-performance ratio. Thanks to the neutral moderation, the vote was undisputed internally and supported by all managing directors and participants.
During the introduction phase, the value of independent support was once again demonstrated. The consultant established tight project management: weekly status meetings with all sub-projects, transparent reporting channels and a strict change request procedure ensured that neither the schedule nor the budget got out of hand. His experience was particularly valuable during the final test and cutover - potential risks (such as data quality problems during import) were identified early on and resolved together with the ERP implementation partner.
The result: the group of companies was able to reduce its internal project and operating costs by over 20% thanks to the external consultancy. This was achieved through streamlined processes, clear requirements management and a software selection that avoided superfluous elements. At the same time, the users were more satisfied because the new system was configured in line with their real processes right from the start. This example illustrates how an investment in independent ERP consulting can translate into tangible benefits - from cost savings to higher productivity and better acceptance within the company.
So when exactly is it worth bringing an independent ERP consultancy on board and how do you go about it? The following is a possible step-by-step approach that has proven itself in practice:
Analyze the initial situation
Step 1:The first step is to soberly analyze the initial situation of the company. What are the pain points in the current processes? Where is the existing ERP system reaching its limits, and what strategic goals are to be achieved with a new solution? In this phase - often referred to as the initialization or scoping phase - an independent consultant can help to sharpen the focus. Interviews and workshops with key people from IT and specialist departments help to create a common understanding of the project goals. All existing systems and interfaces are also recorded (system landscape analysis).
It is also important to assess the maturity level of the organization: Are the processes already standardized or do individual workflows prevail? Is there standardized master data and defined responsibilities? These factors have a significant influence on the selection of a suitable ERP. At this point, an experienced consultant will also make it clear whether the company should first complete internal homework (e.g. data cleansing or process harmonization) before proceeding with the software selection. The result of step 1 is ideally a clearly outlined project assignment including objectives, scope and a rough time and budget framework.
Define requirements & accompany selection
Step 2: Based on the analyzed initial situation, the detailed requirements definition now takes place. All mandatory and optional functions of the new ERP system are developed together with the specialist departments. This is where the method of an independent consultant pays off: Thanks to their knowledge of the market, they can assess at an early stage which requirements are realistic and how different ERP providers typically map these. This results in a specification sheet or a catalog of use cases that serves as a guideline for market research.
The selection itself takes place in several stages. First, a broad pre-selection (longlist) is made - possible ERP solutions that could be considered in principle (e.g. industry solutions for wholesale or project business in the service sector). An independent consultant often draws on their own database or experience from previous projects to ensure that no option is overlooked. This is followed by a structured evaluation and shortlist: Using weighted criteria (derived from the requirements), the most suitable systems are identified. This process is documented transparently so that the company can understand why a provider was eliminated due to a lack of functions or an unsuitable technology stack, for example.
In the next step, the consultant organizes demo workshops and bid rounds for the shortlisted candidates. It is important that these demos are not freely designed by the providers, but follow a clear script that maps the customer's processes. This ensures that all solutions are tested in a comparable way for the same use cases. The independent consultant moderates these workshops, records the strengths and weaknesses of each solution and collects feedback from users. If necessary, he also carries out reference visits to existing users of the systems or obtains expert opinions.
At the end of step 2, a well-founded recommendation for an ERP system is made, underpinned by facts and objective evaluation criteria. This recommendation is often presented to management in the form of a decision-making workshop. Thanks to the neutral approach and clear evaluation, the management can be confident that the proposed solution really is the best match for the company's requirements (and not just the solution that a particular provider wanted to sell). In addition, the consultant supports the contract negotiations during this phase: He knows common license and service terms and can help negotiate fair prices and contract clauses, solely in the interest of the customer.
Steering the introduction and neutral moderation
Step 3: Once the decision for an ERP solution has been made, the next step is implementation. In this phase, the independent ERP consultancy typically takes on a co-project management or advisory project management role. This means that it works closely with the internal project manager and the implementation partner, but retains a neutral position. This means that it can mediate in the event of conflicting objectives or implementation problems and always keep an eye on the project objectives.
A structured implementation plan is drawn up: What sub-projects (e.g. for modules such as finance, merchandise management, production) are there? Who are the responsible parties on both sides (customer and service provider)? Which milestones and quality gates are defined? The independent consultant ensures that this planning is realistic and covers all the necessary steps - from the technical setup and migration tests to the training concept for end users.
In the course of the implementation, he acts as project manager to represent the interests of our client: He leads regular jour-fixe meetings in which progress and problems are discussed openly. In the event of deviations from the plan, he works with all stakeholders to find solutions instead of apportioning blame. Thanks to his experience, he is able to recognize early on when certain issues (such as interfaces or data migration) require more attention and takes countermeasures before risks escalate.
A key success factor is consistent change management and the involvement of users in this phase. Here, the consultant can bring in their external perspective to design communication measures, identify training requirements and, if necessary, suggest additional resources if the internal team is overloaded. Until the go-live, the consultant maintains the pressure on the provider to deliver all contractually agreed services and supports the company in not making any hasty compromises. Neutral moderation pays off particularly in stressful situations shortly before the launch: Everyone involved pulls together and the project remains committed to its cause - namely the best possible solution for the company.
| Criteria | ERP project work by the company itself | Support from independent ERP consulting | Consulting by software company |
|
Objectivity in software selection |
Often subjective, lack of market overview |
High, neutral and objective evaluation |
Limited, focus on own products |
|
Process analysis and optimization |
Mostly limited, internal focus |
Holistic, systematic optimization |
Partial, software-centric optimization |
|
Knowledge of market trends and solutions |
Limited, strongly focused on internal systems |
High, broad market knowledge and trends |
Good, but limited to own solutions |
|
Project management experience |
Variable, often little ERP experience |
Very high, extensive project management experience |
High, but oriented towards own software |
|
Independence in negotiations |
Unrestricted, but low market power |
Completely independent, strong position |
Low, own sales interests |
|
Risk management during introduction |
Often underestimated, internal risk high |
Proactive, experience-based risk management |
Partly, depending on the provider
|
| Cost control and budget adherence |
Variable, frequent overruns |
Good, continuous cost control |
Variable, often hidden additional costs |
When is independent ERP consulting worthwhile? - In short: Whenever an ERP project is strategically important for the company and a neutral view from the outside can help to make the best decisions. Medium-sized companies in particular, which rarely manage ERP projects, benefit enormously from external ERP project consulting at their side. Independent ERP consulting is worthwhile if internal resources or experience are limited, if an objective evaluation of different ERP systems is required or if an ongoing project is in danger of failing and needs to be brought back on track.
The vendor-neutral, process-oriented approach avoids wrong decisions, often shortens the project duration and secures the investment in the long term. In the end, companies receive a suitable ERP system, optimized processes and an internally supported result. The examples and methods in this article have shown that external consulting is not a luxury, but can be a strategic success factor.
As a decision-maker, you should check at an early stage whether independent ERP project consulting makes sense for your situation. The costs of such consulting services usually more than pay for themselves through lower project risks, faster go-live and greater efficiency in the long term.
Our recommendation: Don't hesitate to call in an external expert for critical ERP projects or at least have an initial discussion to find out what added value independent consulting can offer your company. The future of your ERP project can be shaped proactively - with neutral support that is geared solely towards your goals.
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