ERP Consulting · Independent · DACH Mittelstand

What is independent ERP consulting, and why does it matter for your business?

Independent ERP consulting means choosing the right system — with no commission from any vendor. We help mid-sized companies across the DACH region make the decision before technology is recommended. 1,200+ projects since 1992. Paid solely by the client. No vendor commissions.

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Why Dreher Consulting

What Problems Does Independent ERP Consulting solve?

ERP projects fail when requirements are unclear, vendor recommendations are biased, or decisions are not tied to business outcomes. Independent ERP consulting helps organisations identify, prioritise and govern ERP decisions so they reduce risk, control costs and deliver measurable results.

At Dreher Consulting we focus on clarifying your operational needs and process priorities before software is chosen or implemented. We translate business goals into structured ERP requirements, evaluate vendors without bias, and guide you through a transparent selection and implementation process. This ensures your ERP system supports automation digitalisation and regulatory compliance such as CSRD while enabling future growth.

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Why does independent ERP consulting make sense?

The focus is on process optimization, not on a specific software product or an ERP software vendor. Above all, we concentrate on identifying and eliminating potential risks arising from high or spiraling costs during the course of the project.

Through our holistic approach, which examines the process landscape and the processes that drive value creation in customer management, we are able to identify, highlight, and implement opportunities for increasing productivity and reducing costs.

Independent ERP consulting ensures that the selected solutions are tailored to your specific business requirements without being influenced by vendor interests. This impartiality provides a clearer view of the big picture and ensures that the ERP system is seamlessly integrated into your individual business processes.

"ERP projects are always projects that involve or influence almost every area of a company."

As a rule, employees and teams know what they expect from an ERP project — both the functions and the processes that should or must be improved. Time and again, software houses say that an ERP project is the customer's project, in which the ERP vendor merely stands alongside to implement the software.

Is that really the case — or can, and should, companies introducing ERP software expect the software house to take responsibility for the project too? This is exactly where the question of professional advice and support first arises: to inform yourself on precisely these questions, gather best practice, and thereby reduce project risk.

FROM PRACTICE

What can ERP consulting deliver?

From practice, we know the situation of companies, project teams and project leads when it comes to launching an ERP project.

Rarely are there project teams with experienced members who have already led an IT project of this kind. Usually, individual team members were previously involved in sub-projects or partial tasks — but that is generally not enough to ensure the success of an ERP project that affects the entire company.

The earlier expertise is brought into an ERP project, the lower the risks that can otherwise grow exponentially over its course. To give you exactly this support, we developed ERP consulting as a service.

Our approach to independent ERP consulting and advisory

Establishing the basics

In a first phase we use every tool available to gain an overview of the current information and situation — from classic interviews and workshops to modern process-mining software.

Structuring and building an optimal project plan

A decisive success factor is designing a structured procedure model. Clear, traceable delivery points for requirements documentation, software qualification and KPIs are basic prerequisites for a successful ERP project.

Your benefit

What you get from us

Consultants experienced in ERP projects and your industry, as your direct point of contact

30 years of experience and best practice from a genuinely independent consultancy

Tools to successfully initiate and standardise ERP projects — procedure models, checklists and methods

Experience and environment analyses from your industry

State-of-the-art delivery models for digital-transformation requirements

Expert advice on designing efficient processes and realising digital efficiency gains

Common questions

What managing directors ask before working with Dreher.

The questions managing directors ask us before working together. Honest answers on services, approach and how we support mid-sized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Answers By

Dr. Harald Dreher

Founder · Dreher Consulting

Since 1992 he has guided Mittelstand companies through replacing in-house-built ERP systems. He advises vendor-neutrally, taking no commission from any software vendor.

LinkedIn · Last updated: 21 July 2026

1. What does independent ERP consulting actually mean?

Independent ERP consulting means we accept no commissions, referral fees, reseller margins or partner incentives from ERP vendors. Our only compensation is your consulting fee. That keeps the recommendation aligned to your outcome, not a vendor's roadmap.

2. When should we involve Dreher Consulting in an ERP initiative?

The earlier the better. The greatest leverage is before vendor selection — while requirements, processes and decision criteria are still open. In our experience, project risk drops sharply when there's clarity about the decision before software is discussed.

3. How long does an ERP selection take in the mid-market?

Depending on company size, process complexity and the number of areas involved, we plan for three to nine months. We set binding phase dates after the initial analysis, not before.

4. Do you recommend specific ERP vendors?

No. We evaluate vendors neutrally against your requirements. SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor and the specialised mid-market solutions each serve different operating models. What matters isn't which system is best, but which fits your processes and goals.

5. Why do so many ERP projects fail?

Usually for one of three reasons: unclear requirements, missing process standards or weak project governance. The software is the symptom; the decision is the cause. That's why we start with the decision architecture, not a vendor list.

6. Can you support projects that are already in trouble?

Yes. In our projects we regularly take on initiatives already under way, review requirements, contract and acceptance status, and stabilise governance through go-live and into hypercare.

Start the conversation

Three ways to start. No wrong door.

High commitment

45-minute independent strategy call

The full initial consultation with Dr Harald Dreher or the senior partner managing the account. Aim: to clarify the decision-making situation — not to recommend a system.

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Medium commitment

15-minute orientation call

Whether taking on the mandate makes sense. If we're not the right people for the job, we'll say so.

Low commitment

Prefer to email?

Where you stand. Next step — not a sales pitch.

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What is independent ERP consulting, and why does it matter for your business?

What Problems Does Independent ERP Consulting solve?

ERP consulting, end to end - from selection to go-live.

ERP selection with longlist, shortlist and evaluation matrix

ERP requirements & specification (Lastenheft)

ERP implementation with project control and acceptance

ERP project management to go-live and hypercare

The finest results, with 30 years of independent experience.