24/08/2026
Your IT manager says the ERP is outdated and needs replacing.
A competitor has just bought a new one.
And now a consultant has sent a proposal with a number that made you sit back in your chair.
You do not think the old system is that bad. But you have not said it out loud.
Because the moment you do, someone will tell you that you do not understand the technology. And a small part of you wonders if they are right.
I have sat in this meeting many times. Let me tell you what I have seen.
๐ก๐ผ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐.
Your IT team are telling the truth. That old system is a headache for them to look after. A new one would be easier, and it looks better on their CV.
The consultant may be right too. But he only gets paid if you say yes.
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐. ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ.
So ask one simple question.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด, ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐?
If it goes wrong, your IT manager still has a job. The consultant has already banked your money. Your competitor could not care less.
You are the one left holding the baby. Your money. Your time. A year of your staff buried in this project instead of looking after customers.
That is not a reason to say no. It is a reason to ask one more question before you say yes.
๐๐๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ.
Do not let them show you screens and clever features. Ask about waiting time.
Your month end takes eleven days. Why?
An invoice sits for a week waiting for one signature. Why?
The same order gets typed in three times by three different people. Why?
Now here is the part that matters.
If the old software is causing that waiting, then yes, replace it. Sometimes that is genuinely the right answer and I have told clients exactly that.
But nine times out of ten the waiting has nothing to do with the software. It is people waiting on other people. Someone has to approve it. Someone has to type it in. Someone is on holiday and nobody else knows how to do their job.
๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ณ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ.
You will spend a year and a small fortune. And your Monday morning will look exactly the same.
๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ. ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐.