Visual South Insights

A company can start a project with a solid plan, the right software, and a capable team and still find itself with slipping timelines. The project is still technically active, but it has lost its momentum. In almost every case, the root cause is the same: nobody was fully dedicated to managing the project. There was a person assigned to oversee it, but that person already had a full-time job. The project became something they got to when they could, which is not the same as someone whose entire job is to make sure it succeeds.

ERP support is often viewed as a break-fix service: something you use when an error appears or a process stops working. In practice, the most valuable support relationships are much broader than that.

Why ERP projects fail

The vast majority of ERP projects are successful. There are obstacles and challenges associated with any large project, but good teams always succeed. That means you understood the specific steps in the ERP project, built a strong ERP implementation team, and ensured that business objectives drove the primary deliverables for the expected new and improved functionality.

Teamwork in ERP implementation

Implementing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can be a humbling challenge for any company. Four critical factors will determine the success of your new ERP implementation:

A little background on ERP consulting first

I have been in the ERP business since 1997. The first five years were spent as a consultant before I moved into a sales role in 2002. That time in the field gave me something I still draw on today: a real sense of what our customers are up against when they go through an implementation. At Visual South, we have always believed that the consultant you choose matters just as much as the software. If you want to dig into why that is, this blog covers it in more detail.

If you are here for the basics of ERP consulting, keep reading.

If you are a manufacturer, your business system either supports your operation or it fights it. There is not much middle ground.

In manufacturing and distribution environments, few things impact profitability as much as how materials are planned, tracked, and managed. Yet for many organizations, material management is still reactive, plagued by stockouts, excess inventory, and disconnected systems.

Implementing a new ERP system is a transformative initiative for any organization. But it’s also one of the most complex. It requires a sound strategy, realistic expectations, and the right implementation approach. Your chosen methodology directly impacts cost, user adoption, risk, and the overall success of the project. In this article, we break down the key ERP implementation methodologies with examples, pros and cons, and guidance on which approach might be right for your organization.

When manufacturers start exploring ERP systems, they often hear the term “ERP architecture.” It can sound technical and abstract, but the reality is much simpler. ERP architecture is really about how an ERP system is structured and how well it supports the way your business operates.

As someone who has spent decades helping manufacturers evaluate and implement ERP systems, I know how difficult it is for companies to sort through competing vendor claims. Every ERP vendor has a polished website, compelling demos, and a long list of features. What most manufacturers really want to know is simple: