Selecting the right ERP vendor is as important as choosing the right ERP system. The vendor will be your partner throughout implementation and ongoing operations, so it's essential to evaluate vendors thoroughly. Asking the right questions helps you understand vendor capabilities, support quality, product roadmap, and long-term viability. This guide provides key questions to ask ERP vendors during the selection process.
Product and Functionality Questions
Ask vendors to demonstrate how their system meets your specific requirements. Request detailed demonstrations of functionality relevant to your business processes. Ask about industry-specific capabilities, customization options, and integration capabilities.
Questions to ask: How does your system handle [specific business process]? What industry-specific functionality do you provide? What customization options are available? How do you handle integrations with [specific systems]? What's included in standard functionality versus add-ons?
Understand the vendor's product roadmap and how it aligns with your future needs. Ask about planned features, release schedules, and how the vendor incorporates customer feedback into product development.
Implementation and Services Questions
Understand the vendor's implementation approach, methodology, and support capabilities. Ask about typical implementation timelines, resource requirements, and success rates. Understand whether the vendor provides implementation services directly or through partners.
Questions to ask: What is your implementation methodology? What is a typical implementation timeline for an organization our size? What resources do you require from us? Do you provide implementation services directly or through partners? What is your implementation success rate?
Ask about training and change management support. Understand what training is included, training delivery methods, and ongoing education options. Ask about change management support and user adoption assistance.
Support and Maintenance Questions
Evaluate vendor support quality, availability, and responsiveness. Understand support channels, response times, and support coverage. Ask about support during implementation and ongoing operations.
Questions to ask: What support channels do you provide (phone, email, chat, portal)? What are your support hours and response times? What is included in support versus premium support? How do you handle critical issues? What is your support satisfaction rating?
Ask about system updates, patches, and upgrades. Understand update frequency, upgrade processes, and how updates might affect customizations. Ask about maintenance windows and downtime requirements.
Security and Compliance Questions
Evaluate vendor security practices and compliance capabilities. Understand data security measures, compliance certifications, and data protection practices. Ask about security audits, certifications, and compliance support.
Questions to ask: What security certifications do you have (SOC 2, ISO 27001, etc.)? How do you protect customer data? Where is data stored geographically? What compliance capabilities do you provide? How do you handle data breaches?
For cloud ERP, ask about data residency options, backup and recovery procedures, and disaster recovery capabilities. Understand service level agreements (SLAs) for availability and performance.
Financial and Business Questions
Evaluate vendor financial stability and business viability. Understand pricing models, contract terms, and long-term costs. Ask about vendor financial health, market position, and growth trajectory.
Questions to ask: What is your pricing model? What is included in base pricing versus additional fees? What are typical implementation costs? What are ongoing costs (licenses, maintenance, support)? Can you provide financial statements or stability information?
Understand contract terms, renewal options, and exit strategies. Ask about data portability, contract flexibility, and termination terms. Understand what happens to your data if you need to switch vendors.
Customer References and Experience
Request customer references, preferably from organizations similar to yours in size, industry, or requirements. Speak with references to understand their experiences with implementation, support, and ongoing operations.
Questions to ask references: How was your implementation experience? How responsive is vendor support? Are you satisfied with the system? What challenges did you face? Would you choose this vendor again?
Ask vendors about their customer base, retention rates, and customer satisfaction metrics. Understand how many customers they have, customer retention rates, and overall satisfaction levels.
Technology and Architecture Questions
Understand the vendor's technology stack, architecture, and technical capabilities. Ask about scalability, performance, and technical requirements. Understand integration capabilities and API availability.
Questions to ask: What is your technology stack? How scalable is your system? What are system requirements? What integration capabilities do you provide? Do you offer APIs? What is your upgrade path?
Partnership and Relationship Questions
Evaluate the vendor's approach to customer relationships and partnership. Understand how the vendor works with customers, incorporates feedback, and supports long-term success.
Questions to ask: How do you work with customers as partners? How do you incorporate customer feedback? What customer success programs do you offer? How do you support long-term customer success?
Asking comprehensive questions during vendor selection helps you evaluate vendors thoroughly and make informed decisions. By understanding vendor capabilities, support quality, product roadmap, and business viability, you can select a vendor that will be a strong partner throughout implementation and ongoing operations. Take time to ask detailed questions, request demonstrations, speak with references, and evaluate vendors comprehensively before making your selection decision.