Microsoft, SAP, Democratic, or Republican? What is Your ERP Party?
What political camp are you part of this presidential election? Are you Democratic, Republican, or independent? And why is this question part of an information technology driven blog?
As I open my email this morning I see a breaking news alert from CNN. I’m informed Rudy Giuliani may drop out of the presidential race after his loss to John McCain in Florida. But, Mr. Giuliani may endorse McCain after he removed himself from the running. What? Is it that easy? Are the Republicans that united while the Democrats are almost brining out their boxing gloves at the debates? Will Obama drop out and endorse Clinton after his loss in Florida? And can someone please tell me where are all the independents?
Again I’m sure you are now ask yourself, why I am talking about this on an IT blog. It brings me to the land of ERP solutions and the different tiers and their own “camps”. I believe there are two major ERP camps now that belong to SAP and Microsoft. Some may argue that Infor and Sage may be camps in their own respect, however from a name recognition prospective, I believe SAP and Microsoft are the well known players. Both have made acquisitions that have garnished themselves presence in the coveted SMB (or SME) space. Does this make them winners? And are there clear cut Microsoft followers as there are clear cut Democrats and Republicans? Actually yes, but the difference in the world of ERP resides with the independents. They are alive and well and winning a wide range of races. And I believe they are giving the major players a run for their advertising money so to speak.
I personally work for an “independent”. In the heat of battle or scripted demo for that matter, my independent package, Enterprise 21, has competed and won against SAP’s tier one package, as well as the other packages that target the small to mid-market sector. My independent package has also competed against and won in a variety of deals against Microsoft and it’s multitude of accounting software packages.
Thankfully for us independent ERP providers, the voters are casting their ballots not for just the name they recognize, but for the functional fit the ERP system represents. In most, but unfortunately not all cases, the selection team does their research and issues an RFP and holds a structured and scripted demonstration of the ERP packages in their short list. In this scenario the best package wins, not just the leading political party or candidate with the most well known name.
That being said, there are cases where companies are set on Microsoft or SAP because, just like with the Democrats and Republicans, these are the names they hear about in commercials or read about in magazine advertisements. And when the Microsoft or SAP package is the best fit, even I the competing independent encourage the decision.
In year’s past I would typically sway to one political party, although never officially register as a party member. I’ve never been a fan of aligning solely with any group, be it political or not. This year I cannot say I lean strongly to one party or another. There is not one candidate I say I trust or support or even believe in at this point. ERP software is different. I have been with Enterprise 21 long enough to know that the independent can be the best choice. I’ve been both an end user of Enterprise 21 and I’ve worked for the ERP developer Technology Group International. I can say I do “trust” it as a valid solution for a number of vertical markets and I know it is can “support” the SME market with ease.
And although my company is not 100% correct all of the time, I can honestly say I “believe in” Enterprise 21 as an ERP solution for the right company. I just wish I felt the same and as strongly about one of our political candidates.
As I open my email this morning I see a breaking news alert from CNN. I’m informed Rudy Giuliani may drop out of the presidential race after his loss to John McCain in Florida. But, Mr. Giuliani may endorse McCain after he removed himself from the running. What? Is it that easy? Are the Republicans that united while the Democrats are almost brining out their boxing gloves at the debates? Will Obama drop out and endorse Clinton after his loss in Florida? And can someone please tell me where are all the independents?
Again I’m sure you are now ask yourself, why I am talking about this on an IT blog. It brings me to the land of ERP solutions and the different tiers and their own “camps”. I believe there are two major ERP camps now that belong to SAP and Microsoft. Some may argue that Infor and Sage may be camps in their own respect, however from a name recognition prospective, I believe SAP and Microsoft are the well known players. Both have made acquisitions that have garnished themselves presence in the coveted SMB (or SME) space. Does this make them winners? And are there clear cut Microsoft followers as there are clear cut Democrats and Republicans? Actually yes, but the difference in the world of ERP resides with the independents. They are alive and well and winning a wide range of races. And I believe they are giving the major players a run for their advertising money so to speak.
I personally work for an “independent”. In the heat of battle or scripted demo for that matter, my independent package, Enterprise 21, has competed and won against SAP’s tier one package, as well as the other packages that target the small to mid-market sector. My independent package has also competed against and won in a variety of deals against Microsoft and it’s multitude of accounting software packages.
Thankfully for us independent ERP providers, the voters are casting their ballots not for just the name they recognize, but for the functional fit the ERP system represents. In most, but unfortunately not all cases, the selection team does their research and issues an RFP and holds a structured and scripted demonstration of the ERP packages in their short list. In this scenario the best package wins, not just the leading political party or candidate with the most well known name.
That being said, there are cases where companies are set on Microsoft or SAP because, just like with the Democrats and Republicans, these are the names they hear about in commercials or read about in magazine advertisements. And when the Microsoft or SAP package is the best fit, even I the competing independent encourage the decision.
In year’s past I would typically sway to one political party, although never officially register as a party member. I’ve never been a fan of aligning solely with any group, be it political or not. This year I cannot say I lean strongly to one party or another. There is not one candidate I say I trust or support or even believe in at this point. ERP software is different. I have been with Enterprise 21 long enough to know that the independent can be the best choice. I’ve been both an end user of Enterprise 21 and I’ve worked for the ERP developer Technology Group International. I can say I do “trust” it as a valid solution for a number of vertical markets and I know it is can “support” the SME market with ease.
And although my company is not 100% correct all of the time, I can honestly say I “believe in” Enterprise 21 as an ERP solution for the right company. I just wish I felt the same and as strongly about one of our political candidates.
