Businesses around the world change ERP Manufacturing software providers every day, and the reasons can be anything from better ROI, more functionality, lower TCO, better support, etc.  So, what causes these businesses to change ERP systems?  It’s different for every manufacturer, but here are 5 signs it’s time for new manufacturing ERP software.

• Support Queue Lines – When you have an ERP system issue, it needs to get resolved immediately. Your entire enterprise can be affected by slow customer support.  Your company, customers, and bottom line don’t have time to wait on an escalation chain to solve your escalating business problems.   Many of your client contracts are won or lost on your consistency to deliver promised goods on time, every time.  Any product is only as good as the support behind it – make sure your ERP software support pushing your forward, not holding you back.

• Unnecessary Business Process Change – When you purchased your new manufacturing ERP software, you were told that it was the perfect fit for your business. Since then, you have re-engineered many of your business processes (BP’s) just to match the flow of the ERP software.  While some BP’s may need to change as part of the organizational changes for a new ERP system initiative, but the new BP’s shouldn’t be so far removed as to be unrecognizable from the original BP’s you’ve built that have made you successful.  Don’t put a round peg in a square hole; find an ERP that is tailored out-of-the-box to your industry-unique manufacturing BP’s.

• Software Functionality Gaps – You paid for a top tier ERP solution, but you keep hitting functionality road blocks that can only be hurdled by spending thousands more on new modules. Here’s the even bigger problem – this is the 7^th or 8^th time that you’ve had to leap over this hurdle.  When will it stop?  There will always be a new feature or a new module that you ‘have to have’.  If you’re paying for annual maintenance for the software, why do you also have to pay for more modules?

• Vendor and/or Channel Partner Strain – Relationships are important. A key part of any relationship is trust, and if you have lost trust in your ERP vendor or Channel Partner the rift is not easily mended.  Do you cringe when you see your vendor rep calling?  Is every call about something you need to buy, instead of a call to listen to you and your business issues?  Or maybe you have a great Channel Partner, but their hands are tied by an ERP vendor that is only interested in their bottom line – not helping to solve your business problems.  A house divided cannot stand.

• No Longer on Maintenance – If you are already separated from your ERP system vendor, then you’re already moving down the path of divorcing yourself entirely from your ERP vendor, and ultimately your software. Relying on unsupported software can be very risky and dangerous.  Some vendor’s include data backup as part of their maintenance packages.  If you drop maintenance and don’t perform your own backups, one server room fire or power surge could destroy all of your valuable data – costing you millions to restore it, or worse, sinking your business entirely.  Even if you want to get back on maintenance, most ERP vendors will force you to re-buy to get back on a supported version – leading you squarely to the subject of this article.

These are by no means the only reasons for businesses changing ERP systems, but they are quite common.  If you’ve identified with some or all of the reasons above, it might be time to look for new manufacturing ERP software for your business.