Can anyone tell me your view on the benefit of going with a tier-two ERP vendor rather than the usual tier-one suspects? -CTO, insurance company A: Any ERP package you choose is going to do accounts payable, accounts receivable and all of the other basic business processes. I am at a midsize company that considered going with a tier one, but in the end we went with a tier two for a variety of reasons. First, on implementation and maintenance, our tier two is a fraction of the cost of the tier ones we considered. Second, while the tier ones are customizable for specific industries, that customization is expensive. With ERP, you always have to do some business-processes reengineering software modification, and out of the box, our tier-two package fit reasonably well with our business. Finally, we got the feeling that the tier ones didn’t value our midmarket business to the same degree as the tier twos. We like the support we get from them. The big question with a tier two, of course, is how long they can compete with the tier ones. You need them to stick around. But in the end, it doesn’t matter which ERP package you go with if you don’t let the business lead the reengineering effort. The success or failure of ERP rides on the implementation, not on the software. -Steve Holt, CIO, Accuride Related content brandpost Sponsored by Palo Alto Networks Operational technology systems require a robust Zero Trust strategy in 2024 Zero Trust provides a foundation for creating a stronger security posture in 2024. By Navneet Singh, vice president of marketing, network security, Palo Alto Networks Dec 05, 2023 6 mins Security brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM How digital twin technology is changing complex industrial processes forever As the use cases for digital twins proliferate, it is becoming clear that data-driven enterprises with a track record of innovation stand the best chance of success. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by AWS in collaboration with IBM Why modernising applications needs to be a ‘must’ for businesses seeking growth Around one-third of enterprises are spending heavily on application modernisation and aiming for cloud native status. The implications for corporate culture, structure and priorities will be profound. By Laura McEwan Dec 05, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation opinion 11 ways to reduce your IT costs now Reorienting IT’s budget toward future opportunities is a big reason why CIOs should review their IT portfolios with an eye toward curbing unnecessary spending and realizing maximum value from every IT investment. By Stephanie Overby Dec 05, 2023 11 mins Budget Cloud Management IT Governance Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe