If you’re in the market for a Sage X3 system, you have a lot of vendors available to you and it can be hard to make a choice about which one you should choose. Purchasing your new Sage X3 system is stressful, not only because it’s a large monetary investment, but also because when you purchase a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, you start down the road of a vendor relationship that will last many, many years. ERPs are expected to last you at least 10 years, but sometimes they last up to 20 years… and when you have all the daily stresses of your business, it can be daunting to enter into a long-term relationship with a vendor. Here are 3 things you need to do when you’re looking into buying a Sage X3 system.
1. Figure out what you need your software to do
When planning your ERP purchase, you need to first decide what your software will need to do. This will be one of the first things that a good vendor will ask you about as they begin the discovery process that determines which software choices would best meet your company’s needs. A good way to think about this is to identify:
- When you feel that you’re spending a lot of time on a single task
- When you’re frustrated
Time wasters tend to be things that software can automate for you, saving you the time and money you need to grow your business. Points of frustration can be analyzed to identify what it is that your company most requires of your ERP.
As a vendor, SWK Technologies begins all customer relationships with an in-depth discovery process that is so detailed that it sometimes takes months to complete. During this time, SWK uses 25 years of industry experience to identify the main problems or concerns your company faces and to determine the most appropriate solution for your company’s needs.
2. Focus on what type of company you have
Another thing that you need to think about when choosing an ERP is what industry you’re in. Not all ERPs are made the same, and all ERPs, like people, have strengths and weaknesses. Sage X3 has powerful out-of-the-box capabilities for the manufacturing industry, for example, but other ERPs focus on different industries.
SWK is unique in that we want every one of our customers to feel proud of the ERP that they have decided to purchase. Because of this, SWK makes it a point to recommend the right software solution for everyone, even if it’s a product that we don’t provide.
3. Decide on a vendor
Here’s where that long-term relationship begins. When choosing a vendor, look at how long that vendor has been in business, and think about the expected strength and longevity of that vendor. Sure, recent start-ups might seem enticing, but if you’re entering into a 20-year contract, you will want to be sure that the vendor you choose will still be around when you need them.
With a quarter-century of established success, you can trust that SWK will be there for you when you need to ask questions, change your system, or customize your ERP for your growing business needs down the road.
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