ERP Selection: Find the Best Option Using Software Reviews

ERP is not another legacy strategy.

In fact, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have taken to the software battlefield for companies facing a "rotate or perish" situation.

Leveraging cloud technology and leveraging the SaaS model of post-modern ERP has enabled companies to maintain intelligent and strategic continuity even in the face of adversity.

And as ERPs become the backbone of success, they extend beyond end-to-end business operations, encapsulating various touchpoints and stakeholders. These powerful and capable tools act as a bridge between businesses, customers, suppliers, partners, etc. Such centralization of data benefits businesses across all industries and digital maturity.

Given this growing importance and resulting strategic role, it is no surprise that the ERP software market is expected to reach $93.34 billion by 2028, while registering an annual growth rate compound (CAGR) of 9.2%.

And with nearly 33% of CIOs willing to invest in an ERP platform, one of the top contributors to the purchasing decision automatically becomes software reviews.

Using software reviews for ERP selection is a must. Let's see how companies can use this "customer feedback" to keep ERP selections on track.

Role of Software Reviews in the Buyer's Journey

It's easy to assume that buyers write reviews primarily during the "decision phase" of their trip. Such an assumption is further from the truth. On the contrary, buyers can write reviews even during the awareness and consideration stages.

Research and discovery

As a company committed to adopting an ERP solution, you don't want to waste your time learning the mechanism under the hood of ERP.

Of course, you should review the features and functionality to find out what works best for your business. However, once you have completed this preliminary research, you should dig deeper into the various ERP solutions on the market.

This search will lead you to review-focused platforms (like G2) that host a comprehensive list of options. And to make your job easier, you can find these solutions sorted by customer reviews.

Source: G2

You can even hover over the G2 grid, which ranks ERP solutions based on market presence and user satisfaction. Different grids give you granular control to use them broadly or filter options based on your industry.

Source: G2

Researching and exploring different ERP tools through a software review platform gives you an overview of the different possible solutions. They also help visualize how a specific tool might align with your business.

Long List Options

After the research and discovery stage, you may end up with an endless list of options. This is where software reviews step in again to cut through the noise and shine a light on the options that matter.

You can use filters based on customer ratings and reviews to curate your long list of options. Say you only want the best of the bunch, and anything less than a five-star rating would suffice. This might limit your choices, leaving you with only a handful of options.

However, if you're a little more flexible (and forgiving) and considering lower-rated ERP solutions, you're giving other competing tools a chance. Either way, you use software reviews to separate the wheat from the chaff and proceed only with practical and viable options.

Shortlist of ERP solutions

After eliminating irrelevant ERP solutions, you are left with a few suitable candidates. Software reviews help you compare and contrast the remaining ERP platforms and make a...