It’s a scary position to be in – you’ve gone through the process of selecting an ERP solution but something happens and before, during, or after the implementation, you find yourself unable to work with the reseller.

If you find yourself in this situation, what should you do?

Start by keeping the relationship with your current reseller as positive as possible; despite your feelings, they still have valuable insights to share – especially important when a new reseller takes over! Southeast Computer Solutions has been on the receiving end of unhappy customers, but, luckily, most resellers understand that not all partnerships between customers and resellers work. Ultimately, of course, resellers like keeping customers like you in the family, but we understand when that’s not possible.

Before You Start Looking for a New Reseller

Before you start looking for a new reseller, look at the things you did right and wrong. Self-evaluation is an important part in the process of selecting a new partner. As they say, it ‘takes two to tango’ – it’s unlikely the reseller was 100% of the problem in the relationship, so assess the situation objectively.

Did you make mistakes in the selection process? Now that you know what’s not working for you, revisit your reseller criteria so you can make a more informed decision the second time around.

Here are some things to consider when selecting a partner:

Experience

A reseller should have experience with both the ERP system and your industry; it’s a plus if IT also has experience in your industry, but if they don’t, being good at listening to your business needs will suffice. The reseller should also have a strong relationship with the software publisher – that way, if there are issues, you can be confident they can work together.

References

Look at the company history. Are they an established business? Do they have a good reputation in the industry? Ask for references; if they’ve worked with companies similar to yours, contact those businesses and ask about their implementation and post go-live support experience. Search for a reseller like you’d search for a new employee – because really, they are!

Implementation Methodology

Ask the reseller about their implementation methodology. If a partner has an implementation methodology, they should be able to provide a quick overview of the process. Think about your customers asking for manuals or brochures for your products or services – asking for information about the implementation methodology should be as simple as that. Make sure their implementation methodology defines the roles and responsibilities of the implementation team as well as your responsibilities.

Compatibility

Is there a fit between your company and the reseller? Do you feel as though you’ll be able to trust them and count on them to have your back? The implementation process is about building a relationship between the companies and the people using the system. Talk to the implementers, the support team, and the project management team, looking for the same characteristics you look for in your employees; the relationship could and should last a very long time.

In our experience, here are some of the reasons a customer is unhappy and want to know how to switch ERP partners:

• Lack of expertise
• Lack of support or response time
• Lack of resources or availability of resources in a timely manner
• Resources that do not listen to or understand business needs
• Too expensive
• Lack of process
• Lack of development resources
• Partner that treats you like a project, not a customer

Once you’ve gone through the process of self-reflection and talked to several reseller prospects, take time to weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision.

Southeast Computer Solutions often offers a free visit to ensure that each party – you and us – agree that the relationship will work. We talked about the important things you should consider; we consider the same things when accepting new clients. During the visit, we execute a “day-in-the-life” analysis and provide you a report of our findings. The bottom line is making sure you have an opportunity to interact with us and making sure we feel we can meet your business needs.

If you’re not happy with your ERP reseller, look at yourself, look at new prospects, ask the right questions, and make the necessary moves to help your business be successful going forward. For more help with choosing a new reseller, please contact us today.