|
Midsize
businesses (MSBs) are no longer limited in choice
to enterprise application suite (EAS) solutions that
require all-or-nothing implementations. Instead,
they can take advantage of new vendor options that
are more affordable and less risky. They can deploy
a subset of modules, often bundled together, that
either address a basic set of requirements or specific
business challenges. EAS solutions encompass one,
some, or all areas associated with enterprise resource
planning (ERP), customer relationship management
(CRM) and supply chain management (SCM).
What
do midmarket IT decision-makers want and
need for EAS solutions today?
|
>
|
MSBs
purchasing back-office solutions are
highly focused on customer retention
and return-on-investment as the highest
ranked business justification criteria,
with expense control still top-of-mind.
|
|
>
|
Having
a complete solution packaged by the vendor
that includes integrated best-of-breed
CRM and SCM is their top preference.
|
|
>
|
Price
continues to rank as the most critically
considered evaluation criteria by MSBs
when purchasing back-office solutions,
with vendor financial stability, integration
with established in-house solutions,
ease of maintenance and customization
remaining important.
|
|
>
|
When
considering deployment criteria, MSBs
ranked minimal disruption to internal
operations and staff as highest; with
technical support responsiveness ranked
as the highest post-sales support evaluation
criteria.
|
|
>
|
Business
intelligence, analytics and corporate
performance management (CPM) have emerged
as critically demanded features and functions
of interest to MSBs. They want more than
a unified system to manage their operations,
they also want a solution that's
intelligent enough to alert them to what
they need to know to run their business
better.
|
|
>
|
MSBs
lack the internal resources found at
large enterprises, and as a result expect
powerful solutions that are easy to tailor
and manage. Therefore, insurmountable
integration obstacles and the cost of
after-market services continue to be
obvious concerns.
|
In
short, MSBs are seeking component-based EAS solutions
that are more appropriately scaled to their needs,
are more likely to be successfully deployed, and
offer more-easily identifiable and measurable business
value. And to continue to compete successfully, they
will need much more comprehensive business management
applications to enable them to streamline, automate
and improve their critical business processes.
By
2005, EAS vendors that deliver deep, industry-leading
processing functionality, either alone or in conjunction
with tightly integrated partners, will achieve
50% more market penetration than those that do
not.
References
Research Note
Fewer Vendors, More Flexible Products Await SMBs
in 2003
Publication Date: December 6, 2002
Author: Robert Anderson
Market
Analysis
North American SMBs Identify Enterprise Resource
Planning Preferences
Publication Date: October 4, 2002
Author: Robert Anderson
|
