Explore a different approach

You could select software in the traditional way.  Find some way of winnowing down the list of 300+ ERP vendors to a shortlist.  You could use a Request for Proposal that has a checklist of all the features and functions you think would be useful.  For mid-sized companies you would probably download something from the web and use that as a base.  Adding and deleting functions as needed.  The overall problem with this approach is that its quantity over quality.  You then see a demo that is typically done on site or over a WebEx.  You need to determine from this whether it’s a good fit or not.  After the first couple of demos they will all start looking the same and you end up not really having any idea of which one is the better fit.

Our approach is different.  We contend that if you are in the target market for SAP Business ByDesign then it will be an acceptable solution.  First we see if you are in the target market.  We ask you to make the assumption that the world’s largest ERP vendor which has just spent over $1 billion on the new Business ByDesign product has in fact produced a product that will fit your business needs.  We don’t guarantee it will be the best but we do contend it will do the job needed.  It will be the most technologically advanced of any of the solutions you might have chosen and it will be supported by the world’s largest ERP vendor.  The newest product, from the largest vendor targeted on your industry.  Then we prove it’s a good fit with a detailed proof of fit.  Forget the RFP; forget endless days of boring demos.  End up in the end with a proof of fit that will be much more detailed and specific to your business than all those generic demos.