Vendors are the people who have developed the ERP packages. They are the people who have invested huge amounts of time and effort in research and development, to create the packaged solutions. If one studies the history of ERP software packages and finds out how each package evolved, then it soon becomes evident that every ERP package grew out of the experience or opportunity of a group of people working in a specific business who created systems that could deal with certain business segments.
Vendor selection is not a popularity contest and bigger does not always mean better. While the financial stability, ensured longevity and broad spectrum of offerings provided by the top vendors are good reasons for selecting them, size is not without its downside. Size breeds bureaucracy and bureaucracy hamper personal attention and agility.
While small vendors that are not quite household names may carry increased risks in the area of long-term longevity, they may actually provide a better solution if they specialize in your industry segment rather than covering a broad spectrum of industries.
It is important to remember that the vendor, as long as they provide working software and capable personnel, really as very little responsibility for your overall success. Responsibility for success of failure lies within the four walls of your business, and if you import failure in the form of a third-party, it’s still your responsibility.
