How Smart Technology Makes ERP Selection More Human

The ERP selection process requires technology — but it thrives on human connection. Every stakeholder, from your team members to software vendors, brings a valuable perspective to the process.

For family-owned manufacturing and distribution companies, adopting advanced tools as you’re choosing an ERP can provide big benefits. Administrative burdens get lighter. Teams allocate more time for meaningful conversations instead of wrestling with spreadsheets. Decisions are based on better information. Employees engage more deeply because they can contribute their expertise through streamlined channels.

At Syte Consulting Group, we’ve seen firsthand how technology creates breathing room for what truly matters: genuine human connections. The right tools remove friction points that drain people’s energy and enthusiasm. Smart technology improves and elevates every interaction and saves time in the process.

In this report, we’ll show you how the right tech creates a more human ERP selection experience while delivering better results for your company.

Modern Solutions to Common Business Communication Frustrations

Across all industries, organizations struggle with inefficient communication processes. Many businesses still rely on spreadsheets, manual documentation and lengthy email chains to manage complex strategic initiatives, without proper project management organization tools.

The consequences affect everyone: Project managers waste valuable time taking notes, team members miss information when they can’t attend meetings, and collaboration becomes unnecessarily cumbersome.

But smart technology is making our work easier.

AI tools like Read automatically generate meeting notes, transcripts and action items. Your team receives this documentation immediately after meetings wrap up — no more waiting around for someone to compile and send.

When note-taking is automated, your project manager can fully participate in meetings rather than focusing on documentation. If team members miss a session, they automatically receive the notes and can catch up quickly.

Your people can work more effectively across time zones and schedules. They can ask questions about specific tasks directly in project plans, with no need to schedule additional meetings. Colleagues respond at their convenience while maintaining the context of each discussion.

Real-time dashboards eliminate the need for weekly status meetings. Your team and leadership can check project status whenever they need to, rather than waiting for the next formal update. Everyone stays informed through a single, accurate source of truth.

The entire experience feels more connected and less frustrating than juggling constant meetings or managing multiple versions of spreadsheets.

With these modern communication solutions, your team has more time for meaningful conversation and relationship building that will benefit your organization throughout complex initiatives like ERP implementation.

Tech Tools That Streamline the ERP Selection Process

Our manufacturing clients save an entire month during ERP selection thanks to the smart technology approaches we’ve developed at Syte Consulting Group. While many consultants rely on traditional methods, we’ve built a technology stack and processes that address the most time-consuming aspects of ERP selection.

AI tools now generate starting points for demonstration scripts based on the capabilities your business needs. Your team simply reviews and refines these scripts rather than writing them from scratch.

Evaluating ERPs and attending demos with vendors is time-consuming — and so is giving feedback after you’ve seen what an ERP can do. Traditional approaches require everyone to add notes to massive Excel sheets that need to be consolidated.

Smartsheet can capture this feedback in real time. Your team members submit their responses through user-friendly forms immediately after demos, and everyone sees consolidated results within hours — not weeks.

We also use AI to create standard process flow models for core processes in your organization, like order-to-cash and procure-to-pay. These models give your team a foundation to adapt for your new ERP, so they don’t have to face the paralysis that often comes with staring at a blank page.

Perhaps most importantly, we’ve moved capability assessments earlier into the measure and assess phase of ERP selection. Your team evaluates a database of approximately 1,400 capabilities across various workstreams, and identifies both your minimum viable product requirements and your aspirational needs before selection even begins.

You’ll discover modern ERP features you might not know exist, while our team can make faster, more targeted system recommendations based on your needs.

A smoother process for your implementation partners

Your implementation partners also benefit when we use smart technology in the ERP selection process. We provide them with your comprehensive capability requirements at the beginning of the RFP process. Partners receive clear, organized information about your needs, rather than waiting 4-6 weeks for requirement details.

This early clarity speeds up their sales cycle and allows them to provide you with more accurate estimates and timelines. Cost discussions happen earlier in the process, which helps everyone avoid surprises. The streamlined approach creates a more positive experience for both you and your partners.

The Human Difference in ERP Selection

Smart tech gives you more time and energy to focus on what matters most: connection, collaboration and communication. These human elements make all the difference in how selection feels, and how successful your implementation is down the road.

Technology creates space for meaningful conversations about your business goals. Automation handles the routine tasks so people can apply their expertise strategically, and the result is a selection process that feels less stressful, more strategic and genuinely collaborative for everyone involved.

If you’re considering a new or upgraded ERP solution for your manufacturing company, schedule a time to talk with usabout how smart technology can transform your selection experience.

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