The Operator’s Note
Notes on ERP and operational software, written from the operator’s seat. Selection traps, cost surprises, what works, what doesn’t. Published when there’s something worth a read.
Every ERP customization is permanent. A framework for knowing when to customize, when to change your process instead, and what the maintenance cost really looks like over time.
Vendors throw a party at go-live. Operators know the party is six weeks too early. The four failure patterns that decide whether the implementation actually succeeded.
Most failed ERP projects keep going because nobody in the room has authority to stop them. The warning signs that mean stop, and the structured pause that makes stopping survivable.
ERP doesn’t live alone. The TCO blowout almost always hides at the integration layer, and almost nobody scores it during selection.
Every ERP demo follows the same script because it’s built to do the same thing: close the deal. What to demand instead, and the walk-away signal when a vendor refuses your data.
When the vendor hands you the implementation quote, that number feels like the number. It’s also the smallest part of what you’re actually going to spend.