Choose a Partner That Evolves With You: How Continuous Innovation Beats the Traditional Year ERP Overhaul
Take a moment and think about the last time you replaced a major software system in your business. Did it feel a bit like doing open-heart surgery while your company was wide awake? For many, ERP replacements become a dreaded, cyclical event. Every 5-10 years or so, it’s the same routine: the system shows its age, the vendor’s “latest version” demands a hefty upgrade fee, and the resulting rollout drains time and money.
But here’s the reality: technology doesn’t stand still, and neither should your ERP partner. In today’s fast-paced landscape, it’s not enough to have software that simply “works.” You need a partner that invests in continuous research and development – one that grows with you instead of forcing expensive, time-consuming overhauls.
Below, we explore three models of software vendors, why the third model signals the future, and how the wrong partner can stall your business while the right one propels it forward.
1. The ‘No Growth’ Model
Example: Traditional accounting software that gets minor tweaks each year
This model is the epitome of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. These systems get minor tweaks each year, but there’s no substantial evolution. You can keep up your maintenance fees, sure – but don’t expect to be wowed with ground-breaking features. Eventually, you’ll hit the ceiling of what these systems can do. This is fine if your business is content to remain stagnant, but for high-growth or forward-thinking companies, this lack of evolution quickly becomes a roadblock.
2. Versioned ERP Systems
Example: Versioned solutions that offer new releases every year or two
On the surface, versioned ERP systems seem more dynamic. They do invest in new features. However, to access those features, you often face a drawn-out (and expensive) upgrade cycle, essentially re-implementing your ERP. A new release every couple of years can be impractical for small and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford to repeatedly pause, upgrade, and retrain. Over time, this becomes another “rip and replace” cycle – something companies were hoping to avoid in the first place.
3. The New Breed: Continuous Upgrades
Example: Enapps and other modern cloud-based or agile-driven ERPs
These are the innovators – ERP providers that push new features and improvements seamlessly to their customers on an ongoing basis. Instead of waiting for the “next big release,” incremental improvements roll out steadily, ensuring your system stays on the cutting edge without demanding a major upheaval each time. Think of it as software that evolves in real time, so you can evolve in real time, too.
If Model 1 is outdated and Model 2 is often cumbersome, Model 3 is the future.
Picking the Wrong Partner: Real Lessons Learned
A partner’s evolution isn’t just about the core ERP system. It extends to the integrations, frameworks, and third-party tools you rely on every day. At Enapps, we’ve learned from both successes and mistakes, so here are a few cautionary tales:
Marketing Automation Gone Stale
A few years back, we integrated with a platform that initially looked promising: feature-rich, well-priced, and agile with new releases. Over time, development stagnated, updates slowed to a trickle, and the company was eventually sold. Stale product, stale partnership.
The Fix: Move on fast. We pivoted to HubSpot, re-built our two-way integration, and brought modern marketing capabilities to our customers – seamlessly.
Outdated Frameworks
Remember when jQuery was the hottest JavaScript framework around? We do. But it didn’t keep up with evolving tech standards. By 2019, we knew Angular’s more robust, modular approach was the future.
The Fix: We rebuilt our UI with Angular and rolled it out at zero extra charge. Now, customers enjoy the sleekest, most modern interface without having to shop around for another provider.
Route Planning That Didn’t Plan for the Future
We initially integrated with a route-planning tool that showed promise – until it stagnated and sold out. Sound familiar?
The Fix: We switched gears to MaxOptra, a UK-based provider that continually innovates. That’s a partner we can trust to keep pace with our customers’ evolving logistics needs.
Why It Matters for You: Breaking the Maintenance Cycle
Clinging to a partner that never innovates is like dragging dead weight – it slows you down while everyone else speeds ahead. A continuous-upgrade ERP, on the other hand, keeps you on the cutting edge without painful overhauls or endless upgrade fees.
In a world that moves faster than you can say “digital transformation,” maintenance mode isn’t enough. You need a partner proactively scouting new technologies, integrations, and improvements – so you can focus on scaling, innovating, and delighting customers.
At Enapps, we see ERP as a catalyst for growth, user satisfaction, and competitive advantage – not only a tool that keeps the lights on. That’s how you move from merely treading water to riding a wave of unstoppable momentum.
- You can accept stagnation, bracing for a future system swap.
- You can gamble on major versioned upgrades that cost a fortune and disrupt your operations.
- Or you can choose a partner who innovates as a constant, not a rare event.
If you’re ready to break the 5-10 year ERP overhaul cycle, look no further than the new breed of continuous-upgrade solutions. Your business is evolving: make sure your software (and your partner) evolves with it.
