Start with the business, not the brochure
Every vendor can show an impressive demo, but demos are built around a generic business. Before comparing systems, write down the five processes that eat most of your team's time, the three reports leadership actually reads, and the constraints you live with — currency, connectivity, multiple locations.
The evaluation checklist
Score each candidate on what matters locally: how it handles your currency and tax rules, whether it keeps working when the internet drops, what it costs beyond the licence, whether your team can learn it in weeks rather than months, and who you call when it breaks.
Raise the question of ownership too. A system with per-module foreign subscriptions gets more expensive every year and holds your data hostage on exit. Know the cost of getting out before you sign.
The decision
The right ERP is the one your team will actually use, configured around how you work, and supported by someone you can reach. When systems tie on features, tie-break on fit — the one that matches your workflows with less customisation is the better investment, even if it is the less famous name.
