Could the Recession Be Good for Enterprise Software?

Anything that will force companies to re-examine the entire ERP issue will benefit the planet.

These packages are always sold as turn-key, they do everything, and we will be onsite to make sure.

Well they are on-site - for up to a year after, on the customer's dime, still trying to finish the integration to make it do anything, much less everything. SAP has been one of the worst for project run-on. I have friends who have made careers of *fixing* ERP installs.

If tighter budgets make companies look at the experience of their fellows rather than listen to sales pitches, perhaps the ERP dream will be forced to come true.

But ERP transition has bankrupt companies, who rarely ever have a Plan B. Just piss-poor planning over all. Were these deals done through a department rather than at the top, better planning would have been demanded, penalties for performance would have been designed into the integration, and running side-by-side and other error mitigation plans would have been laid.

If they don't get bailed out by the government, the bloated companys would stream line their operations if they want to survive.