Your ERP System Is a 20-Year Decision—Here’s How to Choose Wisely
When people look at an ERP, they may be making a 10 or 20-year decision. It’s not like buying a regular piece of software that you swap out every few years. ERP systems become the backbone of a business, from manufacturing and distribution to finance, quality, and supply chain management.
People don’t want to change ERPs every year. It’s costly and causes a lot of change in the organization. It touches every part of your business, from the shop floor to the front office, and switching it out later can be costly, disruptive, and time-consuming.
That’s why choosing an ERP system is one of the most significant decisions a manufacturing or distribution company can make. It’s critical to get it right the first time.
What the Right ERP System for Manufacturing Should Offer
When choosing an ERP, you need a system that truly fits your business. At WM Synergy, we understand manufacturing and distribution. After 1,800 implementations over the last 30 years, we’ve gained best practices and the best processes for every vertical in the manufacturing and distribution space.
That means when we work with customers, we’re implementing based on real business needs. We bring deep experience to the table, helping companies improve processes that matter on the shop floor and beyond.
Deep Industry Knowledge Matters
We understand manufacturing and distribution. With that knowledge, we don’t just implement based on theory. We implement based on what actually works. Every project we take on is grounded in real-world knowledge. Our playbook is built from decades of working hands-on with manufacturers and distributors.
Go Beyond the Product—Think Platform and Partner
Traditionally, people choose ERPs based on the product, but I think the platform and the partner are probably more important. You’ve got the product, you’ve got the platform, and you’ve got the partner.
Look beyond the software and focus on who you’re working with and the foundation you’re building on. When you do, you set yourself up for success well into the future.
Implementation Isn’t the Finish Line—It’s the Starting Point
Getting an ERP system live is important, but it’s just the beginning. Real success comes from what happens after the system goes live. It’s in how you improve processes, drive real results, and keep building momentum. We believe implementation is just the first step toward long-term growth and operational excellence.
Center of Excellence Sets the Tone
Right in the beginning, we have what we call our Center of Excellence, and those are ERP agnostic folks who have been in manufacturing forever. They’re change agents who help the company alter how it operates.
They can take that current state business process map, look at opportunities for automation and improvement, and build a future state process map. Then they combine that with what we learned during the sales cycle about the company’s biggest goals and use those three pieces together to build a roadmap for the rest of the project to be successful.
Measure What Matters
We measure all of our projects on one of our core values, which is meaningful results. That means real, measurable change that moves the business forward.
People that keep coming back to us for continuous improvements are the ones who’ve seen the real value. They’re thriving, growing, and using the system to drive better results year after year.
What Meaningful Results Really Look Like
Meaningful results are what separate a good ERP implementation from a great one. It’s not about going live and moving on; it’s about real changes that improve costs, delivery, and quality across the business.
Cost Visibility and Margin Improvements
Companies don’t know which parts they’re making money on. ERP gives them that visibility. You don’t have to guess at profitability across the whole company. ERP lets you see exactly which parts, products, and lines are driving your margins, and which ones aren’t.
Delivery Performance
Improving on-time delivery while reducing lead time is critical. When you don’t focus on the right bottlenecks or areas for improvement, you’re actually increasing your cost and losing your margins.
An ERP system provides that visibility. You can better manage resources, reduce overtime, and avoid the confusion that slows everything down.
Quality and Compliance
Reducing scrap, improving yield, and simplifying compliance and regulatory standards for quality — whether ISO, CMMC, or NIST — are all real outcomes we aim for.
With better control over quality and compliance, businesses are building stronger reputations and saving money along the way.
Why Cloud Migration Is Essential for the Next 20 Years
ERP is about preparing your business for the future. As technology, security threats, and business needs evolve, having the right foundation matters more than ever. That’s why cloud ERP has become a critical move for companies that want to stay competitive and protected.
Security and Disaster Recovery
I’ve sat side by side with the FBI trying to help a company get their data back after getting a ransom attack. It’s not something you ever want to experience.
We have never had a company have that kind of situation in the cloud. Moving to the cloud means stronger cybersecurity protections, built-in disaster recovery, and a lower risk of devastating downtime.
Cost and IT Resource Savings
You’re not buying a new server every three to five years. With tariffs and rising material costs for things like steel and aluminum, servers are getting more expensive.
On top of that, internal IT folks aren’t stuck worrying about backups or checking if the disaster recovery systems work. Instead, they can do more strategic things like building reports, creating workflows, and helping the business innovate faster.
AI and Extensibility
On-premise servers can’t handle the AI compute capacity. Cloud can.
To start using AI, machine learning, or robotic process automation, the perfect time is right now to get into an ERP with a great platform. Businesses that want to stay ahead need the scalability, speed, and flexibility that cloud ERP offers.
How Micro Vertical Specialization Makes the Difference
Not every ERP system is built to handle every industry. That’s why micro vertical specialization matters.
Remanufacturing is taking it apart, costing that, and tracking all the costs that go back into the reassembly. We’re one of the only companies that can do reman, and it gives our customers an advantage in industries like off-road, agriculture, and automotive.
We do clean energy too, but there’s a need for oil and gas. Many of our customers build equipment for fields and drilling operations. In aerospace and defense, one of our products is what’s called FedRamp certified — most of our competitors are not. That level of compliance matters when working with government and high-security industries.
Choose a Partner, Not Just a Product
Picking an ERP isn’t just about choosing software — it’s about choosing a partner who’s with you for the long haul.
At WM Synergy, we manufacture references. We’re in this with you as partners, not just vendors. From the first conversation through every improvement after go-live, we’re there to help businesses succeed, not just sell them software.
We’d rather get them ready so they’re successful and not waste their money. It’s about doing the right thing for the long term, helping companies build a strong foundation first — and then helping them grow for years to come.
Ready to start planning your future with the right ERP system and the right partner? Get a free ERP assessment today.
