How to Choose an ERP: 5 Questions to Answer Before You Look at a Single Demo

Choosing the wrong ERP is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make — and it rarely happens because the software was bad. It happens because the company never worked out what it actually needed before it fell for a slick demo. The tech demo always works. That's the entire point of the tech demo.

In this episode Pete, Emily, and Nirav walk through how to choose an ERP properly, from both sides: the inward look at your own business, and the outward look at the market. It's the first time the show has tackled the selection question head-on — and the short version is that almost all the work happens before you ever email a vendor.

What we cover:

• Why "it's old" and "it's expensive" are symptoms, not reasons — and the real question to ask: what can't you do today that's costing you money?
• Why fit beats age every time (a 15-year-old system that still fits the business is not a problem)
• The "do nothing" option — and why a lot of what you want from a new ERP, you can do without one
• Know who you are: revenue, users, sites, countries, industry, compliance — the facts that quietly shrink your shortlist
• Why you choose on fit first and cost second (ROI shows up in years three to six, not year one)
• Why "know your processes" is the most important step — and the test that proves whether you actually do
• Ask why you do something, not what you do — and let your project manager be the internal consultant
• Non-negotiables vs preferences in disguise — and the one-line test that separates them
• Where to start the market research: G2, Compare Software, Info-Tech, industry associations, Reddit, and yes, AI
• How to handle demos: every demo works, so your job is to break it — on your data, with your hardest questions
• Why the implementation partner matters as much as the ERP, and the red flags that should make you walk

If you're about to be handed the "which ERP should we get?" question — or you're the one handing it over — start here. Done properly, choosing an ERP takes four to eight months. This episode is how you spend that time well.