So you bought the wrong ERP

The demo promised everything. But stakeholders are adamant the system is missing critical functionality, and the business is committed to massive licence fees for software it can't use.

One company signed up to licences for a system it couldn't use and couldn't afford to customise. It wrote off the lot.

On another programme, I secured additional software and customisations almost free of charge. We delivered on time and on budget, and the vendor carried the cost of its overselling.

The difference is how you negotiate a resolution.

1. Establish the leverage

Start with the contract. Can we realistically terminate? How hard would switching be? What are we committed to in fees? What does the supplier stand to lose?

2. Build the evidence

"The salespeople lied" wins nothing. Pull the tender, the supplier's written responses and the evaluation team's notes, and line them up against what the system actually does.

3. Separate real gaps from old habits

Test the system against the real business processes, fast. Prioritise the gaps that cannot be resolved through process change and that impact business operations. These are the gaps you take to the supplier negotiation.

4. Take it to executive level

Get the executives together, because they are the only ones with the authority to make a deal that will resolve the situation. Put the evidence of overselling on the table, frame the resolution as a partnership, and make termination the credible alternative.

Suppliers usually move: their money is in long-term licences, and an extra module and some professional services cost them almost nothing.