Software Selection Advisory

The Challenge

Selecting new ERP or accounting software is one of the most consequential — and most error-prone — decisions a business makes. The wrong choice means years of operational pain and millions in unnecessary costs. The right choice transforms how the business operates.

There's also a structural feature of most selection processes that buyers don't always see at the time: the firm running the process is usually the firm that would also implement the chosen platform. That's not malice — it's how the consulting industry is mostly organized, and the model serves clients well in many engagements. But it tilts the lens, gently and consistently, toward platforms the firm is best equipped to deliver. The shortlist often forms before the rigor begins.

What We Do

We run a vendor-neutral, structured selection process designed around your operational requirements. We know the major platforms across the market, we know their real limitations behind the marketing, and we don't implement any of them. We have no financial relationship with any vendor and no margin tied to which platform you choose.

Our process starts with your operational requirements (not vendor capabilities), develops a meaningful shortlist, structures demos around how your team actually works, and produces a defensible decision with full audit trail.

What You Get

• Operational requirements documentation grounded in interviews with your team
• Vendor-neutral shortlist of 3–5 platforms based on fit, not relationships
• Structured demo scripts that test what matters for your operation
• Vendor evaluation matrix with consistent, weighted scoring
• Total cost of ownership analysis (5-year) including implementation, maintenance, and risk
• Final recommendation with rationale and a defensible decision audit trail
• Implementation partner shortlist (if you select a platform requiring one) with negotiation support

What Makes This Different

You walk away with a defensible decision — a structured selection process led personally by Mark, with the rationale documented thoroughly enough that the choice still makes sense to your board or owners two years later. Every step is shaped by your operational requirements rather than vendor capabilities, and the recommendation is based purely on fit — there's no platform we earn anything from regardless of which one you choose.

Is This Right for You?

• You're confident your current system needs to be replaced
• You want a structured process you can defend to your board, owners, or investors
• You've been pitched by multiple vendors and want an independent perspective
• You want a selection conclusion shaped by your operational needs, not by the advisor's downstream economics