Globalization, adoption of more open, capitalist economies in developing countries, and technological advances has made building a small or medium-sized business (SMB) as tough as it's ever been. The potential rewards are substantial, however.
Thanks to developments in the IT and telecommunications industries, SMBs--like their larger counterparts--are now able to benefit from distributing core application software throughout their organizations, helping them build businesses that can tap into opportunities the world over.
However, selecting an enterprise application software solution is a process fraught with pitfalls. A judicious choice of vendor and software can mean the difference between failing and thriving.
"Are the software licensing and pricing terms comparable over a 10-year period? Does the vendor have a clearly defined product road map for the next 10 years? What do references in your industry say about the ownership experience of the product?" These are just three of the key questions SMBs should ask when choosing an enterprise application, according to Forrester Research principal analyst R. Ray Wang.
Source: CRM Buyer, http://crmbuyer.com