6 Important Factors for Choosing the Best Microsoft Dynamics Partner

When you first start the ERP selection process, it’s typical to assume that choosing the right software is the hardest decision you will make. In the end, you may come to find that choosing the best Microsoft Dynamics partner to support whatever software solution you choose will ultimately make or break your project’s success.

A properly configured ERP solution can bring important benefits, but that only goes so far. Your partner plays a huge role in moving toward operational excellence from best practice recommendations to driving end user adoption.

Your Microsoft Dynamics partner may even seem to be terrific at first, but over time, their well of resources may run dry and you will find that they are no longer capable of meeting your needs or simply can’t handle scaling up to meet your business growth.

We see a ton of new business come from take-overs. The clients we take over from other partners all have the same top 3 complaints:

• Partner takes too long to respond to request for support or guidance
• Lack of transparency with fees
• No pro-active information sharing on new functionality, version releases or compatible add-ons

I bet that’s not what you signed up for.

If your current Microsoft Dynamics partner is delivering sub-par ROI or worse, getting in the way of you getting business done, here’s a handy checklist to help you select a more effective implementation partner :

• Industry Experience – Look for a partner who is willing to take the time to understand the unique pain points of your business, your specific requirements and the industry as a whole. You should ask for customer references, preferably from businesses similar to yours. If a partner enjoys long-term relationships with satisfied customers, it’s often an indication of a high-quality service.

• Product Knowledge – You need a partner that is knowledgeable on the strengths and limitations of their ERP system. Look for vendors whose unique competencies fit your organization’s specific requirements. Considering that the Microsoft suite of business management tools is quite extensive, can your Dynamics ERP partner also handle requests for Power BI report development? How about PowerApps & Flow training? How about support for Office 365 and email migrations? What about Microsoft Azure?

• Transparency – It’s crucial for all parties to be clear on project timelines and expected outcomes. You don’t want a partner who keeps you in the dark and doesn’t involve you. You also don’t want one that hesitates at every stage, waiting for your approval. Choose a partner that can support you in the way that best meets your business needs, whether you want to be hands-on or delegate the entire process.

• Support – Implementation is just the beginning; can the partner provide training to all users, before, during and after deployment? Do they offer ongoing support and process optimization for the system, to make sure that the software remains efficient?

• Easy Scalability – Can the partner you choose scale your Dynamics system to meet any surge in business growth? You need a software solution that works today and will work in the future.  Does your partner offer a future-proof and flexible solution that will adapt with your evolving business needs?

• Best Practice Recommendations – Find a partner that can suggest different solutions to meet your varied organizational needs.