According to estimates Gartner, more than 80% of companies in 2025 already have an ERP system or are in the process of choosing one. But demand is growing faster than the quality of implementations. And the main reason for failures is not technology, but people.
An ERP project can cost a business not only money, but also managerial stability if it is entrusted to the wrong partner.
ERP is not a product. It's a partnership. Not only the quality of the system, but also the success of the entire business transformation depends on the right integrator. An ERP project is an operation on the “living organism of the company.” And even the best system will not work if it falls into the hands of the wrong specialist.
The ERP market is growing, but trust is falling
According to Panorama Consulting, more than 60% of companies that have undergone ERP implementation admit that they chose an imperfect integrator. Every third changes partner after the first phase of the project. The main reasons are poor understanding of the specifics of the business, lack of strategy, and inability to explain complex things in simple language.
An ERP project is not about “configuring modules.” It’s about transformation of processes into a system. And for this you need an integrator who thinks not in code, but in business logic.
1. An integrator who talks about the business, not just the system
An unreliable contractor is immediately visible: he starts the conversation with functions, not goals. “What modules do you need?” instead of “What processes are currently taking up the most time for you?”
A true partner starts with diagnostics. He examines your operations, asks questions about sales structure, logistics, financial flows. His task is not just to implement Odoo, but to help build a manageable management system.
An ERP integrator should think like a consultant, not like a developer.
2. Willingness to participate in strategic planning
ERP is an architecture, not a “box with modules.” A reliable integrator helps build the implementation logic gradually — first CRM and finance, then warehouse, production, or HR. He does not impose a universal scheme, but adjusts the system to real business stages.
At Codoo ERP, we call this “sequential automation”: each module has a logical continuation in the company’s development. Therefore, implementation does not destroy processes, but aligns them.
3. Openness and clear communication
ERP projects often fail due to a communication gap. If you don't understand what's happening during the setup phase, it's not your fault, it's the integrator's weakness.
A reliable partner explains technical solutions in understandable language, reports in stages, does not hide problems, and does not promise to “solve everything in a week.”
Where the integrator speaks simply, that's usually where the result is the purest.
4. Deep industry expertise: what IT companies lack
ERP projects fail for different reasons than regular IT projects. Even strong technical teams often lack expertise in areas such as:
- Production: BOM, routes, WIP, MRP II, quality control, costing.
- Construction: estimates, RFIs, subcontracts, on-site inventories, cash holdings.
- Medicine: electronic medical records, billing models, insurance, patient movement logic.
- Media: content monetization, rights management, advertising billing, subscriptions.
ERP = industry + process + system + implementation. Without this balance, the project turns into a game of “guess how the business works.”
That's why industry experience of the integrator— not a formality, but the key to success. Manufacturing, construction, healthcare, media, distribution, e-commerce — in these sectors, a deep understanding of processes determines whether ERP will become a solution or a new problem.
5. Synergy of technical and functional approaches
ERP is not just code. It is a combination of technical and management logic. A reliable integrator doesn't just configure — he designs relationships.
During the implementation process, the team must possess several levels of competencies:
- Gap Analysis — analysis of gaps between current processes and target ones.
- Process Modelling — modeling of workflows, identifying “bottlenecks”.
- User Training — training users and forming a culture of work in the system.
- Go-Live Support — support in the first weeks after launch so that the company can adapt without stress.
This multidimensional expertise is what sets us apart. ERP team from just an IT company.
ERP is a management transformation, not a technical integration.
6. Post-launch support
An ERP project does not end on the Go-Live day. A true partner does not disappear after signing the act of completed work. He accompanies the company in the first weeks, trains the team, optimizes reports, and helps adapt processes to the new system.
ERP is a living organism that evolves with the business.
That is why the most successful companies keep their integrator around even after implementation — to develop new modules, analytics, and deeper automation.
🚫 How to understand that the integrator is not yours
– it doesn't ask about your goals — only about the modules; – there are no cases in your industry; – promises to launch ERP “in two weeks”; – does not offer data verification and team training stages; – communication is reduced to the phrase “it is technically impossible.”
ERP is always a collaborative effort. If the integrator doesn't delve into your logic, they won't build a system that reflects it.
Practical insight from the Codoo ERP experience
In our practice, we have seen companies that, after implementing “out of the box,” came back a year later — not because the system is bad, but because it was configured without understanding the business model. 70% of ERP success is not in the code, but in how the language of business is translated into the language of processes.
Result
ERP is not a product, but a partnership. And the main decision the owner makes is not “which system to choose”, but “who to entrust with its implementation”.
The right integrator thinks business-like, speaks simply, asks uncomfortable questions, and doesn't sell quick fixes. That's why ERP with them becomes not a technical project, but a management transformation.
📖 More about how to assess whether a company is ready for ERP implementation, read in the article "How to assess business readiness for ERP: an owner's checklist".
💬 Are you planning an ERP implementation and looking for a partner who understands the business, not just the system?
Sign up for free consultation with a Codoo ERP expert.We will help you assess your processes, form a vision of the future system, and build an implementation roadmap Odoo ERP without risks.
ERP doesn't start with code — it starts with dialogue.