Nick Foy: Why Do 75% of ERP Projects Fail?

21st Century Entrepreneurship

Nick Foy is the CEO, founder, and chief evangelist of Silverdale, a consulting company revolutionizing ERP implementations. We spoke about why most ERP projects fail, the critical mistakes businesses make, and Silverdale's innovative approach to creating successful outcomes.

Nick shared that 75% of ERP projects fail to meet their objectives, a statistic that often deters companies from starting. However, he passionately explained how his team combats this through their proprietary Silverdale Implementation Method (SIM), emphasizing discovery, design, and delivery. "The trick is to understand which business processes make you unique and focus on those," Nick stated, urging companies to avoid unnecessary customizations that derail projects.

Key topics included:

• Silverdale’s Fixed Pricing Model: Unlike traditional hourly billing, Silverdale aligns its goals with clients to ensure timely delivery without hidden costs.
• Transforming ERP Processes: “Don’t mold your ERP around your process—adjust your process to fit the ERP,” Nick advised, highlighting a major pitfall of failed implementations.
• AI’s Role in Consulting: Meet Dale, Silverdale’s 51st “employee,” an AI assistant improving efficiency by analyzing past projects and assisting the team in real time.

A few takeaways:

1. Customization isn’t always the answer. Focus on what makes your business unique rather than tailoring standard features.
2. Phased success is key. Silverdale’s methodology involves hands-on discovery, iterative design, and robust post-implementation support.
3. AI augments, not replaces. Leveraging AI enhances service quality while keeping the human touch central.

Whether you're considering your first ERP implementation or recovering from a failed one, Nick offers a roadmap to success that’s as practical as it is innovative.