Boring subject I know.
A lovely small client (120 odd staff) were struggling to manage stock, produce management accounts etc. using their industry standard accounting package (for the UK) and were looking for an integrated package.
They looked for a solution and their accountant sold them an all-signing and dancing package from one of the biggest such providers in the world at a cost of £300k - which is about 20% of the company's net worth.
The beast is so un-usable that staff are working overtime just to keep up and standard reports, which are available in every other accounting package that I have seen - are just not available - for example a transaction report or "daybook" is just not there. They have called the helpdesk whilst I have been sitting with them and they were told that it's not included and will be £250 and hour to write with about 6 hours needed. I suspect it's there and they will just flick a software switch to make it available. (Reason for suspecting this is because other client's have his option and had to pay similar to get it.)
Criminal IMHO.
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>> Criminal IMHO.
On the part of your small client, yes.
You dont spend 20% of your net worth on an IT system without doing due diligence, cost benefit analysis, research, reference visits to comparable accounts, usability, suitability, etc etc.
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You have understand their background. They have a successful business and are good at what they do. They are not accountants or IT experts so they used their trusted advisor - their accountant of more than 20 years to advise them as to the best system. They don't have an IT department or IT expert or accountant and most SME's in the UK don't - from the sample of thousands that I have worked with over the years.
They did all of the due diligence that they could, including visiting other users that had installed the software - of course, these were customers that were happy otherwise they wouldn't have been used to give recommendations etc.
The cost benefit review was done and was very positive, again, relies on a good install with everything working as it should - contingencies were allowed for.
And they are not the only people to have fallen foul of this software - including huge companies - one of which failed because management time was devoted to getting it right. One of the biggest United States brands turnover was massively hit whilst they installed this software and a huge UK co had protracted legal battles with the software company. If these £billion companies couldn't get it right for a long time, it does suggest there are issues - that a small company might not be aware of or be able to foresee.
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CARP Accounting Packages - Zero
