How Can You Reduce Your Construction ERP Implementation Costs?

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) software managing and integrating business processes is the backbone of your construction company. Correctly implemented ERP can lead to higher efficiency, improved visibility, lower operating costs, and prompt reporting into your financials. The ERP solution can also facilitate job site and office processes, resources, and materials management for construction companies. 

However, implementing the Construction ERP Software is an investment, and implementation costs can add up. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects can occasionally overshadow the budget or schedule. So, what can a construction company do about this? 

This article provides helpful tips for minimizing or reducing construction ERP implementation expanses. 

Plan and Budget Carefully

Without proper planning and budgeting, your construction ERP project can rack up costs or surpass the original scope. Many times, managers miss essential components when building an ERP implementation roadmap. 

What will the software cost? Do you change management strategy, approach to transfer data, or hardware and network costs? If these and more questions are not answered during the initial stage of the project, it can lead to an unorganized and costly affair. Therefore, careful planning and budgeting are vital to controlling ERP implementation costs. 

Select Construction ERP Based on Your Business Needs

Selecting the suitable construction ERP to meet your business needs is crucial to minimize implementation costs. Not choosing an ERP system meeting your company’s needs and challenges or purchasing additional functionalities than required can increase the cost. 

You can keep the cost in control by selecting a customized ERP system tailored to your construction business requirements. Moreover, having a scalable platform will enable you to extend the functionality in the long term without incurring additional expenses.

Avoid Excessive or Needless Customization

Construction companies often fail to consider their job site and office requirements and, thus, add excessive options to enhance their ERP applications, which is not a good approach. While you need some customizations in the system, it can sometimes be expensive and non-essential. 

Excessive customizations also make it difficult to upgrade the ERP system. So, construction managers must focus on their most immediate business needs and learn the usage of different processes with the system. You should try to keep customizations as minimum as possible to minimize ERP implementation time and cost.

Focus on Long-Term ROI

When implementing the system, you must formulate a plan for the best and worst-case scenarios for spending on ERP. Make sure to determine the ROI before starting the project and consider the long-term effects of your decision on your company. 

Sometimes, the most budget-conscious construction organizations end up paying a higher price for ERP implementation due to their increased focus on low, upfront cost savings while ignoring long-term goals. You might experience issues when cutting corners and miss out on higher ROI. 

Simply put, ignoring the best practices might help reduce upfront costs, but software value can be enhanced, and risk can be lowered by developing the project strategy around generating long-term ROI. 

Consider the Cloud

Have you ever considered implementing a cloud-based ERP system in your construction company? Cloud ERP solutions are known to be more cost-effective than their alternatives and provide several benefits. 

Moreover, upfront costs are also less since most cloud ERPs charge on a subscription model, either monthly, quarterly, or annually. Additionally, construction businesses can save on infrastructure as such systems don’t require hardware or servers with vendors hosting the system. 

Make the Most of Your ERP Vendor’s Expertise

If you hire a professional ERP consultancy to implement the application, consider making the most of your consultant’s time. It will help if you rely on them for their technical expertise and business prowess. 

Make sure to involve the vendor in all aspects of your ERP implementation project, as they will know the right software for your construction company. Maximize their expertise by getting help for selection, project management, implementation, training and ongoing support, and change management.

Final Thoughts

Implementing ERP for a Construction company can be a pricy affair, but it doesn’t need to be like that. All you need to do is develop a realistic budget, plan the project per your business’s unique needs, and follow the best practices for implementing the ERP. In addition, you can get professional help from the shortlisted ERP vendor or consultant for smooth, cost-effective, and timely implementation.