Why ERP Projects Go Off Track – And How to Fix Them
Executive Summary
ERP implementations promise efficiency, visibility, and control, but many fall short once the reality of change, complexity, and misalignment sets in.
This article explores the most common reasons ERP projects derail and explains how the right planning, ownership, and change management, often supported by an experienced ERP Implementation Consultant, can help get things back on track. Drawing on real-world delivery experience from Nine Feet Tall, it outlines the critical questions organisations should be asking before costs escalate and confidence drops.
When an ERP Implementation Consultant helps turn stalled systems into success stories
Your new ERP System was going to deliver so much, seamlessly streamlining all the data for your organisation through careful ERP planning and implementation.
However, it is not going smoothly and suddenly the dream tech solution is not looking like everything you were told it would be, and confidence is starting to dip. In many cases, this is where an experienced ERP Implementation Consultant can help diagnose what’s really going wrong — whether that’s misaligned expectations, poor readiness, or gaps in change management.
There are many ERP horror stories about implementations going wrong, but instead of reading about those projects, ask yourself these questions instead. Let’s dive in.
1. Are your key stakeholders invested and engaged?
ERP implementations affect almost every part of the business, which means there are usually many stakeholders involved.
These stakeholders should be identified as early as possible, with a clear plan in place to keep them engaged, informed, and invested in the outcome. A structured impact assessment can help you understand how different roles will be affected and turn potential blockers into advocates.
It’s also important not to overlook external stakeholders. Suppliers and customers may feel the impact of your ERP changes just as strongly as internal teams.
At Nine Feet Tall, stakeholder engagement is treated as a core delivery discipline and not just a “nice to have”.
2. Is there capability, accountability and ownership within the business?
Every ERP implementation needs a clear Project Sponsor who is normally someone with the authority to drive the project forward and unblock issues quickly.
Within the project team, roles and responsibilities must be clearly defined, with accountability assigned for every output. Beyond that, the wider business also needs to be ready.
Ask yourself:
- Do we have the right internal capabilities?
- Is ownership clearly defined outside the project team?
- Are there structural or skills gaps slowing us down?
- Have we considered establishing a dedicated Change Team?
An experienced ERP Implementation Consultant will often surface these issues early before they become delivery risks.
3. Are your business processes aligned to the ERP?
Customising an ERP system to fit existing processes is one of the fastest ways to increase cost, complexity, and risk.
Many of these issues can be avoided by re-engineering processes to align with best-in-class ERP functionality instead. That means mapping current processes and being honest about what needs to change.
Ideally, this work happens during ERP planning. But if it wasn’t done thoroughly, or at all, it could be at the root of your current challenges. Clear ERP communication is critical here, ensuring everyone understands why processes are changing and how the new system supports better outcomes.
This is a core focus area for Nine Feet Tall, where process alignment and pragmatism go hand in hand.
4. Have you planned data migration accurately?
Data migration is often underestimated.
In many cases, suppliers leave responsibility with the client, offering minimal support. Given how complex and business-critical data migration can be, this is a risk that needs to be actively managed.
Your business readiness case should ensure:
- Data is thoroughly cleansed
- Ownership is clearly defined
- Quality standards are agreed
- Legacy data issues are understood
Best practice is to make users responsible for their own data, supported by clear governance. If problems are emerging now, the issue may lie in configuration or data quality, not the ERP system itself.
5. Are your teams ready to use the new system?
According to Deloitte, “the single biggest failure point for ERP implementations is the need for change management” and resistance to change is the biggest barrier to success with 82% of organisations citing it as the biggest factor. There will be many reasons why people aren’t ready and there will be ways to overcoming resistance and champion adoption. A Change Management team would be considering:
- Clear and consistent two-way communication
- Early visibility of the system as soon as possible
- Training programme
- Ongoing support
At Nine Feet Tall, we embed change into ERP delivery.
How Nine Feet Tall Can Help
If your ERP implementation still isn’t going as planned, working with an ERP Implementation Consultant can help uncover the real issues and provide a clear, structured path forward.
Get in touch with Nine Feet Tall for a free consultation. We’d be happy to help you get to the root of the problem and get your ERP programme back on track.
