• AUGUST 2026 • 21 ERP Roulette | Must Read outweighed the benefits, so the firm pivoted to the upgrade option – the latest Macola release with Synergy and Event Manager applications. Olsina says the benefits are plentiful: • lower total cost of ownership • real-time operational visibility • API ready architecture • process automations • regulatory compliance and security • fast user migration/adoption without business disruptions “You have to separate ‘platform change’ from ‘process change’ and negotiate longterm support up front,” Olsina says. Echoing that sentiment is Colleen LeYanna, senior director of customer engagement at Edwards Garment, which switched to Microsoft Dynamics 365. “Remember you are making the change for a reason,” she says. “Be open to and seriously consider business process changes. Let your new system work for you and challenge every ‘we’ve always done it this way’ answer – this will help reduce customizations.” LeYanna encourages firms to have a dedicated team – comprised of both internal staff and vendor partners – that has the bandwidth to make the project successful. After all, identifying what to build, testing and fixing bugs is time-consuming. “Don’t drink from a fire hose,” LeYanna adds. “Have a gradual approach to processing in the new system on day one and forward. Make sure there’s a detailed cutover plan and call out every action. Each department needs to highlight the dependencies.” Phil Gergen, chief information officer at Koozie Group, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the data. “It seems obvious, but taking the time to make sure your data is right will make the project go much smoother,” Gergen says. Koozie Group brought all its orders into a single ERP system (Oracle eBusiness Suite), ensuring consistency across its entire product portfolio. “Make sure you don’t lose what makes you unique when moving ERPs,” Gergen adds. “Lots of ERP implementations are designed to have you follow the ERP process, but if you lose what your customers like about you, it can have unintended consequences that overshadow the benefits of updating your ERP.” ‘So Many Options’ As his search continues, Brungart says he’s seen demos from at least nine ERP providers. He hopes to find one that can do the basics (“order entry, order follow up, CRM, a little accounting”) well and has the option of connecting with other software through APIs. “The big software packages aren’t for us because they’re just too clumsy,” he says. “Yes, they can do everything, but it takes too many clicks, or it’s done in a weird way.” Inspired by his peers, Show Your Logo’s Brungart says PromoShop’s layered tech stack appeals to him. “It really goes against what most everyone else is doing, but it seems the most flexible approach,” he says. “Business practices and customer needs are evolving quickly in recent years. Being adaptable while maintaining a cohesive tech environment makes a lot of sense to me.” Ultimately, Brungart hasn’t come any closer to finding the perfect fit for Show Your Logo, but that hasn’t deterred him. He understands the importance of an ERP in today’s competitive landscape. “Every distributor and supplier have slightly different needs and goals,” Brungart says. “Add in the complexity of ordering and making customized products for end users, and it’s no wonder there isn’t a one-size-fits-all software for the industry.” Corrigan is deputy editor at PPAI. “Make sure you don’t lose what makes you unique when moving ERPs. Lots of ERP implementations are designed to have you follow the ERP process, but if you lose what your customers like about you, it can have unintended consequences that overshadow the benefits of updating your ERP.” — Phil Gergen, chief information officer at Koozie Group
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==