When Engaging an ERP Developer, Cheaper is not Better: Better is Better
It’s inevitable that cost factors into most of your decisions as a business leader. A bad decision can have costs beyond the initial expenditure that can cripple a company, so every financial move has weight. With that in mind, there are some places where it’s better to spend that extra up front to see a long term ROI. Customizing ERP systems (like Acumatica, Sage Intacct, Microsoft D365, or NetSuite) is one area many business leaders make the mistake of prioritizing cost over expertise. As you’ll discover, it’s crucial to hire the right ERP developer, someone who gets both your business and your technical needs, and how cutting corners on cost can backfire, especially in complex ERP projects.
Understanding the Stakes in ERP Customizations
Customizing an ERP system like Acumatica, Sage Intacct, Microsoft D365, or NetSuite isn’t just about adding a few extra features or tweaking existing functionality. These customizations impact the core of how your business operates, affecting everything from financial reporting to customer management. ERP rarely offers a “one-size-fits-all” solution out of the box for every type of business and industry. That’s why tailoring your system with integrations that suit your specific needs can make all the difference in operations and your ROI. In one report, they found that just over 65% of companies customize their ERP software in some way.
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is assuming that technical expertise alone is enough for successful ERP customizations. They usually overlook how integrated the software is with business operations and how an ERP developer who understands those processes can create solutions that enhance your system and make your business run smoother. Conversely, a developer who doesn’t “get” how your company operates can cause more problems than they solve, no matter how well they know the technology. If something goes wrong, it can throw off entire workflows, leading to dirty data, inaccurate reports, and serious inefficiencies.
The Risks of Cheaping Out with ERP Developers
When it was reported in 2023 that 74% of companies were making ROI a higher priority, it’s no wonder that lower price tags when hiring are so tempting. The problem becomes that what you save in the short term might cost you big in the long run. Inexperienced developers tend to focus on the technical side, often overlooking the real needs of your business. Your customizations might work from a technical standpoint but fail to address the actual problems your company faces.
Like we discussed in our other blog on the risks of inexperience and whether ERP expertise is worth it, the issue is that more affordable, inexperienced developers often provide surface-level fixes that create a temporary solution. Unfortunately, without fully understanding your business processes, the long-term consequences are that poorly executed customizations can limit your business’s scalability and growth potential.
According to reports, 51% of companies felt they couldn’t use their data properly due to poor ERP integrations. You likely don’t want to risk your entire project, and possibly your business, for affordability. Plus, if issues do crop up, that means more downtime and expense to fix than it would have if it had initially been set up correctly.
The Importance of Business Knowledge in ERP Development
The best ERP developers (like the ones we work with) take the time to truly understand your business and industry, becoming familiar with your workflows, goals, and even pain points. Taking a holistic approach often results in great customizations that actually create technical solutions to improve how your company operates. Business-minded developers can align customizations with your broader strategy and goals, whether that’s improving financial workflows, optimizing supply chain management, or enhancing customer interactions.
When your ERP developer truly gets your business, they can foresee potential problems before they even come up and design solutions that work seamlessly with your existing systems. They have the potential to set you up for ongoing success and avoid costly mistakes and disruptions that come from overlooking the bigger picture.
Why Expertise Sometimes Costs More — And Why It’s Always Worth It
At first glance, hiring an experienced ERP developer might seem expensive, but when you consider the long-term impact, it’s easy to see why it’s worth the investment. Experienced developers don’t just know how to customize an ERP: they understand how to get customizations right the first time and avoid those costly delays in the future. Their work is far more likely to be tailored to your specific business needs, reducing the risk of errors, inefficiencies, and breakdowns in your processes.
When your ERP system runs smoothly, it drives real business value—boosting productivity, reducing operational friction, and improving your overall return on investment (ROI). That investment alone far outweighs the risks of hiring a cheaper, less experienced option.
How to Identify the Right ERP Developer
By now, you’re likely getting it, that quality is worth investing in. So, how do you make sure you’re hiring the right ERP developer? We do this all day every day whether recruiting for full-time roles or hiring developers for our Staffing practice, so the first step is to look beyond just technical skills. While it’s important that they know the ins and outs of various ERP software, what really matters is their ability to understand your business processes and tailor customizations to meet your specific needs.
Start by looking at their track record in the mid-market ERP field to see if they have worked with companies similar to yours. Familiarity with your ERP platform and industry is crucial for ensuring that the customizations they make will actually benefit your business rather than creating unnecessary complications. Also keep in mind that the best developers collaborate closely with your internal teams to understand your goals, workflows, and pain points.
They should ask the right questions and offer insights that show they’re not just thinking about the technology, but how that technology fits into your broader business strategy. They should be able to bridge the gap between technical requirements and business goals, ensuring that your ERP system works for you, not against you.
Consider Consulting Both a Developer and a Business Analyst
In some cases, hiring an ERP developer alone might not be enough and it can be worth considering a hybrid approach that includes both a developer and a business analyst. A business analyst brings a unique perspective that combines both technical and business expertise, making sure that the customizations align with your company’s broader or future goals.
While the developer can implement the customizations, the business analyst will make sure that work makes sense from a business operations standpoint. They’ll dig deeper into your workflows, financial processes, and customer management strategies, helping guide the developer to make smart choices that support your long-term objectives. That collaboration can help bridge the gap between technical expertise and business understanding, providing you with more well-rounded results.
Hiring for technical expertise exclusively when customizing your ERP system may save you money upfront, but cutting corners can lead to costly mistakes that derail your processes and growth potential. The right ERP developer will have the technical know-how but also the business insight to ensure your customizations support your long-term goals and avoid costly errors. Or you have the option to involve a business analyst to work alongside the developer (like how we always do it at DyNexus) that can make all the difference in aligning your customizations with your overarching strategies.
Before you embark on your next ERP customization project, take a step back and think about the expertise you need instead of jumping at the more affordable option. Instead, consider investing in an expert that truly understands both your business and your technology. We’re also here to offer expert guidance, or provide the right ERP developer for your project. Just reach out to our CEO, Julian, for a consultation and we’ll find solutions that work for you today and in the long run.